Key Takeaways· A printed Singapore visa photo is 35 mm wide by 45 mm high with no border, and a digital photo for ICA’s e-service is 400 x 514 pixels, up to 8 MB. · The photo must be in colour, taken within the last three months, against a plain white background, with a neutral expression and the mouth closed. · ICA publishes no head-height or dpi rule for visa photos, and an edited, filtered or mirrored photo can delay the application or get it rejected. |
The Singapore visa photo size is 35 mm wide by 45 mm high, without any border, for a printed photo, and 400 x 514 pixels for a photo uploaded to ICA’s e-service; either way it must be a colour photo on a plain white background, taken within the last three months (High Commission of Singapore, New Delhi and ICA, Photo Guidelines, both accessed 2026-09-17). Both sizes are the same upright shape, roughly 7 wide by 9 high, so one well-framed photo can be printed at 35 x 45 mm and saved as a 400 x 514 pixel file.
This guide is maintained by Zurich Kotak General Insurance, an IRDAI-registered general insurer in India and part of the Zurich Insurance Group. It covers the photo only; for eligibility, fees and the overall process, start with our guide to the Singapore visa for Indians .
Last verified: 2026-09-17.
Singapore visa photo size and specification
Singapore’s Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and its High Commission in New Delhi set the specification between them, and ICA bases its photo rules on ISO and ICAO standards. Check that you are on the real sites: ica.gov.sg and new-delhi.mfa.gov.sg .
Property | Requirement | Source |
Printed size | 35 mm wide by 45 mm high, without any borders | New Delhi High Commission |
Digital size | 400 x 514 pixels, for upload through ICA’s e-services | ICA Photo Guidelines |
File format | jpg, jpeg, heic, heif or png | ICA Photo Guidelines |
Maximum file size | 8 MB | ICA Photo Guidelines |
Age of photo | Taken within the last three months; a new photo for every new application | ICA; New Delhi |
Colour and background | Colour, on a plain white background without shadows | ICA; New Delhi |
Print finish | Matte or semi-matte (non-reflective) | ICA Photo Guidelines |
Number of prints | ICA’s list says “your recent passport-sized colour photograph”; New Delhi asks for two | ICA, India visa requirements; New Delhi |
Where a print goes | Form 14A has a box marked “Affix a recent Passport-size photograph here” | ICA Form 14A |
Carry two prints; your agent will tell you how many it needs.
Travelling to Singapore? Get covered before you fly. Travel insurance for Singapore is not part of the visa file, but a visa pays nothing if you need a hospital there.
Expression and pose
Face the camera straight on with a neutral expression, mouth closed and eyes open, with your whole face, hair and shoulders in the frame. ICA’s “Dos and Don’ts” chart on its Photo Guidelines page shows the failures:
· A smile. ICA’s rejected example is a broad, open-mouthed smile.
· A turned head or a sideways glance. The face must be in full frontal view, with the eyes looking at the camera.
· Tight cropping. Shoulders and hair must be fully visible; New Delhi asks for a “Full face with the upper shoulders visible, facing forward with eyes open.”
· Covered eyes. Hair must not cover the eyebrows or the eyes, and neither may a head covering.
Glasses and contact lenses
Glasses are allowed if the lenses are clear and untinted and your eyes are plainly visible. New Delhi adds that frames “must not cover part of the eyes” and lenses “must not reflect or glare”; if the studio light bounces off your lenses, ask for a retake. Contact lenses must be non-coloured, and the photo must show no red eye.
Quality and resolution
The photo must be sharp, evenly lit and exactly as the camera took it: ICA does not accept blurred, pixelated, distorted, flipped or edited images.
Quality rule | What it means | Source |
Even brightness | No dark side to the face; not taken under direct lighting | ICA; New Delhi |
No shadows | Neither on the face nor on the background | New Delhi |
Sharp focus | Clear, in focus and not pixelated | ICA; New Delhi |
Not distorted or flipped | A mirror image fails; ICA’s giveaway is hair or a mole on the wrong side | ICA |
No editing | Not “altered or enhanced in any way”, including facial features | ICA |
Resizing is allowed; retouching is not. ICA’s photo FAQ lets you “use the image editing software in your computer to resize the digital photograph”, but bars “the modification of facial features and/or the usage of photo editing software”. Cropping a file to 400 x 514 pixels is fine; a beauty filter, skin smoothing or a new background is not, so switch off any beauty or portrait mode before the photo is taken.
ICA publishes no head-height measurement and no dpi figure for visa photos. A studio template that specifies them is the studio’s own, not an ICA rule.
How to submit the photo online
You do not upload the photo yourself: the authorised visa agent or Singapore local contact who files your application uploads it to ICA’s visa e-service, SAVE. An Indian traveller has no applicant login on SAVE, and ICA’s user manuals for both kinds of submitter, linked from ICA’s India visa page, include an “Upload Applicant Photo” step. Our guide on how to apply for a Singapore visa online covers the rest of the process.
Your route | Who uploads the photo | What to give them |
Authorised visa agent (the usual route) | The agent | Printed photos (New Delhi asks for two), and the digital file if asked |
Singapore citizen or PR with Singpass | Your local contact | A 400 x 514 pixel file in jpg, jpeg, heic, heif or png, up to 8 MB |
· Send the original file, not a screenshot or a copy compressed by a messaging app, which can blur or pixelate it. A jpg at exactly 400 x 514 pixels is on ICA’s list.
· Use a new photo for each application. ICA: “A new coloured photograph must be submitted when applying for a new application.”
Clothing and headwear restrictions
Wear something dark or coloured, not white, and keep any headwear dark and clear of your face. ICA’s chart says “Head gear/attire must be dark in colour against white background”, and New Delhi says “Avoid white headgear and plain white clothing”, because white fabric merges into the background.
· Religious headwear is acceptable. New Delhi: headgear “worn in accordance with religious or racial customs is acceptable but must not hide any facial features”. A turban or hijab is fine, worn clear of the eyebrows and eyes.
· Other headgear comes off. The allowance covers religious and racial customs only, so remove caps and hats.
· No pale head covering. ICA’s rejected example is a pale headscarf against the white background.
Why Singapore visa photos get rejected
Most rejected photos are too old, on the wrong background, spoiled by glare or white clothing, or filtered or mirrored on a phone. ICA warns that failing its requirements “can delay your application or result in its rejection”. ICA also does not disclose why a visa was refused (Consulate-General of Singapore, Chennai, FAQ, accessed 2026-09-17), so you may never learn the photo was the problem.
Common mistake | The rule it breaks |
Reusing a passport, PAN card or earlier visa photo taken more than three months ago | Taken within three months; a new photo for each application |
Blue, grey or off-white background | Plain white background, without shadows |
White shirt, kurta or dupatta | Attire dark in colour against the white background |
Broad smile | Neutral expression, mouth closed |
Head turned, or eyes looking away | Full frontal view, eyes on the camera |
Top of the head or the shoulders cropped off | Shoulders and hair fully visible |
Tinted glasses, glare on the lenses, or coloured contact lenses | Clear, untinted lenses without glare; non-coloured contacts |
Arm’s-length selfie, or a front-camera image saved as a mirror image | Selfies not recommended; not distorted or flipped |
Beauty filter or replaced background | Not altered or enhanced in any way |
Blurred file, glossy print or a print with a border | Sharp and not pixelated; matte or semi-matte; no borders |
A refusal means a fresh application, charged again.
Singapore visa photo checklist
Run through this list before you hand the photo to your agent.
· Taken in the last three months, for this application.
· Colour, on a plain white background with no shadows.
· Printed at 35 x 45 mm, with no border, on matte or semi-matte paper; two copies unless your agent says otherwise.
· Digital copy at 400 x 514 pixels, in jpg, jpeg, heic, heif or png, no larger than 8 MB.
· Facing the camera, eyes open, neutral expression, mouth closed.
· Full face, the top of the hair and the upper shoulders in view, with nothing over the eyebrows or eyes.
· Dark or coloured clothing and headwear; clear, untinted glasses with no glare.
· Evenly lit, sharp, not mirrored and not edited.
For the rest of the visa file, see Singapore tourist visa documents for Indians .
Getting the photo taken
A studio that knows the 35 x 45 mm size is the simplest route; with a phone, ICA suggests a passport-photo app and someone else behind the camera. ICA recommends “mobile apps that are specifically designed to take photographs for passport or identity card applications” and says a selfie is “usually not ideal”. At a studio, ask for a white background, a borderless matte print and the digital file.
Where travel insurance fits
Travel insurance is not mandatory for a Singapore visa or for entry, but it is strongly recommended because medical treatment for visitors is expensive. Neither the visa application nor the SG Arrival Card asks for proof of insurance.
Zurich Kotak’s Smart Travel plans cover Singapore under the Asia geography, on two tiers: Excel, with sum insured up to USD 100,000, and Prime, up to USD 500,000. The Asia plans accept travellers up to age 70 and there is no Senior Citizen plan on this geography; travellers aged 71 or over can read about travel insurance for senior citizens . Emergency medical treatment is the core of the cover, with baggage, trip delay and passport loss covered up to plan limits. See travel insurance for Singapore once your dates are fixed.
FAQs
Q: What is the Singapore visa photo size? A: 35 mm wide by 45 mm high, without a border, for a printed photo, and 400 x 514 pixels for a photo uploaded to ICA’s e-service, in jpg, jpeg, heic, heif or png and no larger than 8 MB. Both must be colour photos on a plain white background, taken within the last three months.
Q: How many photos do I need for a Singapore visa? A: ICA’s document list asks for a recent colour photograph, and the Singapore High Commission in New Delhi asks for two. Carry two prints unless your authorised visa agent asks for a different number.
Q: Can I reuse my passport photo for a Singapore visa? A: Only if it was taken within the last three months and meets every other rule. ICA requires a new photograph for each new application, so a photo used for an earlier visa does not qualify.
Q: Can I wear glasses or a headscarf in a Singapore visa photo? A: Yes, within limits. Glasses need clear, untinted lenses with the eyes visible and no glare. Headwear worn for religious or racial customs is acceptable if it hides no facial features, and it should be dark rather than white.
Q: Can I take my Singapore visa photo with a phone? A: Yes, but ICA recommends an app designed for passport photos and advises against selfies, so ask someone else to take it. You may resize the file to 400 x 514 pixels, but the photo must not be altered or enhanced in any way.
