Kiwi Access Card photo maker
A paper Kiwi Access Card application needs two identical 35 × 45 mm colour photos, taken within the last 12 months, against a plain light background that is not white. Frame your photo here and print a sheet at the true size.
- Free, no watermark
- Photo stays on your device
- No retouching
- Rules checked 11 November 2026
Kiwi Access Card photo requirements
| Printed size | 35 × 45 mm, portrait |
|---|---|
| Number of photos | Two identical photos (paper application) |
| How recent | Taken within the last 12 months |
| In colour, on photo quality paper | |
| Background | Plain and light-coloured, not white, with no shadows, objects or other people |
| Framing | Full front view of your face and shoulders, head centred with a clear gap around it |
| Glasses | Allowed, but not sunglasses, tinted or thick-framed, and no glare |
| Selfies | Not accepted. Someone else takes the photo from 1.5 m, at eye level |
| Online application | No print needed: your photo is taken with your device's camera |
Checked against the issuing organisation's own page on 11 November 2026. Source: Kiwi Access: Photo requirements · Kiwi Access Card application form (April 2025, PDF) · Kiwi Access: Online application form. Rules change without notice, so read the official page before you submit.
What the photo must show
- Your face front on to the camera, with a neutral expression and your mouth closed.
- Your head centred, with a clear gap around the sides, top and bottom. Kiwi Access needs this space to print the card.
- Hair off your eyes and the sides of your face.
- A gap between your eyes and your glasses frames, if you wear glasses.
- No hats, hoods, headbands or headscarves, unless worn for religious or medical reasons. In that case you give details on the form.
- A true likeness: the image must not be altered or distorted in any way.
- Even lighting, in focus, with no red-eye and no reflected light on the face.
Online or on paper
You can apply online or with a paper form at a participating NZ Post shop or AA Centre. The online form takes your photo with a working webcam or phone camera on the device you are using, so you do not supply a printed photo. If you have no working camera, Kiwi Access tells you to use the paper application, and that is where the two 35 × 45 mm prints are needed. The online route also needs a New Zealand driver licence, passport or birth certificate, and cards are only posted to New Zealand addresses.
Light, but not white
The Kiwi Access photo page asks for a plain, light-coloured background “that is not white”. A pale grey or cream wall works. The tool on this page warns you if the background in your photo measures as pure white.
Attaching the photos to the form
If you prove your identity with photo ID, write your name on a sticker and put it on the back of one photo. If you use non-photo ID, your identifier writes your name and the date and signs the sticker. The form asks you to attach the photos with double-sided tape or sticky dots: the store checks that the photo is not stapled, glued or paper-clipped to the application.
Common problems with Kiwi Access Card photos
- A white background.
- A selfie, or a phone held too close, which makes the nose and forehead look larger.
- A head cropped too tightly, with no gap above the hair or below the chin.
- Tinted or thick-framed glasses, or glare on the lenses.
- A photo more than 12 months old.
- Photos stapled or glued to the form instead of taped.
✓ Good: plain background, even light, neutral face
✕ Shadow on the wall and face
✕ Busy background
✕ Glare on glasses
✕ Selfie taken too close
✕ Too dark, orange light
More on this in why ID photos get rejected. The examples use an off-white wall to show framing and lighting only. The Kiwi Access Card photo must not have a pure white background: use the colour in the background row of the table above, and avoid a bright white wall.
How to use this tool
- Ask someone to take the photo from about 1.5 m, at eye level, in even daylight in front of a plain wall.
- Add the photo above. The tool finds your face and frames it to the size on this page.
- Check the green lines: one on the top of your head, one on your chin. Drag or zoom to adjust.
- Read the automatic checks, then download. Nothing in the photo is retouched, only cropped and resized.
Questions about the Kiwi Access Card photo
What size is a Kiwi Access Card photo?
A Kiwi Access Card photo is a portrait print of 35 × 45 mm, in colour on photo quality paper. The paper application needs two identical photos taken within the last 12 months.
Can the background be white for a Kiwi Access Card photo?
No. Kiwi Access asks for a plain, light-coloured background that is not white, with no shadows, objects or other people.
Can I wear glasses in my Kiwi Access Card photo?
Yes, as long as they are not sunglasses, tinted or thick-framed, there is no glare on the lenses and there is a clear gap between your eyes and the frames.
Do I need printed photos if I apply for a Kiwi Access Card online?
No. The online application takes your photo with your device's webcam or phone camera. Printed photos are for the paper form at an NZ Post shop or AA Centre.
Can I use a selfie for a Kiwi Access Card?
No. Kiwi Access says no selfies, as they can distort the face. Have someone else take the photo from 1.5 m away, at eye level.
Guides for this photo
- Why passport and ID photos get rejectedThe reasons authorities list themselves, and how to avoid each
- How to take a passport photo at homeDistance, light, background and pose, step by step
- Are edited or AI passport photos allowed?What ten authorities say about retouching, filters and AI
- How to print passport photos on 4 × 6 paperHow many fit, the settings to use, and the right paper
- Can I take my own passport photo?Where a home photo is accepted, and where it is not