What photo for an old-style international passport? Electronic version for the portal of State Services of the Russian Federation

A photographic image is considered an integral element of every personal identification document. A foreign passport is no exception, which requires a special list of conditions for photographs in order to comply with modern international security standards. According to the current rules, persons wishing to obtain a foreign passport can choose 2 options for its provision. The first of them is an old type document, which is issued for five years. The second is a new type of biometric passport, valid for ten years.

Photograph taking into account innovations for international passports

Those that have recently appeared do not have any special distinctive features in their appearance. The main innovation is the provided internal microcircuit, which contains individual biometric data.

Photographs for this type of passport are taken on specially prepared devices and contain exceptional biometric characteristics that are not identical and allow people to be identified with the greatest convenience, for example, data on the distance between the pupils.

To receive this document in absentia, you will be required to fill out a form accompanied by a photograph of the following contents:

  1. Dimensions: 35 x 45 mm.
  2. Paper with matte finish.
  3. Made in color.
  4. With a clearly depicted face.
  5. Single color background.

Note! To obtain a foreign passport when applying in person, you will not be required to provide your pre-prepared photographs. Today, most centers have been equipped with devices that allow images to be taken on site. After the photograph itself, your image will be automatically printed on the application form and in the future this photo will be assigned to you on your biometric passport. It will be applied under the varnish coating using a special laser.

Recommendations for a biometric passport photograph

note! For your own awareness, you should contact either the MFC to clarify the requirements for preparing a photograph within a predetermined period or equipping these centers with special equipment and on-site photography.

  1. In total, you will need two photographs, which will later be attached to the documents. If the person is under 18 years old, then one.
  2. Wear the same type of casual clothing.
  3. It is recommended that the emotional expression on the face be neutral, that is, without facial expressions and in the presence of sufficient lighting.
  4. If you have special permission from your doctor to wear glasses, they should not darken your eyes and your pupils should be visible naturally.
  5. The image should be in clear quality.

Video - Do-it-yourself passport photo

Restrictions regarding biometric passport photos

The embassies of the countries came to joint agreements regarding some of the characteristics required for the photo. If there are a number of elements that are unacceptable by agreement, the biometric passport will be considered invalid:

  1. Avoid headwear. However, if it is part of your religious affiliation, then the authorities are obliged to make concessions to you.
  2. The use of uniforms (police, medical clothing) is prohibited.
  3. Ban on red-eye effect.
  4. Without using shading.
  5. The gaze is clearly directed at the lens and without tilting the head.
  6. If you are photographing a young child, the image should show him with his eyes open, against a light background, with his gaze directed straight ahead.

Transfer of documents electronically

If you decide that you want to take a photo through a photo salon or studio, then the employees of the service provider can move the resulting photo to any removable media.

For proper execution of documents, the following conditions will need to be met:

  1. The file size must be within the limits of no more than 300 kB and no less than 200 kB.
  2. In JPEG format.
  3. Dimensions 3.5 by 4.5 millimeters.
  4. The resolution of the photograph cannot be less than DPI (pixels).

Note! But the best option would still be to use the services of a highly specialized profile and take a photo in a biometric booth. Each department of the Federal Migration Service is expected to have special equipment to perform this function.

Old style international passport

This type of passport, unlike the new one, is valid for a much shorter period - 5 years. But it is processed in a shorter period and will allow you to significantly save time. The difference lies in the number of pictures provided. For an old-style passport, you will need 3 of them, two of which should be attached to the application form, and one will be attached to the first page of your future passport.

RequirementsTheir characteristics
SizeThe ratio of width to length should be 35 by 45 millimeters
Paper materialIts base should be matte
ColorBoth color and black and white photographs are accepted.
DecorThere should be a blurred oval at the bottom of the photo
QuantityThree copies required
BackgroundMust be made in light shades
FaceThis main part of the photograph must be clearly visible and directed directly into the lens.

All other general requirements regarding hats, clothing, use of glasses, etc., which applied to a biometric passport, should be followed by analogy when preparing an old-style passport.

Attention! The photo should not contain creases, shadows, uneven light or other imperfections.

Preparing photos yourself

You can take a photograph at home only if you have a good digital camera and a computer or laptop, which will be a means of editing the image.

It is worth meeting several conditions for the relevant services to accept your photo:

  1. The image should appear on a white background. This can be a light wall, fabric or a specially prepared sheet.
  2. Properly prepared lighting that would rid the image of unwanted shadows, distortions and overlaps.
  3. High resolution photography. Most modern cameras have no problems with this shooting property.
  4. Moderate use of retouching won't hurt. If it is used excessively, the photograph may not be accepted.
  5. After preparing the photo electronically, use a printer to print it.

All other specifications regarding size, material and color have been described above and must also be observed without exception. If you follow all the steps and advice, no problems should arise with obtaining a foreign passport, both new and old.

The old passport requires the submission of four photos. In this case, two photos are pasted into the form (not independently when filling it out, the inspector will do this) on the international passport, and the remaining two are transferred separately.

The requirements (parameters) in the Russian Federation and some rules with criteria for a photo for an old-style international passport are as follows:

  • the size of the photograph must be strictly 3.5x4.5 centimeters;
  • paper - only matte;
  • the photograph is taken strictly from the front;
  • the background must be light.

The color of the photograph does not matter: you can submit color or black and white photographs for your passport. But in order to To make your passport look better, it is advisable to use color photographs. For a new passport, which is biometric, two photographs will be enough.

The requirements for them are not so strict, since it identifies a person not entirely by his appearance, but by his biometric data. Despite the introduction of these passports, old samples still continue to be used, albeit in much smaller quantities.

Reference! Making an old-style passport is much easier and faster than a biometric one, and therefore it is done most often in emergency cases when documents are urgently needed.

Electronic submission

A new Russian foreign passport can be obtained by sending all the necessary documents directly from your own computer through the state website. services gosuslugi.ru. The same goes for photographs. Next, we will figure out which photo to upload into the application form when applying for a passport and how to do it.

  • the photo size should not exceed 300 KB;
  • the sent file must be with the JPEG extension, and only that;
  • The photo resolution must be within 450 pixels per inch;
  • The size of the photograph itself (when printed) must correspond to a standard photograph - 3.5x4.5 centimeters.

Almost every PC user can take a photo and process it to meet these requirements. Those who find this task difficult can contact a photo studio. Then download the result to an electronic medium from your home computer and send it along with the rest of the documents. Upload a photo to the state portal. services will not be difficult:


Attention! If the photo for a foreign passport is rejected for some reason (in the case when it was taken manually), then you can retake the photo at any time and upload a new version, possibly in a different format.

Criteria for biometrics

To obtain a biometric passport, which is valid for ten years, you need to submit two photographs, this relates to the question of how many photographs are needed for a new passport.

The photo requirements for the new passport are the same as the photo requirements for the old passport, but they are more democratic. The size of the photo remains the same - 3.5x4.5 centimeters. Facial features should be very clearly visible, and it should be depicted specifically from the front.

The photo clearly illustrates the size requirements:

You can submit both color and black and white photos, but they must be printed on matte paper. A biometric passport can only be made using special equipment. Therefore, to obtain it, you will definitely have to visit the office of the Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to carry out the necessary procedure.

At the same time, you can submit the remaining documents if it is not possible to send them electronically. Since there will always be many people who want to get an international passport, it is advisable to sign up for photography in advance, and the registration takes place using the government services website.

Various features and nuances

If a person has not been photographed for a long time (or never at all) with a document such as a passport, then quite a lot of questions arise in his head. For example, what is the best way to dress, should you get a haircut or shave? This is especially true for those who take their own photographs, because these issues may well be supplemented by incomprehensible issues regarding the technical side of photography.

It’s interesting, but questions arise even about the angle. How can you guess for yourself? The angle for the photo should be such that the face looks directly into the camera lens- this way you can see the maximum amount of its details, and the facial expression should be made serious. The oval face in the passport should be in the center of the photo.

The photo shows a successful and unsuccessful angle:

As described earlier, the photo can be black and white (mainly for old passports, valid for five years), or color (better for new passports). If the photo is printed at home, then you only need to use matte photo paper.

Clothing, hairstyle and other details

The choice of clothing when photographing is not particularly important for ordinary citizens. You can dress at your own discretion, but you should remember that this photograph will represent a person for many years, so you should think carefully about what you need to be photographed in and what clothes are best in. But there are, of course, limitations.

For those who serve in government agencies, it is prohibited to be photographed in uniform. When submitting documents to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs You must be photographed in a businesslike manner only.

An example of suitable and unsuitable images for a foreign passport:

There are also a few points worth mentioning regarding glasses and hats. Hats and sunglasses are not allowed when taking photographs. An exception is for persons who always wear a headdress based on religious beliefs.

The same applies to people with poor eyesight, who often wonder whether it is possible to be photographed wearing glasses - in the passport photo you can wear ordinary lens (corrective) glasses, but provided that you can clearly see your eyes behind them without glare from the flash, and the frame does not cover the pupils.

Men often ask whether it is possible to be photographed on a Russian passport with a beard, and the answer to this question will not be easy. Yes, although hair on the lower part of the face is not considered a limitation, it can still change a person beyond recognition. This often happens when a man is photographed with a beard, and after a certain period of time shaved clean.

When checking documents, law enforcement officers may not recognize the person in the photo and subject him to a more thorough check. To prevent such funny incidents from happening, before taking photographs, it is advisable to be sure exactly what image you plan to maintain for the next 5-10 years. This is the shelf life of a photograph - a new photo will only be used for a new passport.

Important! A foreign passport can also be issued for official purposes, and the restrictions for photos are exactly the same as for a regular passport - no official uniform, hats or glasses.

How to do it yourself?

To do this you will need:

  1. A camera with a fairly high resolution.
  2. White background with good lighting.
  3. You also need to be able to minimally process photographs electronically.
  4. You can use white fabric or large paper as a background.
  5. Light sources (all) must be located in front or behind, otherwise extra and unnecessary shadows will appear on the background.
  6. The camera should be placed at face height, at a distance of 2-3 meters from it.


The best option would be to have a tripod, as well as an assistant - who will correct the position of the face and facial expressions, and directly take the photo, focusing the camera on the face. Of course, you can get by using a timer, but the number of rejected photos will increase noticeably.

After selecting the best photo, all that remains is to edit it in a photo editor. You can use regular Photoshop, but if you don’t have enough skills for this, you can find many simpler editors that are tailored for this situation on the Internet.

Among the tasks, you should highlight adjusting the photo to the required dimensions, and making the background as light as possible.

You can print a photo on a home printer (if the print quality is good), or you can print it in a specialized studio. Of course, you don’t have to worry about all these issues and immediately take a photo in the studio, avoiding many possible mistakes and paying the required amount.

But if you need to frequently take photographs for documents, by learning this simple art, you can save a lot of money in the future.

In this video, a specialist demonstrates how you can take a photo for a foreign passport at home, with a camera and Photoshop:

Conclusion

A photograph for a foreign passport is an important moment in its registration. Without a high-quality photograph that meets all the requirements, the passport will not be issued. The easiest way to take photos is in special studios that know exactly how to do it correctly.

But if you have a good camera and a photo printer at home, then you can take a photo on your own. The main thing for this is to have the necessary knowledge and dexterity, which will allow you to avoid mistakes and achieve quality.

If you want to change your international passport, you should know that it is possible to get two different ones: valid for 5 and 10 years. Their main difference is the difference in processing time. A new passport takes longer to process, it has a chip with biometric data and an order of magnitude more pages. At the moment, the requirements for the type of photograph for an old-style international passport remain the same. In this article, we looked at the basic requirements for a passport photo.

What you should know

When it is not possible to wait for the document with biometrics to be produced, it is done. However, the number of such passports is limited.

To apply for a foreign passport, you will need to fill out an application (it is recommended to do this on a computer) and paste a paper photo into it, made according to previously accepted standards. Unfortunately, digital photos will not be accepted.

Different passport applications require different photographs. There is no option not to provide an image (for example, when remotely submitting an application for a new international passport via the Internet) - a photo will definitely be required.

Uniform requirements for obtaining a photo for a foreign passport

  • You must not wear a headdress (except for hats worn for religious reasons);
  • If you wear glasses on a regular basis, you should take a photo wearing them too (but not sunglasses or glare-resistant ones);
  • No three-quarter photographs or anything else, only full-face, so that the whole face can be clearly seen;
  • It is prohibited to be photographed in uniform, white or plain clothes;
  • If you want to smile, don’t – such a photo will not be suitable for a document. Try to be as serious as possible, concentrate, the eye line should be at the same level;
  • The last requirement is a plain background, preferably white or light colors.

If you are photographed using an old-style international passport

As mentioned earlier, a paper photograph will be included in the application form. In addition, it will definitely be pasted into the foreign passport. Quite strict requirements apply to it, since it is by it that the employees checking your documents will identify you.


When you fill out the form, you will need to submit 4 photos along with it, which should preferably be printed on matte photo paper.

What is required for photographs for an old-style international passport:

  1. The size needs to be 35 mm x 45 mm;
  2. The distance from the edge must be at least 2 mm, and the face must occupy at least 29 mm x 34 mm of space;
  3. The bottom of the photo is in a blurry semi-oval.
  4. The image can be either b/w or color.

What is required for photographs for a new international passport?

When submitting documents yourself, you do not need to attach a paper photo. FMS employees will take photographs and fulfill all image requirements themselves - they already have all the necessary equipment for this.

If you submit your application remotely via the Internet, you will need to attach a digital photo. The requirements for it are not very demanding and are described in detail before the stage of uploading the image to the application form. This image will be kept in your personal file and will not be used on your passport.

For those who wish to travel and take children with them, there are also requirements: everyone must have proof of identity. There is no point in getting a passport with biometrics for a child: it is valid for 10 years, during which time the child will have time to grow up and his appearance will change.


As a result, you will need to go through the procedure for obtaining a passport much earlier than its expiration date. The procedure for photographing a baby at the Federal Migration Service seems to be a problem. There is a solution - give your child a paper passport. As another plus - its cost will be much lower.

You can take a photo of the child yourself. The photo requirements were listed above; they apply to images of children under 14 years of age. Try to make sure that only the child is visible in the photo. The image will not be accepted if you get into the frame.

Place for photography

The only disadvantage of taking photographs for a new type of international passport is that the black and white image in the document may not always be successful (FMS employees do it themselves).

To take a photo for an old-style international passport, it is better to contact a professional photo studio - its specialists are well aware of the requirements for the image. You can familiarize yourself with them on the official website of the Federal Migration Service.

To apply for an old-style international passport, you will need to provide 4 photographs. Carefully ensure that all the requirements for the photo are met - in this case, you will not have to redo them and waste time.

If you want to take the photo yourself

These days, most people have a good digital camera and a personal computer at home, allowing them to do the photography and editing themselves. If you make this decision, we recommend that you follow these guidelines:

  • Adjust your lighting to avoid shadows that may obscure or distort your face;
  • The higher the resolution, the better;
  • Try not to retouch too much - it will be noticeable, and the photo may not be accepted;
  • Use a photo printer for printing.

Photo requirements for the State Services portal

If the government services portal does not accept a photo for a foreign passport, it means that it does not meet the stated requirements:

  • You only need to upload photos in one extension - JPEG;
  • Photos with high resolution are also not suitable; it must be no more than 450 dpi;
  • The size is also not easy - it should be no more than 300 KB and no less than 200 KB;
  • There are differences between color and b/w images: in the first case, 24 bits, in the second, 8 bits.
  • The size is the same as a paper photo - 35 mm x 45 mm.

Examples of bad photos

For a new type of international passport, you can take a photo yourself and retouch the picture in any available editor. If you can’t take a photo yourself, you can contact a photo studio and ask to provide the image on digital media or scan ready-made ones.

If you want to see the world beyond the borders of the Russian Federation, you will need to obtain a foreign passport.

At the moment, the state provides the opportunity to make one of two types of this document: the old type, suitable for use for 5 years, and the new biometric, more complex, with a large number of pages, which can be used for 10 years.

Looking at foreign passports from this angle, it seems that issuing a biometric document will be much more profitable and convenient, since the time period for the exchange is longer.

However, with all this, the old-style foreign passport has one significant advantage - it can be made much easier, and it turns out faster.

If you decide to issue an old-style passport, be sure to read all the requirements for its registration. One of the most important issues will definitely be photography, which has its own number of features.

You should know exactly how to take a photo for a given document and what size is needed, so that you don’t have to go through this procedure again later. All questions are answered in detail in our article.

Old-style international passport: features

To confirm the authenticity of the passport, the pages are covered with different levels of protection

Now, despite the emergence of new types of international passports, the old one has practically not lost its position.

From this we can say that it has its own characteristics that make the document desirable even for experienced travelers.

The old-style international passport has two undoubted advantages compared to its counterpart.

Speed ​​of issuance - in general, the preparation of this document will take no more than 10 days, but in extreme cases it can take only 3 days.

It is simply unrealistic to receive a new biometric passport in such a short time.

Much lower cost of paying state duty. Such a foreign passport can be bought for only 2,500 rubles, which is a thousand rubles cheaper than a biometric one.

An old-style international passport is valid for 5 years after its production.

Making such a document will be beneficial for those who rarely travel abroad or who need to change their last name in the near future.

In these cases, the more expensive purchase of a newfangled international passport, valid for 10 years, will simply not be necessary, because for almost this entire period the paper information medium will simply lie on the shelf.

In appearance, the old-style international passport has its own characteristics. On the red cover there is a Russian coat of arms - a double-headed eagle, the Russian Federation and the word passport are written in English letters in gold.

All of its 36 pages are the same thickness and are made only of paper. The photo is located on the last spread; to protect the photo, the page is covered with film.

To confirm the authenticity of the passport, the pages are covered with different levels of protection, so under the influence of a special lamp the pages shimmer in different shades.

What is the difference between the old and new sample?

When a new type of foreign passport appeared in 2009, disputes immediately began about which document had the most advantages.

There is no clear answer to this question, so everyone must find the best option for themselves.

In general, the differences between new and old-style international passports are in the following points:

However, in terms of their effect, both types of foreign passports have equal legal force, which allows you to cross someone else’s border.

It should be taken into account that now a number of countries refuse to allow people with old documents, such as the UK, to enter their territories, so you should first familiarize yourself with the rules of the country you are going to to avoid an inconvenient situation.

General photo requirements

There are a number of general requirements that must be followed exactly, since any deviation can lead to a redo of the photo:

Key photo requirements for an old-style international passport

In total, to obtain an old-style international passport, you will need to take 3 photographs. Only one of them will go directly to the passport, the other two are intended for application forms.

It is advisable to use the most recent photos taken, which are not yet six months old, in order to maximally reflect the existing appearance and the changes that have appeared.

The most important requirements for photographs for an old-style international passport are as follows:


Key requirements for a passport photo

Where is the best place to take a photo?

The best option for obtaining a photograph for an old-style international passport would be to contact a professional photographer at the salon.

First of all, because the salon employees are well aware of the requirements for documents, so they will create the most optimal option the first time.

In addition, they know how to properly adjust the light and play with the surrounding background so that the image does not turn out too dark or light.

How to take your own photo

If you have high-quality photographic equipment at home and the skills to work with computer programs for photo processing, it is possible to take a high-quality photograph yourself at home.

The most important thing here is not to get carried away with Photoshop and not to edit facial features, as this will later complicate identification.

First of all, prepare yourself for photography, dress properly, put yourself in order in accordance with the requirements:

How to take a photo through the State Services portal?

If you apply for a foreign passport through the State Services portal, you will definitely need to upload an electronic version of the photo.

In the salon you can ask to download it to a flash drive or other storage device.

However, you can take such a photograph yourself, the main thing is that it meets the following requirements:

Edit the photo to all the necessary parameters and start uploading it. When filling out the application, in the section “Upload your photo”, click “Upload”.

After this, the image can be rotated, enlarged, reduced so that everything is located along the intended lines of the head, eyes and shoulders. Save everything and fill out the application further.

Children's photography: basic subtleties

Requirements for children's passport photos

Obtaining a biometric passport for a child is not a cost-effective option, since children grow quite quickly and the photo must be constantly replaced so that the child can be identified.

You will need to provide 2 photos measuring 35 by 45 mm from the front, without headgear.

It does not matter whether they are in color or black and white, but photographs are required immediately before applying for a document.

It is very difficult to take a high-quality snapshot of a child, especially a young one.

There should be no toys in his hands, there simply shouldn’t be another person in the photo, so holding the child in his arms becomes impossible.

Cost of a photo for an old-style international passport

In general, the price can vary quite a lot in different salons, but the quality rarely depends on this.

It is very important to choose the right place to get a high-quality image, and the price category becomes not such a big issue:

  • For adults. From 250 to 500 rubles for 4 photos.
  • For children. From 200 to 350 rubles for 2 photos.

Government services do not impose special requirements on where exactly photographs are taken, so you can take them yourself, but it is best to contact a professional salon.

You should pay great attention to the image taken, this is especially true for old-style international passports.

We have already looked at earlier how it is possible. Both options make it possible to receive an old or new document, but both require uploading a photograph of the recipient. In this article we will look at what requirements apply to a photo and how it can be uploaded through government services.

The new type of foreign passport is biometric and is issued for 10 years. You can prepare a photograph for submitting an application either yourself or by contacting a photo studio. In the second case, the photographer himself knows the basic requirements, and if you took on this yourself (which is quite logical, given the quality of pictures that even a smartphone can take), then you should consider the following recommendations:

  1. Save your photo in jpeg, jpg, bmp or png format
  2. The image size on your hard drive should not exceed 5 MB
  3. The file resolution must be at least 300 DPI
  4. The photo size must be 35x45 mm.
  5. If you take a black and white photo, it should be monochrome (8 bit)
  6. If you take a color photo, it must be 24-bit

Let's go through each point separately. You can select the saved file format in the settings of your camera or smartphone. If there is no such item in the settings, then do not worry, since the file can be edited in the free Gimp program or in any similar online service.

To reduce the size of a photo, you can resave it. If you opened your photo in Gimp, then in the menu, click on file-export and specify the quality level as a percentage.


In terms of image resolution, all digital cameras can take pictures at 300 DPI. There is no point in setting a higher value, since the human eye will not be able to detect the differences.

To change the photo size to the size you need (ours is 35x45), open the photo in Gimp and click on the image-image size menu and set the value.

Now let's look not at the technical part of the passport photo, but at the artistic one:

  • There should be no foreign objects in the photo, and you should be looking directly at the camera with your mouth closed. No need to show any facial expressions or emotions
  • If you have long hair, it should not cover your eyes, and your face should be evenly lit (no shadows). If the eyes turn out red, then you should take the photo again or edit the photo.
  • Your clothes must be casual; it is forbidden to be photographed in overalls
  • The photo must be clear, there should be no blur on your face
  • The background should not contain images or stripes, preferably the background should be white
  • Move the camera closer to your face so that it occupies 70-80% of the entire photo
  • If for religious reasons you must wear a headdress, then its presence is allowed provided that it does not hide the oval of the face
  • It is prohibited to apply effects to the image or retouch it in popular graphic editors. Limit yourself to changing dimensions and technical components only

Uploading a photo to the State Services website for a foreign passport

So you took a photo and saved it to your computer. Now it’s time to upload it to the government services portal. This step is one of the components when filling out an application for a new international passport, and the government services website does not provide a separate procedure for uploading an image.


Click on the "upload photo" button and review all the requirements again.


Now we get to the page for cropping the photo and changing its location relative to the three lines. Make the adjustments and click on the “save” button. If this photo does not meet the system requirements, then take a photo again, taking into account previous errors.


Photo requirements for a new international passport

Many people prefer to get an old-style international passport so as not to overpay extra money. In addition, you can enter information about your children into it. To obtain such a passport you will need 4 color or black and white photographs measuring 35 by 45 millimeters. These can only be done in a photo studio, and the photographs must be printed on matte paper (glossy paper is not allowed). All other requirements are similar to the requirements for a photo for a new international passport.

So, we have considered all the requirements for a passport photo. If you decide to make it yourself, then these instructions should have helped you with this. Uploading the final photo to the government services portal is very simple, but if you fail, then you can contact the nearest photo studio where a photographer with extensive experience in making photographs for documents works. He will not need to explain the technical requirements and will only need to indicate for which document the photo needs to be taken.

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