Hong Kong Passport Photo Maker, 40x50 mm

The official requirements

Hong Kong uses a 40x50 mm photo that matches neither the US 2x2 inch square nor the European 35x45 mm format, and because the HKSAR passport is personalised by laser engraving, the image has to be sharp and exactly on-size. The specifics:

• Size: 40×50 mm, portrait — different from both the US 2×2 inch and the European 35×45 mm formats
• Background: plain white, no patterns, no shadows
• Head size: 32–36 mm from chin to crown, with sufficient headroom
• Expression: full frontal face, clear facial features, both eyes open
• Glasses: allowed, but no frames may cross the eyes and no flash reflection on the lenses
• Headwear: no head dress (religious head coverings handled as a special case — see below)
• Recency: taken within the last 6 months
• Color: color photo

For a digital submission through the ImmD internet portal or mobile app, use a JPEG no larger than 5 MB. From a digital camera, the image must be at least 1200×1600 pixels; from a scanner, the photo must be scanned at 600 dpi.

How to take a compliant photo

The 40×50 mm size is HK-specific, so an ICAO 35×45 mm or US 2×2 inch photo will not fit and a leftover crop will be rejected. The setup that works:

1. Stand 1.5–2 metres in front of a plain white wall, with enough gap that no shadow falls behind your head.
2. Face a window — natural, even light from the front. Avoid overhead light and on-camera flash, which both cause the lens reflections ImmD specifically rejects.
3. Have someone else take it from chest height, straight on. A selfie distorts the face.
4. Keep your head straight, looking directly at the camera, neutral expression, hair clear of the eyes and eyebrows.
5. Crop to 40×50 mm with the chin-to-crown height between 32 and 36 mm and clear headroom above — or upload the shot to a tool that crops to the HK-specific size and verifies the head ratio for you.

Why photos get rejected

ImmD lists the failures that get a photo bounced. Each one, and the fix:

• Wrong size — anything other than 40×50 mm. Crop to the HK size, not the ICAO or US format.
• Not centred — the head sits off-axis or too low. Re-frame with the face centred and clear headroom above the crown.
• Hair across the eyes or eyebrows — even a fringe. Pull hair back or pin it clear of the eyes.
• Frame across the eyes — heavy or thick glasses frames that cut across the eyes. Switch to thin frames or remove the glasses.
• Flash reflection on face or glasses — kill the on-camera flash and shoot in even window light.
• Shadow — on the face or on the wall behind you. Move away from the wall and light yourself from the front.
• Too light or too dark — even, neutral lighting; no clipping, no muddy underexposure.

What to wear (and not wear)

The detail ImmD rejects that catches people off guard is glasses frames crossing the eyeline: thick or fashion frames fail even when the eyes are technically visible behind them. With that flagged:

Avoid: head dress of any kind (religious coverings handled separately), heavy make-up, and clothing that is either overly dark or overly light-coloured. A white or very pale top blends into the white background; a black top can read as a silhouette.

Fine: ordinary everyday clothing in a mid-tone, solid colour that contrasts with the white background. Light, everyday make-up is fine. Glasses are permitted as long as the frames do not cross the eyes and there is no reflection on the lenses — if in doubt, take them off.

The frame-across-eyes rule is the one most applicants miss. Thick or fashion frames that sit over the eyeline get rejected even when the eyes are technically visible behind them.

Where to get your photo

You can get a Hong Kong passport photo at a photo shop, a chain pharmacy, or online. Typical options in HK:

In-person is the safe choice if you are unsure about the head-size ratio or want a same-day print on photo paper. Online is cheaper and gives you a digital JPEG sized for the ImmD portal as well as a print-ready sheet you can take to any photo shop. The only thing that matters is that whatever you submit meets every rule above — ImmD returns substandard photos and will not process the application until you replace them.

Submitting your photo

ImmD takes the application three ways: online through its website or mobile app, in person at an Immigration Office, or by post and drop-in box.

Online application (ImmD website or “Immigration Department Mobile Application”) — Upload a JPEG no larger than 5 MB, at least 1200×1600 pixels from a digital camera (or scanned at 600 dpi). ImmD notes that a successful upload does not yet confirm acceptance — staff may still request a replacement if the photo fails on review.

In-person at an Immigration Office — Bring printed photos in the 40×50 mm size on photo paper.

By post or drop-in — Submit printed photos with the application form. Do not fold, staple, paper-clip, or write on the back of the photo: laser engraving needs an undamaged surface, and a marked photo will be returned with the application.

Babies, kids & special situations

Infants and young children follow the same rules — plain white background, neutral face, full frontal view, no hands or arms in the frame, no pacifier, both eyes open. The simplest setup is to lay the baby on a plain white sheet and shoot from directly above. Eyes open is the hardest part — be patient and shoot multiple frames.

Religious head coverings worn daily for religious reasons may be permitted, but the full frontal face must remain clearly visible from forehead to chin and the head covering must not cast a shadow on the face. Confirm with ImmD before applying if you are unsure.

Glasses are permitted as long as the frames do not cross the eyes and there is no reflection on the lenses. If your everyday glasses have heavy frames, the lower-risk choice is to take them off for the photo.