About the Hong Kong Immigration Department visa photo
Hong Kong visa applications are handled directly by the Immigration Department (ImmD) of the Hong Kong SAR. The same photo standard prints on every ID-series application form (ID 1003A, ID 990A, ID 992A and ID 999A) and governs uploads to the GovHK e-Visa portal and the ImmD mobile app. It also matches the photo rules used for HKSAR passports and Re-entry Permits, so a single compliant image works across the full ImmD document family.
Submission runs through four channels: online via GovHK, in person at ImmD headquarters in Tseung Kwan O, by mail to the Receipt and Despatch Sub-division, or through a Chinese Visa Application Service Centre or Chinese diplomatic mission abroad. None of these channels capture biometrics for the visa itself, so applicants supply their own photo on every route. Paper forms take one printed photograph affixed to the photo box on the front page; the e-Visa channel takes a single JPEG.
ImmD enforces the spec strictly. Photos that fail any published criterion are returned and the application is held until a compliant image is supplied, which delays issuance and, on time-sensitive categories such as employment or study, can push past course or contract start dates.
What the Hong Kong Immigration Department expects in your visa photo
ImmD applies a single subject standard across all visa categories. Focus on these points and your photo will clear review on the first pass.
Expression & pose
- Face the cameraLook straight at the lens with a full frontal view. The head must not be tilted or turned, and facial features must be clearly visible.
- Neutral expressionImmD calls for clear facial features. Keep the expression neutral with the mouth closed.
- Eyes open and visibleBoth eyes must be open and looking at the camera. Nothing may cover the eye region.
Eyewear & lenses
- Clear prescription glassesPrescription glasses are accepted only when the lenses are clear and non-tinted, the frames do not cross or cover the eyes, and no flash reflection appears on the lenses.
- Sunglasses and tinted lensesSunglasses and any tinted, coloured, or photochromic lenses are not accepted by ImmD.
Hair & facial features
- Hair off the eyes and browsHair must not fall across the eyes or eyebrows. Bangs that cover the forehead and obscure the brow line are a documented rejection trigger.
- Voluminous hairLarge or voluminous hairstyles must fit inside the frame without forcing the face to be shrunk. Keep hair tucked so the full outline of the face remains visible.
Headwear
- No general head coveringsImmD instructs applicants not to wear head dress. Hats, caps, and decorative headwear are not accepted.
- Religious or medical exceptionsHeadwear worn for religious or medical reasons is permitted provided the full face from chin to forehead remains visible and no shadow is cast across the features.
Cosmetics & clothing
- Make-upHeavy make-up is discouraged. Keep cosmetics minimal so the natural shape and tone of the face read clearly.
- Clothing colourAvoid clothing that is very close to white, since the garment will blur into the plain white background. Avoid extremely dark clothing for the same contrast reason.
Photo quality
- No shadows on the faceShadows across the face, including those cast by a hat brim or by hair, are an explicit rejection reason. The face must be evenly lit from chin to crown.
- No flash glareFlash reflection on the face or on eyeglass lenses will be rejected. Make sure no bright hotspot sits on the skin or lenses.
- No red-eyeEyes must show natural colour. Red-eye from direct flash is not acceptable.
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 37 mm (roughly 67–73% of the photo height).
- Eyes must sit between 23 mm and 28 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.
Hong Kong accepts more than one size — we generate them all.
Hong Kong 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.
Hong Kong Visa 40×50 mm
Primary · Print + DigitalHong Kong's official format — the same file works for both printed in-person submissions and the online portal upload.
Hong Kong Visa 1200×1600 px — e-Visa
Digital uploadSized for Hong Kong's e-Visa online application.
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 Hong Kong-specific points that catch applicants out.
Do not use the mainland China size
Hong Kong is a separate immigration jurisdiction. The 33 x 48 mm photo used for mainland China visas is undersized for an HK visa form and will be rejected, even when the packet is lodged through a Chinese Visa Application Service Centre. Always use the HK size.
Paste, never staple
On paper application forms (ID 1003A and the other ID-series forms), the photograph must be glued or pasted into the photo box on the front page. Staples and paper clips through the photo are not accepted, and only one photograph is required per form.
e-Visa is a QR-coded PDF
Since the GovHK e-Visa rollout, the issued visa is a QR-coded PDF with no printed photo on it. The uploaded image is retained by ImmD for facial verification at e-Channels on arrival, so a compliant photo matters even though you never see it printed.
Mail goes to Tseung Kwan O
ImmD headquarters relocated to Tseung Kwan O in June 2024. Postal submissions addressed to the old Wan Chai Immigration Tower are returned undelivered, which delays the entire application.
Take your Hong Kong 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 600 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.