Brazil visa photos issued under MRE (Itamaraty) rules
Brazil’s visa photo standard is set by the Ministério das Relações Exteriores (MRE, also known as Itamaraty) and enforced through two parallel intake systems. Citizens of Australia, Canada, and the United States apply through the e-Visa portal operated by VFS Global, which expects a 2x2 inch (51x51 mm) square image on a pure white background. Applicants of other nationalities file sticker visas through the E-Consular system backed by SERPRO, which uses the 35x45 mm ICAO format.
There is no on-site photo capture at any Brazilian consulate or VFS centre, so every applicant must supply a compliant image. For sticker visas, the photo is checked twice, first by the SERPRO upload backend and then by the consular officer reviewing the printed RER receipt. The printed copy must be glued to the receipt’s photo box, and no staples, tape, or clips are permitted.
MRE rules on subject appearance are strict and applied consistently across both channels. Photos that show smiling, tilted heads, eyewear, casual headwear, or any visible retouching are rejected, which delays issuance and can require a fresh application slot.
What the MRE and VFS Global Require in a Brazil Visa Photo
The Ministério das Relações Exteriores and VFS Global apply these subject-side rules to every visitor, work, and residence visa photo. Get them right and the photo clears both the digital upload and the consular review.
Expression & pose
- Neutral expressionThe expression must be strictly neutral with the mouth closed. Smiling, frowning, and showing teeth are grounds for rejection.
- Eyes open and forwardEyes must be fully open, clearly visible, and looking straight into the camera. Hair must not fall across the eyes.
- Square to cameraThe face and shoulders must be squared to the camera in a full frontal view. The head must not be tilted or turned to either side.
Eyewear & lenses
- EyeglassesThe VFS Global e-Visa portal instructs applicants not to wear glasses in the photo. Remove prescription frames before capture to clear both the e-Visa and consular channels.
- Sunglasses and tinted lensesSunglasses, tinted lenses, and any coloured lenses are prohibited across every Brazilian visa channel.
Hair & face
- Hair off the faceHair must not cover the eyes, eyebrows, or any part of the face outline. Tucking long hair behind the ears is recommended.
- Face fully visibleThe full face from the top of the forehead to the bottom of the chin must be visible and unobstructed.
Headwear
- Hats and capsHeadwear is not permitted. Hats, caps, hoods, and headbands must be removed before the photo is taken.
- Religious and medical head coveringsDaily-worn religious or medical head coverings are accepted provided the entire face from chin to forehead remains fully visible and free of shadow.
Jewelry & cosmetics
- JewelleryConspicuous jewellery is discouraged. Anything that obscures facial features or casts reflections on the face should be removed.
- CosmeticsEveryday cosmetics are accepted as long as they do not alter the natural appearance of the face.
Clothing
- Everyday clothingWear ordinary day clothes. Uniforms, including military and law-enforcement uniforms, are not accepted.
- Avoid white topsBecause the background is white, white shirts and tops blend into the backdrop and should be avoided in favour of a colour that contrasts with the skin and background.
Photo quality
- No shadows on the faceThe face, ears, and shoulders must be free of shadow. Shadows cast by hat brims, hair, or strong overhead light are a common rejection reason.
- No red-eyeRed-eye is not accepted. Recapture the photo if the flash has produced red pupils.
- Six-month recencyThe photograph must have been taken within the last six months and must reflect the applicant’s current appearance.
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 25.4 mm and 35.1 mm (roughly 50–69% of the photo height).
- Eyes must sit between 27.9 mm and 35.1 mm from the bottom of the photo.
- The head must be centered horizontally in the frame with a small symmetrical margin on each side.
- Both shoulders must be square to the camera and visible. Three-quarter angles or rotated torsos are not accepted.
- The full face from chin to crown must be inside the frame with proper top margin.
Brazil accepts more than one size — we generate them all.
Brazil 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.
Brazil Visa 2×2 in — from US consulate
Primary specBrazil's recommended print format — accepted at most in-country submissions and the default we render first.
Brazil Visa 30×40 mm
Print + DigitalAlternate accepted size — works as both an in-person print and an online-portal upload.
Brazil Visa 431×531 px — online
Digital uploadPixel-exact format required by the official online portal upload.
Brazil Visa 413×531 px — via VFS Global
Digital uploadFormat required by VFS Global appointment portals.
How recent the photo must be.
Your visa 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.
The MRE relaxes a small number of subject rules for the youngest applicants.
Infants (under 1 year)
Infants under twelve months are not held to the adult expression and gaze rules, and the consulate allows a simple at-home setup so the child can be photographed safely.
- Eyes may be closedInfants under one year are not required to have their eyes open or to look at the camera.
- Expression is not enforcedThe strict neutral-expression rule is relaxed for infants at consular discretion.
- Lying-down capture allowedThe baby may be photographed lying on a plain white sheet or seated in a white-draped car seat.
- Child alone in frameNo hands, arms, or other people may appear in the frame. The infant must be the only subject visible.
- No props or soothersPacifiers, dummies, bottles, toys, and supporting objects are not permitted in the photo.
Other things to know.
A few Brazil-specific procedures sit outside the standard subject rules and catch applicants out.
Host-country size rule
Brazil does not enforce a single global print size. Consulates in the United States and Canada require a 2 by 2 inch print, while consulates in the United Kingdom, the EU, and Australia accept the 35 by 45 mm ICAO format. File your application at the consulate whose host-country size matches the print you bring.
e-Visa is VFS-only
Citizens of Australia, Canada, and the United States must submit through the VFS Global e-Visa portal at brazil.vfsevisa.com. No consulate or VAC in this channel performs on-site photo capture, so every applicant must supply a compliant photo themselves.
Glue the print to the RER
Sticker-visa applicants print the RER receipt generated by the SERPRO system and glue the photo over the pre-printed 30 by 40 mm photo box. Staples, tape, and paper clips are forbidden, and an oversized photo is glued centred so that the edges overhang the box.
Dual photo review
Sticker-visa photos are evaluated twice. The SERPRO backend checks the digital upload, then a consular officer inspects the physical print glued to the RER. A photo that passes one stage can still be rejected at the other.
Take your Brazil visa photo at home in three steps.
Free to check. You only pay when you keep it.
Print-quality requirements for in-person submissions.
When you submit a printed photo at a visa application centre, the paper, finish, and ink all matter. The points below cover the standards most consular missions accept.
- Print on photographic-quality paper at 300 DPI minimum.
- Use a matte or semi-gloss finish; high-gloss can produce reflections that confuse biometric scanners.
- Do not retouch, crop, or alter the photo after printing.
- Bring at least two identical prints when the submission channel calls for paper photos.