Kiribati visa photos and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration
Kiribati visas are issued directly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (MFAI) in Tarawa, with additional intake at the branch office in London, Kiritimati, and at Kiribati diplomatic missions abroad. The third-party Visa Application Centres that once operated in the region closed on 30 November 2021, so there is no commercial walk-in channel for photo capture. There is also no e-visa portal: applications are lodged in person, by post, or by email of a scanned PDF to the visa officer at MFAI.
Every MFAI visa application form, whether Visitor, Transit, Work, Student, or Investment, asks for two identical colour passport-size photographs less than six months old, with the applicant’s full name written on the back of each print. The same photograph standard applies to every category and to every person on a family application, including dependent children. Because Kiribati does not define the term in millimetres, both the US-standard 2×2 in print and the ICAO/Commonwealth 35×45 mm print are accepted in practice, and Perfect Passport produces either on request.
Adjudication is manual and document-based, so a photograph that fails the basic biometric expectations (a recent, plain, front-facing colour likeness) will see the application set aside, returned, or refused outright. Submitting a photograph older than six months, omitting the name on the back, or supplying only one print are the most common reasons MFAI sends an application back for correction.
What MFAI expects in a Kiribati visa photo
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration codifies only a handful of rules in its application forms. The points below cover the subject-side expectations that apply at adjudication.
Recency
- Less than six months oldEvery MFAI visa application form (Visitor, Transit, Work, Student, Investment) requires that both photographs be less than six months old. The applicant’s current appearance must match the photograph at submission.
Expression & pose
- Neutral expressionAdopt a neutral expression with the mouth closed. A relaxed, natural face is expected for passport-style photographs submitted to MFAI.
- Eyes open and visibleBoth eyes must be open and looking straight at the camera. Hair must not fall across the eyes.
- Head squared to cameraFace the camera directly with the head upright. Tilting or turning the head away from frontal alignment is not accepted.
- Shoulders levelKeep the shoulders square and visible. Slouched or twisted posture distorts the framing MFAI officers compare against the applicant in person.
Eyewear & lenses
- EyeglassesRegular eyeglasses should be removed. If glasses are worn for a documented medical reason, the lenses must be clear and the eyes must be fully visible without glare or frame obstruction.
- Tinted and dark lensesSunglasses and tinted lenses are not accepted. Coloured contact lenses that alter the natural iris should also be avoided.
Hair & facial hair
- Hair off the faceHair must not cover the eyes, eyebrows, or the outline of the face. Long hair may fall behind or beside the head but must leave facial features fully visible.
- Everyday facial hairBeards and moustaches worn day to day are acceptable, provided they reflect the applicant’s current appearance and do not obscure the jawline or mouth.
Headwear
- No general headwearHats, caps, and other non-religious head coverings are not accepted.
- Religious head coveringsHead coverings worn for religious reasons are permitted on the condition that the full face from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead, and both edges of the face, remain clearly visible.
Jewelry & accessories
- Minimal accessoriesEarrings, nose studs, and similar small items are acceptable provided they do not cover or cast shadows on the face. Large or reflective pieces that interfere with facial features should be removed.
- Face coveringsScarves, masks, and other items that obscure any part of the face are not accepted.
Clothing
- Everyday clothingWear ordinary day clothing. Uniforms and high-visibility workwear are not appropriate for a passport-style photograph submitted to MFAI.
Print handling
- Two identical printsTwo identical colour prints are required per applicant on every MFAI form. Both prints are submitted with the application.
- Full name on the backThe applicant’s full name must be written on the back of each of the two photographs. This is one of the few rules MFAI states explicitly on every form.
- Pristine conditionPrints must be free of creases, tears, ink marks on the image side, and surface impurities. Damaged photographs will be returned with the application.
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 28 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.
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 features of the Kiribati visa channel are unusual enough to flag separately.
No e-visa portal
Kiribati does not operate an online visa portal. Electronic submission means emailing a scanned PDF of the completed paper application to visaofficer@mfa.gov.ki. There is no automated upload that screens the photograph, so the print itself must satisfy the requirements when the file is reviewed by an officer.
Two accepted print sizes
Because MFAI forms only say ’passport size’ without a numeric dimension, both the US-standard 2x2 in (51x51 mm) print and the ICAO and Commonwealth 35x45 mm print are accepted in practice. Applicants typically supply whichever format matches their home country’s passport standard.
VACs closed since 2021
The Visa Application Centres in Kiribati and Nauru closed on 30 November 2021. All applications are now handled directly by MFAI in Tarawa, by the branch office in London on Kiritimati, or by Kiribati diplomatic missions abroad such as the High Commission in Suva. No third-party walk-in photo capture is offered through the visa channel.
Paper-based adjudication
Kiribati maintains a manually adjudicated, paper-based visa process with no biometric capture at consulates or borders. The two physical prints submitted with the application are what officers compare against the applicant, so both copies must be clean, recent, and identical.
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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.