New Zealand visa photo maker
Immigration New Zealand asks for something most photo rules do not: a light background that is not white, and a file of at least 500 KB. Frame your photo here and save it inside the published size limits.
- Free, no watermark
- Photo stays on your device
- No retouching
- Rules checked 11 November 2026
New Zealand visa photo requirements
| Pixel size | Between 900 × 1200 and 2250 × 3000 pixels |
|---|---|
| Orientation | Portrait |
| File size | Between 500 KB and 3 MB |
| File format | JPEG, sRGB colour |
| Head size | The length of the head fills 75% of the frame, and its width 70% |
| Eye position | In the top half of the frame |
| Background | Plain and light-coloured, but not white |
Checked against the official source on 11 November 2026. Source: Immigration New Zealand: Taking acceptable visa photos (technical requirements, PDF). Rules change without notice, so read the official page before you submit.
What the photo must show
- Only one face, looking directly at the lens with eyes open.
- The light background visible around the whole head.
- No headwear covering the face.
- No bold patterns on clothing.
- Stand 1 to 1.5 metres from the background and 1 to 1.5 metres from the camera.
Light, but not white
A passport photo taken against a white wall for another country can fail here. Immigration New Zealand's guide asks for a plain, light-coloured background and adds “not white” in brackets. A pale grey, cream or light blue wall works. The tool on this page warns you if the background in your photo measures as pure white.
A minimum file size
Most forms only set a maximum, so people shrink their photos to be safe. This one also has a floor of 500 KB. A 900 × 1200 pixel JPEG is often smaller than that, so the download from this page uses more pixels and a high quality setting when it needs to, staying under the 3 MB ceiling. Start from the original camera file, not a copy that a chat app has compressed.
A larger head than the passport photo
The visa guide asks for the head to fill 75% of the frame's height. That is a tighter crop than the New Zealand passport photo, which includes the shoulders and upper chest. The two are not interchangeable.
Common problems with NZ visa photos
- A white background.
- A file under 500 KB, usually a compressed copy from a messaging app.
- A file over 3 MB straight from a phone camera.
- A head that is too small in the frame, as in a passport-style photo with shoulders and chest.
- Patterned clothing or headwear covering part of the face.
✓ 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 New Zealand visa 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 New Zealand visa photo
What size is the New Zealand visa photo?
A New Zealand visa photo must be between 900 × 1200 and 2250 × 3000 pixels in portrait orientation, saved as a JPEG between 500 KB and 3 MB, according to Immigration New Zealand's technical guide.
Can the background be white?
No. The guide asks for a plain, light-coloured background that is not white.
Can I use my passport photo for a New Zealand visa?
Usually not without retaking it. The visa guide asks for a head filling 75% of the frame and a background that is not white, which differs from most passport photos.
Does the NZeTA use the same photo rules?
Immigration New Zealand publishes its photo guidance for visa and NZeTA applications together. Check the current page on immigration.govt.nz before you apply.
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
- Can I take my own passport photo?Where a home photo is accepted, and where it is not