Sudan visa photos issued under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Sudan visas are issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Sudan, with processing delegated entirely to Sudanese embassies and consulates abroad. The central evisa.gov.sd portal has not been operational since April 2023, so every visa application, tourist, business, transit, employment, or emergency travel document, is paper-based and submitted directly to a diplomatic mission. There is no VFS Global, BLS, or TLScontact channel for Sudan, and no embassy offers on-site photo capture, so applicants must bring finished prints with them.
Embassy pages publish a deliberately short photo rule: one recent, color, passport-size photograph on a plain white background. The exact print size follows the host country’s passport-photo convention, which means 35×45 mm at the embassies in London and most missions worldwide, and 51×51 mm (2×2 in) at the embassies in Washington D.C. and Ottawa. Black-and-white photos are not accepted, and the image must have been taken within the last six months. London and Ottawa typically require two identical prints per application, while Washington D.C. accepts one for a standard visa and two for emergency travel documents.
Consular officers review every photo by hand at intake, and a print that does not match the embassy’s size, color, or background expectations is grounds for the application to be returned or held until a compliant photo is supplied. Because Sudan does not publish detailed biometric tolerances, missions enforce the rule strictly on the points they do specify: a clear view of the full face, a plain white background, and a current, undamaged color print on photo paper.
What Sudan visa photos must show
Sudanese embassies publish only a brief "passport-size, white background" rule, so consular officers apply standard biometric conventions when reviewing the subject in the frame.
Expression & pose
- Neutral expressionKeep a relaxed, neutral expression with the mouth closed. Smiling, frowning, or raised eyebrows are not accepted.
- Eyes open and forwardBoth eyes must be open and looking straight at the camera. Red-eye is grounds for rejection.
- Head straightFace the camera squarely with the head level. No tilt, turn, or rotation of the head.
- Shoulders squareSit or stand with shoulders square to the camera so that both sides of the face are equally visible.
Hair & ears
- Hair off the faceHair must not fall across the eyes or obscure the outline of the face.
- Ears or face edges visibleBoth ears should be visible, or, where hair covers them, both edges of the face must remain clearly in view.
Eyewear & lenses
- EyeglassesClear, untinted prescription glasses are tolerated provided there is no glare on the lenses and the frames do not cover any part of the eyes. Removing glasses is the safer option.
- Sunglasses and tinted lensesSunglasses, tinted lenses, and transition lenses that have darkened are not accepted.
Headwear
- Religious head coveringsHead coverings worn for religious reasons, including the hijab and tarha, are permitted. The full face from the forehead to the chin must remain visible and free of shadow.
- Medical head coveringsHead coverings worn for documented medical reasons are accepted on the same visibility terms.
- Other hats and capsHats, caps, and fashion headwear are not permitted.
Jewelry & accessories
- Face-obscuring jewelryEarrings, nose rings, and other jewelry must not cover or cast shadows on any part of the face.
Clothing
- Everyday clothingWear ordinary day-to-day clothing. Uniforms, including military, police, and airline uniforms, are not accepted.
Photo quality
- Color photo requiredBlack-and-white photos are rejected. The image must be in full color.
- Recent likenessThe photograph must have been taken within the last six months and must represent the applicant’s current appearance.
- No shadows on the faceEven, shadow-free lighting on the face is required. Heavy shadows under the chin, across one cheek, or cast by headwear are grounds for rejection.
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 32 mm and 36 mm (roughly 65–71% 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 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.
Sudanese embassies do not publish formal child rules, but consular officers apply the following informal accommodations for very young applicants.
Infants (under 12 months)
Infants under one year are given latitude on expression and gaze, but the framing rules still apply.
- Eyes and expressionEyes do not need to be fully open and the expression need not be neutral. A closed mouth and a calm face are still preferred where possible.
- Child alone in frameThe infant must appear alone in the photo. Supporting hands, arms, toys, pacifiers, and bottles must not be visible.
- Head positionModest tilt of the head is tolerated, but the face must still be turned toward the camera with both eyes and the full face in view.
Other things to know.
A few practical quirks of the Sudan visa channel are worth flagging before you submit.
Paper applications only
No e-visa or online upload channel currently operates for Sudan. Every application is paper-based, and applicants must arrive at the embassy with finished prints. No Sudanese mission offers on-site photo capture.
Size varies by embassy
Sudan defers to the host country’s passport-photo convention. Embassies in the United Kingdom, Europe, and most of the world require 35x45 mm prints, while the Washington D.C. and Ottawa embassies require 51x51 mm (2x2 in) prints.
Number of prints
Most missions require two identical prints per application. The Embassy of Sudan in Washington D.C. accepts a single print for a standard visa, but emergency travel document applications there still require two.
Not South Sudan
Sudan (SD) and South Sudan (SS) are separate countries with separate visa systems. The South Sudan e-visa portal at evisa.gov.ss cannot be used for a Sudan visa application.
Take your Sudan visa photo at home in three steps.
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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.