Myanmar visa photos follow the Ministry of Immigration and Population spec
The Ministry of Immigration and Population (MOIP) sets the photo standard for every Myanmar visa, from tourist and business e-Visas to embassy sticker visas and Visa on Arrival at Yangon, Mandalay, and Nay Pyi Taw. The e-Visa portal at evisa.moip.gov.mm is the universal channel for tourist and business categories, while all other visa types go directly to a Myanmar embassy or consulate. Myanmar does not work with VFS Global, BLS, or any other third-party visa application centre, so the photo you submit goes straight to a government reviewer.
Print sizing depends entirely on where the application is filed. The MOIP e-Visa portal expects 38 by 46 mm uploads, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs asks for 40 by 60 mm prints at Visa on Arrival counters, U.S.-based Myanmar embassies use a 2 by 2 inch square print, and missions in the UK, Europe, and Asia use 35 by 45 mm. The recency window also splits by channel: e-Visa photos must have been taken within the last three months, while every other channel accepts photos up to six months old.
MOIP and consular reviewers reject applications when the photo does not meet the published rules. A non-compliant upload on the e-Visa portal stops the application from progressing, and a non-compliant print at an embassy counter or airport arrival hall means the file is returned until a replacement photo is supplied.
Myanmar visa photo rules MOIP enforces on the applicant
The Ministry of Immigration and Population sets clear expectations for how the applicant must appear. These are the subject-side rules that decide whether the e-Visa portal or a consular officer accepts the photo.
Expression & pose
- Facial expressionMOIP requires a neutral expression. A faint, natural, unexaggerated smile is tolerated, but teeth must not be visible and the mouth must remain closed.
- Eyes open and forwardBoth eyes must be open, fully visible, and looking directly at the camera. Squinting and closed eyes are grounds for rejection.
- Head straightThe official MOIP instruction reads ’do not tilt or turn your head in any way.’ The face must be squared to the camera with no rotation up, down, or to either side.
- Shoulders visibleThe full face and the top of the shoulders must be present in the frame. Profile and three-quarter views are rejected.
Eyewear & lenses
- Sunglasses and tintsSunglasses, tinted lenses, and coloured contact lenses are prohibited on all Myanmar visa photos.
- Prescription glassesPrescription eyewear is discouraged. MOIP and the consulates prefer that glasses be removed for the photo so that the eyes are unobstructed.
Hair & forehead
- Hair off the faceHair must not cover the eyes, eyebrows, or the edges of the face. The full facial outline from forehead to chin must be visible.
- Bangs and fringesBangs that fall across the forehead and obscure the brow line are not accepted. Hair should be styled back so the forehead is visible.
Headwear
- General ruleHats, caps, and decorative head coverings are not permitted.
- Religious head coveringDaily religious headwear is accepted provided no part of the face from the chin to the top of the forehead is obscured. Consulates may request a supporting letter explaining the religious basis.
Clothing
- Everyday clothingOrdinary street clothing is required. Uniforms are not accepted, with the exception of daily religious dress.
- Colour contrastAvoid white and very light-coloured tops, which blend into the required white or off-white background and weaken the outline of the head and shoulders.
Jewelry & cosmetics
- Natural appearanceMOIP does not prohibit jewelry or makeup, but the face must look natural. Reflective jewelry and heavy cosmetics that alter the recognisable shape of the features should be avoided.
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 31 mm and 35 mm (roughly 68–76% of the photo height).
- Eyes must sit between 23 mm and 27 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.
Myanmar accepts more than one size — we generate them all.
Myanmar 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.
Myanmar [Burma] Visa 38×46 mm
Primary · Print + DigitalMyanmar [Burma]'s official format — the same file works for both printed in-person submissions and the online portal upload.
Myanmar [Burma] Visa 38×48 mm
Print + DigitalAlternate accepted size — works as both an in-person print and an online-portal upload.
Myanmar [Burma] Visa 2×2 in — from US consulate
Print + DigitalPrint size accepted by US-based consular missions for applicants in the United States.
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.
Myanmar’s published visa photo rules are written for applicants aged one year and older. One narrow accommodation exists for the youngest infants.
Infants (under 12 months)
MOIP does not publish a formal infant relaxation, but the eyes-open and strict-pose rules are applied with practical tolerance for babies under one year.
- Eyes may be closedInfants under one year are not required to have their eyes open in the photo. A sleeping or partially closed-eye image is accepted.
- Some head tilt toleratedA small amount of natural head tilt or turn is tolerated for infants who cannot yet hold a strict frontal pose.
- Child alone in frameThe baby must be the only person visible. No supporting hands, arms, pillows, toys, or other people may appear anywhere in the photo.
- Neutral expression preferredA calm, neutral expression is preferred. The mouth should be closed where possible.
Other things to know.
A few quirks of the Myanmar visa process do not fit the standard rule groups and are worth flagging before you submit.
No VFS or BLS channel
Myanmar uses no global visa application centre operator. Tourist and business applications go through the MOIP e-Visa portal at evisa.moip.gov.mm, and all other categories go directly to a Myanmar embassy or consulate by walk-in or mail-in.
Print size depends on the channel
The e-Visa portal expects 38 by 46 mm. Visa on Arrival at Yangon, Mandalay, and Nay Pyi Taw airports requires 40 by 60 mm prints (two copies). Myanmar embassies in the United States issue sticker visas using 2 by 2 inch prints, while embassies in the United Kingdom, Europe, and Asia use 35 by 45 mm.
Photo recency split
Photos uploaded to the MOIP e-Visa portal must have been taken within the last three months. Visa on Arrival and all embassy or consulate submissions accept photos taken within the last six months.
Height-first dimension notation
Official MOIP notices list the e-Visa photo as ’4.6 cm X 3.8 cm’, writing the height before the width. In portrait orientation this is 38 mm wide by 46 mm tall, the same spec, just stated in the opposite order from most countries.
Take your Myanmar 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.