Belarus visa photos and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs standard
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus (MFA) sets a single photo standard that applies to every visa category, including transit (Type B), short-term (Type C), long-term (Type D), and Visa on Arrival issued at the Minsk National Airport Consular Center. The print size is 35 × 45 mm, the background must be plain and light, and the head must occupy 70 to 80 percent of the image height from chin to crown.
Belarus runs two parallel intake channels. The e-Visa portal at e-pasluga.by, launched on 20 March 2025 under Decree No. 953, accepts a digital photo at the time of application. Paper applications are filed at Belarusian embassies and consulates, or at the official Visa Application Centres operated by VFS Global and BLS International, which do not capture photos on site. Applicants must arrive with a compliant print already prepared.
The MFA enforces its rules strictly. Photos older than six months, prints with creases or surface markings, sunglasses, casual headwear, and obscured ears all trigger rejection at the counter or refusal in the automated e-Visa workflow, which delays issuance and can force a fresh submission.
Belarus visa photo requirements
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus applies a single photo standard to every visa category. The rules below describe what the applicant must look like in the final image.
Expression & pose
- Neutral expressionThe applicant must hold a neutral expression with the mouth fully closed. Smiling, frowning, and raised eyebrows are not accepted.
- Eyes open and visibleBoth eyes must be open and looking directly at the camera. Hair, frames, or reflections must not cross the eye line.
- Square to cameraThe head must face the camera directly with no tilt or rotation. Both ears should be visible as a check that the head is squarely frontal.
Eyewear & lenses
- SunglassesSunglasses and tinted lenses are prohibited under MFA rules.
- Prescription glassesPrescription glasses should be removed where possible. If worn for documented medical reasons, frames must not obscure the eyes and lenses must be free of glare.
- Coloured contact lensesDecorative or coloured contact lenses that alter natural eye appearance are not accepted.
Hair & facial hair
- Hair off the faceHair must not cover the eyes, eyebrows, or the outline of the face. Fringes and bangs that fall across the forehead onto the eyes are prohibited.
- Ears visibleHair should be arranged so that both ears remain visible, since the MFA uses ear symmetry to verify a frontal pose.
- Facial hairBeards and moustaches are acceptable when they reflect the applicant’s normal day-to-day appearance.
Headwear
- General ruleHats, caps, and other headwear are not permitted in the photo.
- Religious or ethnic exceptionHead coverings worn for documented religious or ethnic reasons are allowed, provided the face is fully visible from the chin to the top of the forehead and the covering casts no shadow on the face.
Jewelry & accessories
- Visible featuresJewelry, piercings, and accessories must not obscure facial features or alter the applicant’s natural appearance.
- Headphones and earpiecesHeadphones, earbuds, and wireless earpieces must be removed before the photo is taken.
Cosmetics
- Natural appearanceMakeup must be light enough that the photo still reflects the applicant’s everyday appearance. Heavy cosmetics that change facial contours or skin tone are not accepted.
Clothing
- Everyday clothingOrdinary street clothes should be worn. Uniforms, including military and police uniforms, are not permitted.
- Religious dressReligious clothing worn daily is permitted so long as the face remains fully visible.
Photo quality
- No red-eyeRed-eye is not accepted. The applicant should look at the camera in conditions that avoid reflection from the retina.
- No shadows on the faceThe face must be free of heavy shadows, including those cast by headwear or hair.
- Photo recencyThe photograph must have been taken within the last six months and reflect the applicant’s current appearance. Significant changes in weight, hairstyle, or facial hair require a new photo.
- Print conditionThe MFA rule ’no corrugation or ink’ requires that the print be free of folds, creases, surface markings, and staples through the face.
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 33 mm and 36 mm (roughly 73–81% of the photo height).
- Eyes must sit between 21 mm and 25 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.
Belarus accepts more than one size — we generate them all.
Belarus 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.
Belarus Visa 35×45 mm
Primary · Print + DigitalBelarus's official format — the same file works for both printed in-person submissions and the online portal upload.
Belarus Visa 40×50 mm — residence
Print + DigitalFormat for Belarus residence-permit applications.
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 MFA applies one consistent photo standard to applicants of all ages, with a single narrow exception for the youngest infants.
Infants (under 12 months)
Babies under one year are held to a slightly relaxed expression standard, but every other rule (print size, head proportion, light background) still applies.
- Eyes need not be fully openInfants under one year are not required to have their eyes fully open in the photo.
- ExpressionA neutral expression is not enforced for this age group, but the mouth should still be closed where possible.
- Lying-down captureInfants and toddlers may be photographed lying on a plain white or off-white sheet. No supporting hands, arms, cushions, or restraints may appear in the frame.
- Face fully visibleThe face must remain fully visible from the chin to the top of the forehead, with no pacifiers, toys, or fingers in the frame.
Other things to know.
A few details of the Belarusian visa process catch applicants out and are worth flagging separately.
Two online portals, easy to confuse
visaapp.mfa.gov.by is only a PDF form generator for paper applications and does not accept a photo upload. The genuine e-visa channel that accepts a digital photo is e-pasluga.by, launched on 20 March 2025.
Six-month recency window
The photograph must have been taken no more than six months before the application is lodged. This window is strictly enforced under the automated e-visa workflow on e-pasluga.by.
VAC intake, no on-site capture
VFS Global and BLS International operate Belarusian visa application centres in several countries but do not offer on-site photo capture. Applicants must arrive with a compliant 35 by 45 mm print already prepared.
Visa-free travellers submit nothing
Travellers entering Belarus under the 30-day visa-free regime via Minsk National Airport, or under the extended road and rail visa-free arrangement for selected European countries, do not file an application and therefore do not submit a photo.
Take your Belarus 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.