Ukraine visa photos under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (MFA) sets a single photo standard for every Ukrainian visa, covering transit (Type B), short-stay (Type C), and long-stay (Type D) categories as well as the online e-Visa. The legal basis is Order of the MFA of Ukraine No. 875 (2019), which fixes the print size at 35 × 45 mm, requires a white or light uniform background, and prohibits any digital retouching of the image.
Applicants reach the MFA through three channels. The e-Visa portal at evisa.mfa.gov.ua accepts a JPEG upload of up to 1 MB for tourist and business travel. In-person applicants submit a printed photo at a Ukrainian embassy or consulate, or at a VFS Global Visa Application Centre, which acts as the principal contracted intake operator in most jurisdictions and enforces the MFA specification at the counter. Visa on Arrival was discontinued in 2019 and is no longer a valid submission route.
A photo that fails the MFA specification is rejected at the counter or by the e-Visa parser, which means the application cannot proceed until a compliant replacement is supplied. The photo must also be no more than six months old and reflect the applicant’s current appearance.
Ukraine visa photo requirements
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and VFS Global enforce a single biometric photo standard for every visa category. The rules below describe how the applicant must appear in the final image.
Expression & pose
- Neutral expressionThe applicant must hold a neutral expression. Smiling, frowning, raised eyebrows, and visible teeth are not accepted.
- Mouth closedThe VFS Global specification states explicitly that the mouth must be closed.
- Eyes open and visibleBoth eyes must be open, looking straight into the camera, and clearly visible. No squinting and no red-eye.
- Head square to cameraThe face must be fully frontal with the head level. No tilting, turning, or looking up or down.
- Recent likenessThe photo must be no more than six months old and must reflect the applicant’s current appearance.
Eyewear & lenses
- SunglassesSunglasses and tinted lenses are prohibited.
- Prescription glassesClear prescription glasses are permitted only if the lenses produce no reflections and the frames do not cover any part of the eyes. Heavy or thick frames that obscure the eyes are not accepted.
Hair
- Face must remain visibleHair must not cover the eyes, eyebrows, or the outline of the face. The chin and forehead must be fully visible.
- Bangs and fringeBangs that fall across the forehead and obscure the hairline or eyes are not accepted.
Headwear
- Hats and capsHeadwear is prohibited. Hats, caps, and decorative head coverings must be removed.
- Religious and medical coveringsHead coverings worn daily for religious or medical reasons are accepted, provided the full face from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead remains clearly visible and no shadow is cast on the face.
Clothing
- Everyday clothingThe applicant should wear ordinary everyday clothing. Uniforms are not accepted unless worn for daily religious reasons.
- Avoid white topsWhite or very pale clothing should be avoided because it blends into the background of the photo.
Photo quality
- No shadows on the faceThe face must be free of hard shadows, including shadows cast by hair, glasses, or head coverings.
- No retouchingOrder of the MFA of Ukraine No. 875 prohibits digital retouching of any kind. The final image must show the applicant’s natural features and skin tone.
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 29 mm and 33 mm (roughly 74–81% of the photo height).
- Eyes must sit between 18 mm and 22 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.
Ukraine accepts more than one size — we generate them all.
Ukraine 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.
Ukraine Visa 30×40 mm
Primary · Print + DigitalUkraine's official format — the same file works for both printed in-person submissions and the online portal upload.
Ukraine Visa 35×45 mm — residence
Print + DigitalSized for Ukraine's e-Visa online application.
Ukraine Visa 450×600 px — online
Digital uploadSized for Ukraine'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
Photos for infants and young children.
Order No. 875 sets out one explicit relaxation of the adult rules, which applies to very young children.
Infants and children under 3 years
Order No. 875 allows compositional concessions for children under three when full compliance is not possible.
- Eyes and expressionChildren under three may have their eyes looking away from the camera or partially closed if a fully compliant pose cannot be achieved.
- Head positionStrict alignment of the head is relaxed for this age group, although the face must still be visible from chin to forehead.
- No supporting hands or propsHands, arms, toys, pacifiers, and any supporting device must not appear in the frame.
- Car seat optionInfants may be photographed lying on a plain white surface or sitting in a car seat covered with plain white cloth.
Other things to know.
A few details of the Ukrainian visa process are worth flagging separately.
Two submission channels
Applicants either upload a JPEG to the MFA e-Visa portal at evisa.mfa.gov.ua, or hand a printed 35 by 45 mm photo to a VFS Global Visa Application Centre or a Ukrainian embassy or consulate. The same compositional standard applies to both channels.
Visa on Arrival discontinued
Ukraine abolished Visa on Arrival in 2019. Older guidance referring to airport visa counters at Boryspil or Zhuliany is obsolete; eligible nationalities must use the e-Visa portal instead.
Legacy 30 by 40 mm format not accepted
Some commercial photo services still advertise a 30 by 40 mm Ukrainian visa format. That size is outdated and will be refused. Only the 35 by 45 mm format is valid for current visa applications.
VFS Global is the gatekeeper
In most jurisdictions VFS Global operates the visa application counter and applies its published photo specification at intake. A non-compliant photo is grounds for rejection of the application or for being sent away to retake the picture before the file can be lodged.
Take your Ukraine 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.