Argentina passport photo rules from RENAPER and Cancillería
Argentina’s passport photo specification is set by RENAPER (Registro Nacional de las Personas) and applied by Cancillería Argentina through its consulates abroad. The current biometric standard was established by Resolución RENAPER 169/2011, which replaced the country’s long-standing 3/4 right profile with a strict full-frontal capture aligned to ICAO 9303. The same 40×40 mm square format applies to consular emergency and provisional passports as well as visas to Argentina.
Domestic DNI and biometric passport photos are captured live at a RENAPER appointment, so DIY prints are needed primarily for consular emergency passports, provisional passports, and visa applications. Two identical photographic prints are required, with a white background, neutral expression, and head completely uncovered. Photos must reflect the applicant’s current appearance and be no more than six months old.
Consular officers and RENAPER’s automated review reject non-compliant submissions, which delays issuance of the document. The most common rejection causes for Argentina are submitting the legacy 3/4 profile that older third-party guides still publish, wearing eyeglasses, and wearing white clothing that fails background separation against the white backdrop.
Argentina Passport Photo Requirements
Cancillería Argentina and RENAPER apply these subject rules to consular passport and visa photos under Resolución 169/2011. Anything outside these rules risks rejection at the consulate window.
Expression & pose
- Neutral expressionHold a neutral expression (expresión neutral). Smiling, frowning, and raised eyebrows are not accepted.
- Mouth closedKeep the mouth firmly closed. Teeth must not be visible.
- Eyes open and forwardBoth eyes must be fully open and looking directly at the camera lens.
- Strict full-frontalFace the camera straight on. Resolución 169/2011 abolished the legacy 3/4 right-side profile in 2011, and any tilt, yaw, or rotation of the head will be rejected.
- Square shouldersShoulders must be square to the camera and visible in the frame as a half-bust (medio busto).
Eyewear & lenses
- EyeglassesEyeglasses are prohibited (sin anteojos). A narrow medical exception requires a signed doctor’s note, and even then the frames cannot cover any part of the eyes and the lenses must show zero glare.
- Sunglasses and tinted lensesSunglasses and tinted or photochromic lenses are banned without exception.
- Contact lensesClear prescription contact lenses are permitted. Colored, patterned, or cosmetic lenses that alter the natural iris color are prohibited.
Hair
- Face visibilityHair must not obscure the facial oval, the eyes, or the eyebrows, and must not cast shadows on the face.
- Bangs and fringesBangs are permitted as long as the eyes and eyebrows remain fully visible.
- Hair accessoriesLarge decorative hair accessories such as scrunchies, bows, and ornamental clips are prohibited.
- WigsWigs are permitted only when worn daily for medical reasons and must not obscure the face.
Headwear
- General ruleThe head must be completely uncovered (cabeza totalmente descubierta). Hats, caps, and fashion headwear are not accepted.
- Religious and medical exceptionResolución 169/2011 permits head coverings worn for documented religious or medical reasons, provided the full facial oval from the chin to the top of the forehead remains 100% visible and no shadow falls on the face.
Jewelry & accessories
- Earrings and necklacesSmall, unostentatious earrings and necklaces are permitted as long as they do not cast shadows or create flash glare.
- Facial piercingsFacial piercings are permitted provided they do not obscure facial features or reflect light into the lens.
- Headphones and earbudsHeadphones, earbuds, and over-ear devices are prohibited in the photo.
Cosmetics
- MakeupMakeup must be natural. Heavy contouring or stage makeup that alters the facial biometrics is not accepted.
- False eyelashesFalse eyelashes are not accepted, particularly when they cast shadows over the eyes.
- Facial tattoosPermanent facial tattoos do not need to be covered and are treated as part of the applicant’s standard appearance.
Clothing
- Avoid white garmentsWhite clothing causes RENAPER’s automated background-separation algorithm to fail against the mandatory white background and is operationally rejected. Wear mid-tone or dark colors instead.
- Cover the shouldersShoulders must be covered. Tank tops, strapless tops, and bare-shoulder garments are routinely flagged.
- No uniformsUniforms of any kind are prohibited. Religious garments worn daily are the only exception.
Dimensions, resolution & background.
Head position & camera distance.
- Head height, measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head, must be between 27 mm and 29 mm (roughly 66–73% of the photo height).
- Eyes must sit between 19 mm and 23 mm from the bottom of the photo.
- Top margin (from the top of the head to the top edge): 3–5 mm.
- The head must be centered horizontally in the frame, with a small symmetrical margin on each side.
- Shoulders must be square to the camera and both visible. No three-quarter angles or rotated torso.
- The full face, from chin to crown, must be inside the frame with proper top margin.
Argentina accepts more than one size — we generate them all.
Argentina publishes more than one acceptable format depending on where you submit your application — domestic passport offices, the official online portal, and regional consulates abroad can each call for a different print or pixel size. We render every variant below from the same source photo, so the head sits at the same physical position across files, and each one arrives in your order email with a clear filename indicating which submission channel it's for.
Argentina Passport 40×40 mm
Primary · Print + DigitalArgentina's official format — the same file works for both printed in-person submissions and the online portal upload.
Argentina Passport 1.5×1.5 in — from US consulate
Print + DigitalPrint size accepted by US-based consular missions for applicants in the United States.
How recent the photo must be.
Your passport photo must have been taken within the last six months. A new photo is required sooner whenever your appearance has changed in a way that makes the old photo no longer recognizable.
You need a new photo if you’ve had…
- Facial surgery or a major change to facial structure
- A significant gain or loss of weight that visibly changes your face
- Large facial tattoos or piercings added or removed
- A gender transition that has changed your appearance
You do not need a new photo just because of…
- A new hair color
- Growing or removing a beard or moustache
- Ordinary, minor aging
- A new hairstyle that still leaves the face fully visible
Photos for infants and young children.
RENAPER and Cancillería apply relaxed standards for infants. Older children are expected to follow the adult rules.
Infants (under 12 months)
Standard biometric compliance is relaxed for infants under one year.
- Expression and eyesNon-neutral expressions and partially closed eyes are tolerated. A fully sleeping baby with closed eyes is acceptable.
- Head positionA slight head tilt is tolerated when the infant cannot hold a perfectly frontal pose.
- Photographed aloneThe infant must appear alone in the frame. Parental hands, arms, and supports must not be visible. A draped white sheet or a white-lined car seat is the standard setup.
- No propsPacifiers, toys, bottles, and similar props are not permitted in the photo.
Children (1 year and older, under 18)
- Adult rules applyChildren one year and older must follow adult rules: full-frontal pose, neutral expression, mouth closed, and eyes open looking at the lens, to the best of their ability.
- Extra printed copies for minorsSome consulates, including Milan, require three identical printed copies for minors rather than the standard two. Confirm the exact quantity with the consulate handling the application.
Country-specific details to know.
A few Argentine specifics catch applicants out even when the rest of the photo is correct.
Legacy 3/4 profile trap
From 1968 until Resolución 169/2011, Argentina was globally unique in requiring a 3/4 right-side profile photo. The rule was abolished in 2011, but the obsolete instruction still circulates. Submit a strict full-frontal photo. Any 3/4-profile image is rejected automatically.
Square 40 by 40 mm format
The Argentine print size is 40 by 40 mm (4 by 4 cm), a 1:1 square. This format is unusual outside Argentina and most foreign print shops default to 35 by 45 mm or 2 by 2 inches, which the consulate will refuse.
White clothing rejection
Wearing white against the mandatory white background causes RENAPER’s automated separation to fail and the head to appear to float. This is consistently enforced at the consulate even though it is not written into formal regulation. Choose a mid-tone or dark top.
Six-month recency
Photographs must have been taken within the last six months and reflect the applicant’s current appearance. A new photo is required after significant facial trauma, surgery, gender transition, or substantial weight change.
As easy as snap, upload, done.
You take a quick picture. We do the spec work and tell you immediately if anything needs a retake.
Free to check. You only pay when you keep it.
Print & paper standards.
If you submit a printed photo with a paper application, the print itself has to meet acceptance-facility standards in addition to the rules above.
- Photographic paper (papel fotográfico) with a glossy finish.
- Inkjet printing is not accepted. Use a professional photo lab.
- No visible pixels, banding, dithering, or printer artifacts.
- The print must be undamaged: no creases, holes, smudges, staples, or pinholes.
- Do not write on the back of the photo.
- 2 identical prints are required.