UAE Visa Photo Requirements: ICP and GDRFA Dubai's Rules, Compared

The short answer: ICP, which issues visas for Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, publishes a detailed photo specification: taken within the last six months, 35 to 40 mm wide, with the head and upper shoulders filling 70 to 80% of the frame, a plain light background that contrasts with the face, and a neutral expression with the mouth closed. ICP's FAQ asks for a white background. GDRFA Dubai, which issues Dubai visas, asks only for "one personal photo" on its visit visa pages, with no size stated. Neither authority publishes a pixel or file size for an online upload, so follow what the upload screen asks for.

The question usually comes up when a studio, a relative applying from abroad or an online form asks for a size you don't recognise, or when an application comes back asking for a new photo. A photo that meets ICP's specification the first time saves a second trip to the studio and a delay on the visa.

UAE visa photo requirements at a glance

Question	Answer (October 2026)
Whose rules apply	ICP for visas issued outside Dubai; GDRFA Dubai for Dubai visas
Size (ICP)	35 to 40 mm wide; head and upper shoulders fill 70 to 80% of the frame
Size (GDRFA Dubai)	Not stated on its visit visa pages
Background	ICP's FAQ: white. ICP's photo guide: plain and light, contrasting with the face
How recent	Taken within the last six months (ICP)
How many	One for most visit visas; two for GDRFA Dubai's visit visa for a relative or friend
Glasses	Medical glasses with a thin frame, eyes visible, no tint or glare; no sunglasses (ICP)
Hats and head coverings	No hats; head coverings for religious reasons only, with the face visible from chin to forehead (ICP)
Pixel or file size for uploads	Not published by ICP or GDRFA Dubai: follow the upload screen
Passport	A copy goes with the photo; valid for at least six months

Whose rules apply: ICP or GDRFA Dubai

The UAE has two visa authorities, and the photo rules follow the one that issues the visa. ICP, the federal authority, covers Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. GDRFA Dubai covers visas sponsored from Dubai, including the tourist visas a Dubai travel agency arranges. Which one issued a visa depends on where the sponsor is, not where the visitor stays: our UAE visa status check guide explains how to tell.

The two publish very different levels of detail. ICP has a standalone photo specification. GDRFA Dubai's visa pages, which list documents and fees, ask for "a personal photo" and stop there.

ICP's photo specification

ICP's guide, headed "Personal Photo Specifications", sets out these rules for the printed photo:

• How recent: taken within the last six months.
• Width: 35 to 40 mm. The guide gives no separate height: the framing rule below sets it.
• Framing: head and upper shoulders square to the camera, filling 70 to 80% of the photo.
• Expression: sharp focus, neutral expression, mouth closed, head level.
• Eyes: open, level with the lens and not covered by hair, with natural skin tone.
• Lighting: even, with no shadow behind or on the head, no flash reflection on the skin and no red-eye.
• Background: plain and light, with a clear contrast between face and background.
• Print: high resolution on photographic paper, with no ink marks or creases.

Background colour. The photo guide asks for a light background. ICP's FAQ is more specific: it asks for a recent, high-quality photo on a white background. A plain white background meets both, so ask the studio for white.

Glasses. ICP's FAQ says sunglasses and hats are not allowed, and medical glasses are fine only if they do not cover the eyes. The photo guide adds that frames should be thin, not thick, should not hide the outline of the eyes, and that lenses should not be tinted or catch the flash.

Head coverings. The photo guide allows a head covering only for religious reasons. The face must show clearly from below the chin to above the forehead, and on both sides.

GDRFA Dubai's photo requirement

GDRFA Dubai's pages for the single-entry and multiple-entry tourist visas list "One personal photo", and its visit visa for a relative or friend asks for two. None gives a size, background or format. The one GDRFA Dubai page that names a colour is its visa on arrival for Indian nationals who hold a US visa or green card, or a UK or EU residence visa, which asks for a "Personal photo (white background)".

With no GDRFA Dubai size published, ICP's specification is the safest one to follow for a Dubai visa too: a photo that meets it meets everything GDRFA Dubai's pages ask for.

Pixel size for an online upload

The 35 to 40 mm figure is a print size. Neither ICP's nor GDRFA Dubai's pages give a pixel size or a maximum file size for an upload. If you apply through smartservices.icp.gov.ae or smart.gdrfad.gov.ae, the upload screen states what it accepts when you attach the file. Follow that rather than a figure from a photo-tool website.

The passport copy

Every visit visa application on ICP's and GDRFA Dubai's pages lists the passport, or a copy of it, alongside the photo. Both ask for a passport valid for at least six months. Neither page says which page to copy or whether the copy must be in colour, so follow your sponsor's or agency's instructions.

Photos of children and babies

ICP's guide applies the same framing to a baby or toddler and adds three things to avoid: a toy close to the face, a visible car seat or baby chair, and another person in the frame, such as a parent's arm. Only the child should be in the photo, mouth closed and head level.

Mistakes ICP's guide marks as wrong

• Taken too close or too far away, so the head and shoulders are not framed correctly
• Blurred, creased, over-exposed or under-exposed
• Face off-centre, or head and shoulders tilted
• Eyes closed, looking away, or covered by hair
• A shadow on or behind the head, or flash glare and red-eye
• A background that is patterned, dark or does not contrast with the face
• Thick frames, tinted lenses or glare on the glasses
• A hat or cap, or a head covering worn for a reason other than religion
• Another person, or a toy, in the frame

Taking a photo that passes

A passport-photo studio is the simplest route: ask for ICP's visa specification on a white background. If you take one on a phone for an upload, stand in front of a plain white wall in even daylight, hold the phone at eye height, switch off portrait and beauty modes, and have someone else take it so your head and shoulders stay level. Take several and pick the one with no shadow or reflection.

Frequently asked questions

What size should a UAE visa photo be?

ICP's specification is 35 to 40 mm wide, with the head and upper shoulders filling 70 to 80% of the frame. GDRFA Dubai does not publish a size, so ICP's specification is the safe one to follow for a Dubai visa too.

What background colour does a UAE visa photo need?

White. ICP's FAQ asks for a white background, and its photo guide asks for a plain light one that contrasts with the face. GDRFA Dubai's visit visa pages state no colour, but its one page that does asks for white.

What are ICP's photo requirements for a visa?

A photo taken in the last six months, 35 to 40 mm wide, head and shoulders filling 70 to 80% of the frame, on a plain white background. Neutral expression, mouth closed, even lighting, and no sunglasses, hats or thick or tinted glasses.

What are GDRFA Dubai's photo requirements?

Its visit visa pages ask for one personal photo, or two for a relative or friend's visit visa, without stating a size or background. A photo that meets ICP's specification covers it.

What pixel size does a UAE visa photo upload need?

Neither ICP nor GDRFA Dubai publishes one. The upload screen on smartservices.icp.gov.ae or smart.gdrfad.gov.ae states what it accepts when you attach the file.

Can I wear glasses or a headscarf in a UAE visa photo?

Medical glasses are fine if the frame is thin, your eyes are clearly visible, and the lenses have no tint or glare; sunglasses are not. A head covering is allowed for religious reasons, with the face visible from chin to forehead and on both sides.

Applying for the visa

With the photo and passport copy ready, the rest of a visit visa, which people also call a tourist visa, is the sponsor's application and the official fee. Our visa desk checks the photo and documents before anything is submitted. Browse UAE visa services, from the 30-day visit visa to the 90-day multiple-entry visa, or talk to us about your dates. The decision on any visa stays with ICP or GDRFA Dubai.

Related guides

• UAE visit visa rejected: reasons, refunds and what to do next
• UAE visa status check: ICP and GDRFA Dubai
• UAE multiple entry visa: the 5-year visa and shorter options
• UAE visa guide: types, rules and status check

Last checked 9 October 2026 against ICP's Personal Photo Specifications guide, its FAQ page and its Issuance of a Visa service page, and GDRFA Dubai's service pages for the single-entry and multiple-entry tourist visas, the visit visa for a relative or friend, and the visa on arrival for eligible Indian nationals. This guide is general information, not immigration advice. Confirm the current specification with ICP, GDRFA Dubai or our team before you apply.