Cameroon visa photos under MINREX and the evisacam.cm portal
Cameroon’s visa photo standard is set by the Ministry of External Relations (MINREX), the authority behind the country’s diplomatic missions and the evisacam.cm e-visa portal. The legacy published format is a 2 by 2 inch square on a plain white background, with the head occupying roughly 75% of the frame, both ears visible, a neutral expression, and the face directly facing the camera. The same baseline applies to every visa category, from short transit to long-stay study and work permits.
Since 30 April 2023, virtually all applicants must pre-enroll through evisacam.cm before attending a biometric appointment at a Cameroonian embassy or, where permitted, at the port of entry. Cameroon does not use VFS, TLS, or BLS to process its visas, so any portrait you upload or print travels directly through MINREX channels. European missions in Paris and London sometimes request 45 by 35 mm or 40 by 40 mm prints instead of the 2 by 2 inch square, so the format should match the specific mission handling the file.
A non-compliant photo causes the dossier to be returned, the application to be delayed, or the file to be rejected outright at the consular counter. Because the decisive image printed on the visa sticker is captured live at the biometric appointment, the photo you submit is used for pre-screening and identity confirmation, and a clean, on-spec image keeps that review fast and free of follow-up requests.
What Cameroon expects in your visa photo
The Ministry of External Relations (MINREX) enforces a strict frontal portrait standard. The rules below cover what you, the subject, must look like in the final image.
Expression & pose
- Facial expressionMaintain a natural, neutral expression. The mouth must be closed, with no smile, no frown, and no visible teeth.
- Head orientationFace the camera directly with a full-frontal view. Profile and three-quarter angles are not accepted by Cameroonian missions.
- EyesEyes must be open and looking straight at the lens. Red-eye is grounds for rejection.
- ShouldersShoulders should be square to the camera and relaxed, with the head upright and not tilted.
Eyewear & lenses
- Prescription glassesClear prescription eyeglasses are tolerated only if there is no glare on the lenses and both eyes are fully visible. Removing glasses before the photo is the safest practice and is recommended by the Embassy of Cameroon.
- Tinted lenses & sunglassesTinted lenses, sunglasses, and any eyewear that obscures the eyes are prohibited in every Cameroonian visa channel.
Hair & ears
- Hair across the faceHair must not cover the eyes, eyebrows, or forehead. Bangs that fall over the brow line are explicitly disallowed by the legacy embassy instructions.
- Ears visibleBoth ears must be clearly visible in the frame. This is an explicit Cameroonian requirement carried forward from the embassy’s published instructions and is stricter than the standard ICAO norm.
Headwear
- Hats and capsHats, caps, and decorative head coverings are not permitted. Hair accessories that obstruct the face or forehead are also disallowed.
- Religious or medical head coveringsReligious and medical headwear is permitted only if it does not obscure any part of the face from the chin to the top of the forehead, both edges of the face remain visible, and the covering casts no shadow on the face.
Face coverings & accessories
- Face coveringsMasks, scarves, veils, and any other coverings that obscure facial features are prohibited.
- JewelryLarge or reflective jewelry should be removed before the photo. Small, discreet items that do not alter facial features or cause glare are acceptable.
Cosmetics & clothing
- MakeupNatural, everyday makeup is permitted. Heavy cosmetics that alter biometric features or skin tone are not accepted.
- ClothingWear ordinary street clothing. Avoid white or very pale tops, since these can blend into the required white background.
Photo quality
- Subject motionHold still during capture. Motion blur from the subject moving will cause the photo to be refused.
- Shadows on the faceThe face must be evenly lit with no shadows cast by hair, headwear, or jewelry.
- RecencyThe photo must be recent and reflect your current appearance. Submit a new photo after any significant change in 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 29 mm and 31 mm (roughly 71–79% of the photo height).
- Eyes must sit between 18 mm and 22 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.
Cameroon accepts more than one size — we generate them all.
Cameroon 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.
Cameroon Visa 40×40 mm
Primary · Print + DigitalCameroon's official format — the same file works for both printed in-person submissions and the online portal upload.
Cameroon Visa 2×2 in
Print + DigitalUS-style 2×2 in size used by US-based consulates and visa agencies.
Cameroon Visa 500×500 px — online
Digital uploadPixel-exact format required by the official online portal upload.
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
Other things to know.
A few Cameroon-specific quirks are worth knowing before you submit.
Live biometric capture overrides uploads
The photo printed on the Cameroonian visa sticker is captured live at the embassy biometric appointment or at the port of entry. Any photo you upload to evisacam.cm or hand in as a print is used for pre-screening and dossier backup, not for the sticker itself.
No third-party VAC
Cameroon does not outsource visa processing to VFS Global, TLScontact, BLS, or any other visa application centre. Applications are handled through the evisacam.cm portal and directly by Cameroonian embassies and consulates.
Regional print-size variants
The Embassy of Cameroon in Washington publishes 2 by 2 inches (51 by 51 mm) as the canonical size. Some European missions, including Paris and London, accept or request 45 by 35 mm or 40 by 40 mm prints instead. Match the size to the mission you are filing with to avoid rejection.
No visa at land or sea borders
An e-visa cannot be obtained at land or sea border crossings. Travelers arriving overland must secure a visa in advance from a Cameroonian mission, which means completing the photo and biometric steps before departure.
Take your Cameroon 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.