Since 2006, Russia has introduced biometric foreign passports of a new type, which are issued for 10 years, but it is still possible to obtain an old-style passport for a period of 5 years. One of the important attributes of such a document is a photograph that allows the citizen to be identified. In this regard, the basic requirements for photographs for a foreign passport have been formulated; they differ little from those that existed 10-15 years ago.
General criteria
You can take a passport photo at any photo salon or on your own, but it is important to comply with the criteria, including the parameters of a passport photo, which are approved in the Administrative Regulations (Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of November 27, 2021 No. 889).
General requirements for photography:
- size – 35×45 mm;
- color – it is allowed to use black and white and color images;
- paper – strictly matte;
- background – single-color light, up to 10% gray or light blue;
- lighting – it is recommended to use natural diffuse lighting to avoid bright colored spots, but maintain the natural color of the skin;
- exposure – should be set in such a way that the textural gradations are distinguished.
How to photograph a face
The main emphasis in photography is on the face, so it is extremely important to comply with these requirements. In a professional salon, as a rule, they know what photographs are needed for a foreign passport, but when taking photographs on their own, most likely, they do not, so the information below is mostly intended for them.
The face should take up 70 to 80 percent of the photo. You must take photographs strictly from the frontal view; even the slightest tilt or turn of the head is not allowed.
The image of the face should be clear, not darkened or too lightened, without extraneous shadows, highlights and spots. The gaze is direct and open, a neutral facial expression, without any glances to the side, up or down. The face should be open, with hair pulled away from it so that it does not cover the face or cast a shadow on it. Naturalness is important, so women should avoid bright makeup.
For glasses wearers
For citizens who for some reason wear glasses, the question is always relevant: is it necessary to take a photo for a foreign passport without glasses. It all depends on the reason for using glasses. If there are medical indications for this and you have to wear glasses all the time, then you should be wearing glasses in the photo. In this case, you should make sure that the glass is transparent and clean and does not cast glare. The frame should be selected in such a way that it does not cover most of the face and eyes. For this case, it is better to choose thin, light, wide frames that would be less noticeable on the face, or even glasses without frames.
If glasses are used from time to time, in certain situations or are part of the image, of course, you need to be photographed without them.
Clothing requirements
Despite the fact that most of the photo will be taken up by the face, there are also requirements for clothing. By and large, there is not much difference in what to photograph on a new-generation or old-style international passport, but you need to take into account several rules.
If the object is positioned correctly, only the shoulders and collar area will be visible in the photo. Try to choose clothes that are not very light so that they do not blend into the background: the best option is if the color contrasts with the background. However, it is worth making sure that the color of clothing in the photo does not affect your complexion.
The only unconditional prohibition regarding what clothes to be photographed in for a new-style or old-generation international passport is uniform. Naturally, headwear is not allowed. The exception is photography in a headdress, due to the religious beliefs of citizens, which do not allow appearing in front of strangers with their heads uncovered. In this case, the headdress should not hide the oval of the face or cast shadows.
General requirements
- The photo must be current. The child changes with age, the photograph should reflect his appearance at the time of registration of the document.
- The background should be light and monochromatic. A motley or multi-colored background is inappropriate.
- The photograph should only show the child, without any foreign objects or third parties.
- Clothes should not blend into the background (it is also recommended to choose plain casual clothes, but in a contrasting shade).
- It is advisable to collect the hair so that the oval of the face and ears are clearly distinguishable. It’s also better to pin your bangs up (at least they shouldn’t cover your eyes).
- If your child wears glasses all the time, they may not need to be removed when photographing. The main thing in this case is to ensure that the frame does not hide the features of the eyes, and the lenses do not glare.
- Headwear is not acceptable as it makes it difficult to compare the photo with a person. It is allowed not to remove the headdress in exceptional cases for those children who are not allowed to remain without a covered head due to their religion.
- The child's face should not reflect emotions (joy, anger, etc.), it should be neutral.
- The child needs to look directly at the camera. If you draw a line between the pupils, you should get a straight line parallel to the upper and lower borders of the image.
What to avoid
Summarizing what has been said, we consider it important to inform you about what is categorically unacceptable when taking photographs for a foreign passport.
So, what is unacceptable when taking photographs on a passport:
- retouching and the use of other effects obtained through working in editing programs;
- setting incorrect image proportions, including incorrect photo format for a new or old passport;
- using old photographs (photos taken more than six months ago are considered);
- red eye effect;
- presence of foreign people or objects in the frame;
- blurry and unclear, as well as too contrasting, pictures;
- printing on glossy paper.
Registration procedure
The procedure for issuing a biometric passport is almost the same as when issuing the old sample of this document.
As before, adult citizens who want to obtain the specified certificate for traveling abroad will have to contact the multifunctional center or territorial division of the migration service, providing the following list of documents:
- copy and original of the general passport;
- work book, each page of which must be certified by the citizen’s supervisor;
- two copies of the application and its copy certified at the place of study or work;
- military ID or certificate received from the military registration and enlistment office, if the applying citizen is a man under 27 years of age.
Sample of Russian military ID
If a document is issued for a child under fourteen years of age, his legal representatives will have to contact the migration service department, providing, in addition to the above list of documents, also their own identity card, the birth certificate of the recipient of the document and a questionnaire certified by the head of the educational institution in which the child is being trained.
It is also worth noting that, regardless of the circumstances, citizens will be required to provide a receipt confirming payment of the state fee.
Sberbank receipts in form PD-4
In this case, it is not necessary to provide your own photographs, since photography will be carried out by authorized migration service employees absolutely free of charge.
The period during which a biometric document is issued is no more than one month from the date of filing the application if the person applied to the territorial division of the migration service located at the place of his permanent registration. If a citizen applies to a place of temporary stay, this period may last up to four months.
Sample of a biometric international passport of the Russian Federation
Recently, in the Russian Federation it has become possible to obtain a new type of international passport. However, few of our citizens know what it is?
What is the difference from a regular passport? What is its validity period?
What documents are needed to complete it? What is its cost? Which international passport should you choose? How long does it take to complete?
Let's consider all these questions in more detail.
How to photograph children
Parents planning to travel abroad with a child are forced to deal with issues related to issuing a travel document for him and finding a good photographer, since not every photographer can photograph a child for a foreign passport.
Despite the fact that the practice of including a child under 14 years of age in a parent’s passport remains (this is the right of parents, which they cannot be denied), the entry does not give the child the right to travel outside the Russian Federation without an identity document, as follows from Government Resolution No. 13 of January 19, 2010 (as amended).
The requirements for photographs of children for international passports, according to the Administrative Regulations, are the same as for adults, which poses some difficulties.
As you know, children are fidgety and it is very difficult to get some of them to sit still. This may be the only challenge when photographing young children. You should also explain to them that you don't need to grimace, close your eyes, or smile to take this photo. The most common dilemma that arises when applying for a child’s international passport is what type of document to choose. This is primarily due to the fact that the appearance of a child, especially a small one, changes quickly, which is why it would be more rational to issue a passport with a 5-year validity period. Among other documents, you will also need a photograph for an old-style international passport for a child under 14 years of age.
Photographing young children
The procedure for leaving the country established in the Russian Federation provides for the issuance of a foreign passport even for children under one year of age. In this case, perhaps the main problem is how to photograph a newborn for a foreign passport, because it is absolutely impossible to force the child to look strictly into the lens with a neutral expression. Indeed, most likely, you will have to try very hard and take more than one photo. And it’s unlikely that the salon will help you with this, so create the necessary conditions yourself and get ready for long shoots.
Let us give you some advice on how to photograph an infant for a foreign passport. First, let him sleep and feed him, make sure that he does not feel discomfort, dress him in clean clothes, put him on a white diaper or hold him in weight. As a last resort, the background can then be changed using a graphic editor. Make sure there is good lighting so you don't have to use a flash, which can scare your child or cause them to close their eyes.
You will most likely need someone's help to hold your baby's arms and legs. Hold the camera at your child's eye level to catch the moment he or she looks directly into the lens. Since his head is smaller than the head of an adult, it is permissible to take a waist-length frame for a photo for a baby’s passport.
If the photo in the document does not correspond to reality, what should you do?
A child under 14 grows quickly, and his appearance may change before the old type of passport expires. Border guards are specially trained to compare photographs in passports with their bearers . However, it happens that this is difficult (the child has changed, grown a lot). In such situations, they ask you to replace not just a photo, but the entire foreign document.
Reference. According to Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia dated November 16, 2017 N 864, if it is impossible to further use the passport before its expiration, and a significant change in the appearance of the passport holder, a new passport is issued.
Significant changes in appearance are determined by border guards personally, based on their experience.
When applying for an old-style international passport for children under 14 years of age, questions may arise, so we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the following materials:
- Rules for filling out an application form for an old-style international passport for a child under 14 years of age.
- What is the amount of state duty for an old-style international passport for a child and where to pay it?
- What is the procedure and time frame for producing an old-style international passport for a child under 14 years of age?
- How to obtain an old-style international passport for a child under 14 years old through the MFC and State Services?
Biometric passport
Before talking directly about the new passport photos, it’s worth briefly telling what they are.
New international passports are called biometric, which means the presence of a microcircuit (RFID chip) sewn into a plastic page, containing, in addition to personal information and a photo of the owner, physical and behavioral parameters that identify a person.
A large amount of information is carried by the photo on the biometric passport.
This is a digital photograph that will be taken at the Main Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, directly at the place where the passport is issued. To make it, special equipment is used that records an individual biometric parameter - the distance between the pupils, so photographs from the salon will not be suitable.
When taking photographs, service employees strictly comply with the criteria established by FMS Order No. 320 so that in the Personalization Center, where digital photos are sent, they can “read” the biometric data encrypted in them. Strict requirements in the photo for a new type of international passport are imposed on the position of the face: eyes, eyebrows, nose, chin must be at a certain level, the gaze must be serious, without clearly expressed emotions.
It is the photograph taken at the Main Department of Migration Department that will be in the passport.
The procedure for obtaining a foreign passport involves submitting an application, to which you must also attach a photograph, although in some cases it may not be necessary. You will learn from the list of documents whether you need a photo for a new type of international passport to use for your application; its composition may vary slightly depending on the technical equipment of each migration service department. Sometimes two photographs taken on the spot are attached to the application, sometimes they are asked to bring with you.
For anyone who does not yet know how many photographs are needed for a new international passport, if a citizen submits an application electronically, we inform you that, according to the new Administrative Regulations, in this case a digital photo sent along with the application is sufficient.
Old style international passport
The procedure for processing documents and photo requirements for an old-style international passport, as noted above, have not undergone changes, that is, everything must remain within the framework regulated by Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs No. 889. Of all that citizens have the right to choose, this is the method of submitting documents (personal application or online mode), then and what image the photo on a 5-year international passport will have - black and white or color. All the main criteria were listed earlier.
A significant difference between photographs on an “old” document and photographs on a biometric document is the presence of a blurry oval at the bottom of the image. The oval is needed so that the inscriptions on the seal, which is placed on the first page of the document and captures the corner of the photograph, can be clearly read. As for such parameters as the dimensions of the photo for an old-style international passport, they are the same (35x45 mm) for both the old and the new ones.
Particular emphasis should be placed on the following circumstance: since one of the photographs will be pasted into the travel document, you should take the photographing process more seriously and at the same time try to find a middle ground, that is, comply with all the rules and turn out great in the picture.
It is also necessary to say how many photographs are needed for an old-style international passport. It all depends on the method of submission: when submitting documents on paper, you will need 4 photos; when applying online, you should add a digital photo to these four copies, which is used when considering the preliminary application. One of the photographs on paper will be pasted into the international passport, and the migration service specialists will paste the remaining photographs into the application, personal file and questionnaire.
Further actions
After you have received the necessary photographs in your hands, following all the requirements for photographs for an old-style international passport, checked the size of the photo, made sure that the oval is in its place and you have the required number of photographs, you can attach them to the rest of the forms. The photographs taken do not need to be cut and glued yourself; they are simply attached to the rest of the papers. A prerequisite for photographs is their integrity. Wrinkled or damaged photographs will not be accepted.
In 2021, the requirements for image characteristics in old-style foreign passports remain the same.
Knowing which photo is needed for registration, you can avoid difficulties in obtaining the treasured document.
Photo for application through State Services
The unified portal of public services is very popular because it offers a wide range of services, significantly saves time and simplifies many procedures. Of course, to obtain the passport itself, you will have to visit the department of the Main Department of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but you can submit documents and an application in electronic form. A photo will also be required, so we recommend that you find out in advance how to take a photo for a foreign passport for the State Services website. As for the image criteria, they are the same for all types of images. But it is important to comply with the technical parameters, since the image is sent electronically, which means that special attention must be paid to its quality. This is especially true for old-style international passports, because one of the photographs will be pasted into the passport. In addition, you need to take into account that the technical capabilities of the site are not limitless.
Basic requirements for a photo for a foreign passport in electronic form:
- image format – JPEG or JPEG 2000;
- resolution – no less than 450 dpi;
- color and depth – 24-bit color or 8-bit monochrome space;
- size – no more than 300 kbytes.
If the photo does not meet the specified criteria, it can be corrected in a graphics editor, for example, changing the brightness, sharpness, size of the photo, or removing the red-eye effect. And the ability to upload a photo to State Services for a foreign passport online, available at any time of the day to all registered users, will reduce the time it takes to complete the document and eliminate standing in queues.
How to upload a photo on the State Services website
International passports can also be ordered online. The following requirements are imposed on the photo for a new type of international passport through Gosuslugi:
- one of the formats: bmp, jpeg, png;
- uploaded file sizes – from 10 KB to 5 MB;
- image resolution – minimum 300 dpi;
- 8-bit architecture for black and white, 24-bit for color.
Images should not be retouched using graphic editors. Let's take a step-by-step look at how to upload a photo to Gosuslugi for a foreign passport:
- log in and enter your personal account
- find the “Passports...” section in the menu;
- go to the page “Foreign passport;
- select an option for the planned document;
- launch “Receive a service”;
- enter the data in the form;
- by activating the photo upload option, fulfill all the requirements.
It is also important for everyone to know how to edit a photo for a foreign passport on State Services. After successful loading, you are taken to the resizing page, the image can be cropped if necessary. Some services even offer to take a photo for a foreign passport online, or more precisely, edit the uploaded image in accordance with the requirements of a specific document and even country.
How to take a photo yourself: tips
The advent of digital cameras has greatly facilitated the process of taking photographs. Now even a person who is far from the technology of the photography process can take a photo for a foreign passport on his own. The main thing is to adhere to the clear requirements of the migration service, failure to comply with which will lead to refusal to accept your application.
You can, of course, play it safe and go to a photo studio and take pictures there, but this is an extra waste of time and money. If you have the desire and at least minimal technical and aesthetic knowledge, and you also know how to take a photograph for a foreign passport for a government services website, you can do everything necessary at home and send it online along with the documents.
If you nevertheless decide to take this step, carefully consider the technical, technological and aesthetic aspects of this process: where the shooting will take place, how to set a light background, who will process the photo, if necessary. It is advisable to have a camera with good resolution: even a graphics editor cannot correct poor photo quality. Take care of natural light. In addition, you will probably need an assistant.
About the cost
Now let’s try to find out how much it costs to take a photo for a new type of international passport and an old one, especially if you can take a digital photo for the first document yourself, then it’s better to take a photo for the second one from a professional.
From city to city, from salon to salon, the cost of photographs for various documents will vary. Photography studios, as a rule, are private commercial organizations, so their owners can set any prices for their services. On average, the price of a passport photo varies from 150 to 300 rubles per set.
The cost of the photo studio’s services includes not only photography, but also the production of photographs on photographic paper. In addition, the final price may be affected by the urgency of production, editing services or recording photos on electronic media. But there is not much difference between how much a photo for an old-style international passport costs and the cost of a photo for a biometric document. Despite the fact that the new generation passport requires fewer photographs, the entire set will be produced.
What are the prices for passport photos in the studio?
A photo studio is a commercial organization that independently sets prices for its services. They may differ quite significantly when visiting different salons. But on average you will have to pay 190-300 rubles .
Additional services may be provided in the studio for an additional fee. For example, she can be hired to record a file on a digital medium, crop a photograph to the required size if the original is provided by the client, etc. Photos are usually ready in 5-10 minutes.
Good photos
The ideal photograph is the one that meets all the requirements. In order not to be unfounded, we will give examples of successful photos. Since only one option can be correct, just look at a sample photo for an old-style and a new passport. Please note that the first photo has an oval at the bottom, and the second without it.
General requirements for photos for foreigners
When applying for an old-style foreign passport, you must provide 3 photographs measuring 35 by 45 mm, color or black and white, with an oval at the bottom of the photo. Two will be needed for pasting into the forms (they remain stored at the migration service), and 1 for the passport itself.
What should a photo look like on an old-style international passport?
When preparing documents to leave the country, there are a number of requirements. If they are violated, the application will be returned to the applying citizen, and the period for obtaining a passport will be delayed. Migration service employees check the provided photos only visually; a detailed inspection is carried out when processing an application for a passport with all the accompanying documentation.
- The dimensions of the photograph for an old-style international passport must comply with established standards;
- The image should only show the person’s face and part of the body up to the chest area;
- There should be approximately 2 mm of background left to the top of the photo;
- The background is acceptable light gray or blue;
- In black and white, gray shadows or highlights on the face are unacceptable;
- The photo card is printed only on matte paper; the glossy effect is provided by lamination of the main page of the passport;
- You only need to look straight ahead, position your chin and shoulders evenly so that they can be connected by an even line. The same applies to head tilt. In other words, all parts of the face and body should be located symmetrically;
- Emotions in the passport photo are unacceptable; the facial expression must be serious, without smiles or other facial expressions;
- Clothing is recommended in calm, dark tones. White color is excluded - it will merge with the background and face and the photo will be returned as not meeting the requirements. The form is permitted only for official documents;
- The person in the photo must look as he is at the moment; it is not allowed to provide a photo older than six months at the time of submitting the documents;
- Hats, Panama hats, caps, berets, wide headbands, and scarves are not allowed. As an exception, they are allowed only if it is impossible to appear in public without them due to religious beliefs;
- It is recommended to collect your hair so that it does not cover parts of your face. Those who wear long bangs are also advised to remove them, otherwise the photo simply will not pass the test;
- If you make your own photo for an old-style international passport, you should pay close attention to the light in the room. Any glare or reflection on the face will make the photos unsuitable. A sample photo on the Internet will help with this issue.
