Eritrea visa photos for the Embassy of the State of Eritrea
Eritrean visas are issued directly by the Government of the State of Eritrea through its embassies and consulates abroad, operating under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Immigration and Nationality in Asmara. There is no e-visa platform, no VFS Global or TLScontact intake centre, and no on-site biometric capture. Every applicant submits photos straight to a consular mission, whether by online upload to the Washington D.C. embassy, by email plus mail to the Melbourne consulate, or by paper application to Stockholm, London, and other posts.
The photo specification is unified across every visa category and every mission: 35 × 45 mm, plain white background, full frontal pose, both ears clearly visible, forehead unobscured, and a strictly neutral expression with the mouth closed and eyes open. The Embassy of Eritrea in Washington publishes these dimensions on its visa page and on the B62.3 application form; the Stockholm and Melbourne missions echo the same composition rules. Older 2 × 2 inch guidance that still circulates on third-party visa agency checklists no longer matches what Eritrean missions accept.
Eritrean consular officers enforce the ear-visibility rule and the no-smile rule more tightly than most countries. A photo that crops the ears, hides the forehead behind bangs, or shows even a slight smile will be rejected, and because many categories also require pre-approval from the Immigration Office in Asmara, a rejected photo can push a file back by weeks. Getting the photo right on the first submission is the single fastest way through the process.
What the Eritrean embassy expects in your visa photo
Eritrean missions enforce a tight set of subject rules on the 35 × 45 mm visa photo. Get these right and the rest of the file is something we handle for you.
Expression & pose
- Neutral expressionEritrean missions require a strictly natural expression. No smile, no laugh, and no frown are permitted. Even a slight smile is grounds for rejection.
- Mouth closedThe mouth must be fully closed. Teeth must not be visible.
- Eyes open and visibleBoth eyes must be open and clearly visible to the camera. Red-eye, squinting, or partially closed eyes will be rejected.
- Face the camera directlyThe head must be centered and pointed straight at the camera in a full frontal view. Tilting or turning the head is not accepted.
Ears & forehead
- Both ears visibleEritrean consulates in Stockholm, Melbourne, and Washington all insist that both ears be clearly visible in the photo. This is enforced more strictly than in most countries.
- Forehead uncoveredThe forehead must be fully visible. Bangs or fringes covering the forehead are prohibited.
Hair
- Hair off the faceHair must be pulled or styled away from the face so that the forehead and both ears remain fully exposed. Hair falling across the cheeks or eyebrows is not accepted.
Eyewear & lenses
- Prescription glasses onlyOnly clear prescription eyewear is permitted. Fashion glasses and tinted or coloured lenses are not accepted.
- No obstruction of the eyesFrames must not cover any part of the eyes and lenses must be free of glare or reflection. Because the eyes must remain clearly visible, removing glasses for the photo is the safer choice.
- No sunglassesSunglasses and any darkened or transition lenses are prohibited.
Headwear
- Religious headwear onlySecular hats, caps, and fashion headgear are not accepted. Headwear worn for genuine religious reasons is permitted only if it leaves the forehead and both ears fully uncovered and casts no shadow on the face.
Clothing & accessories
- Avoid white topsWhite or very pale clothing blends into the required white background and should be avoided. Wear a clearly coloured top instead.
- Minimal jewelleryKeep jewellery small and non-reflective. Large earrings or pieces that cover the ears or cast reflections will compromise the photo.
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 24 mm and 31 mm (roughly 53–69% of the photo height).
- Eyes must sit between 24 mm and 29 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.
How recent the photo must be.
Your visa photo must have been taken within the last one month. 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 practical points are specific to how Eritrean missions handle visa photos.
No e-visa, no VAC
Eritrea operates no e-visa portal and uses no visa application centre. Every application goes directly to an Eritrean embassy or consulate, so the photo is judged by consular staff at the receiving mission.
Washington channel prints for you
The Eritrean Embassy in Washington D.C. accepts a digital upload through its online B62.3 application and prints the photo itself for a USD 13 photo printing fee. No physical print is mailed in for that channel.
Stockholm one-month recency
The Eritrean Embassy in Stockholm requires the photo to have been taken within the last month. Other missions ask only for a recent photo, but applicants filing through Stockholm should refresh the image accordingly.
Ignore stale 2x2 inch guidance
Older third-party visa agency checklists still quote a 2 x 2 inch (51 x 51 mm) size for Eritrea. The current requirement at every Eritrean mission, including Washington, is 35 x 45 mm. Submitting a 2 x 2 inch photo will be rejected.
Take your Eritrea 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.