One of the key positions when issuing an identity card for a citizen of the Russian Federation is a photograph. It must be carried out in strict accordance with the Administrative Regulations of the Main Directorate for Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. Every professional photo studio knows and complies with the approved standards, but the applicant himself also needs to know what the requirements are for a passport photo in 2021; special attention should be paid to the size of the image and the definition of nuances to appearance and acceptable wardrobe items.
Passport photo size
Important! Please keep in mind that:
- Each case is unique and individual.
- A thorough study of the issue does not always guarantee a positive outcome. It depends on many factors.
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The requirements for a passport photograph of a citizen of the Russian Federation are defined in the provisions of the Administrative Regulations of the Migration Service. Regarding the approved criteria in relation to the size of the photo: the height must be strictly 4.5 centimeters, width - 3.5 centimeters.
The regulations allow the use of an option with image submission in electronic format, for which similar positions are provided. Additionally, you need to consider:
Permission. | At least 600 pixels per inch. |
File size. | No more than 300 kilobytes. |
File format. | .jpg. |
In addition to the characteristics that determine the size of the photo, it is important to take into account other legal requirements.
Tip 1: What is the best thing to wear to take photographs for documents?
Many people prefer the services of photo workshops - undoubtedly, the urgency of order fulfillment is amazing, but the quality sometimes wants to be better. And sometimes a business photographer cannot fully satisfy your expectations about the results of the “frame”. You can take high-quality photos on documents of any kind at home. To do this you will need:
- take a digital camera and take a photo of yourself or the person who asked you against a light background (preferably a solid color). If there is no such background, then you can use whatman paper or a regular white sheet.
- Before taking photos, do your makeup, hair, and put on your favorite outfit.
- In the process of photographing, the main thing is that you are captured up to your chest in the frame.
- after the frame is taken (take a few pictures to be on the safe side), you can now proceed to processing the resulting material using a personal computer; you can use the familiar Photoshop program, since it has multifunctional capabilities for image processing.
- eliminate all kinds of “defects” of the face (pimples, spots, wrinkles), then the background (irregularities, shadows). Align the brightness of the entire image as a whole, color contrast. The entire work of adjusting the image can take about ten minutes (of course, if you know how to use the above program well enough).
- if you don’t like the background, you can change it to a more pink, grayish, etc.
- If you need a non-color photo (for example, for a passport), the color can be removed using a black and white filter, which is the default in any image editing program.
- Usually, a foreign passport requires a photograph “in an oval” using shading. This can also be done in Photoshop without any problems.
- After editing the image, the photo can be printed - on a regular printer that has a photo printing function. If you don’t have it, then write the image file to a disk (flash drive) and take it to the nearest photo printing salon.
- Find out in advance what size photo you need. If you are preparing a photo for a questionnaire, usually there are no special requirements (the best option is a color photo measuring 4x5).
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Basic requirements for Russian passport photos
It’s worth clarifying right away that all of these positions must be carried out in strict accordance. A difference of even one millimeter can be grounds for refusal to accept documents, which implies additional costs, which is why it is so important to know the requirements for a Russian passport photo.
Color spectrum
The image can be made either in color or in black and white - in this case, the applicant has the right to decide independently. As practice shows, preference is given to color choices, which is quite logical and even encouraged.
Among other things, it is worth considering the color depth criteria: in the first case - 24 bits, in the second - 8 bits.
Background for photography
Previously, it was allowed to use any light, single-color tone, but according to recent changes in standards, the regulations establish the only correct design - an exclusively uniform white background. The presence of any patterns, extra color shades, foreign objects or even shadows - all this is unacceptable for an official image.
Photo paper: glossy or matte?
Another position that a citizen has the right to determine independently is that he can give preference to both matte and glossy paper, and none of the options will contradict the law. But it is worth noting that the second one is recommended, since the material used is of high quality, which makes it resistant to fading, and it is much easier to achieve a bright photo.
Image requirements
Special attention should be paid to the position of the head in the photo and the rules of facial design. So, first of all, it’s worth clarifying that the real appearance and the image must match. If drastic changes have been made, as a result of which personal identification using documents has become problematic, you will need to replace the photo in your passport.
Regarding general image requirements:
- head position – straight; bending or turning is unacceptable (except for cases where the abnormal position is due to a disability);
- face - strictly from the front;
- facial expression – calm; no unnecessary facial expressions or sudden emotions should appear: no wrinkled forehead, no smile, no pursed lips - all this will only get in the way;
- eyes are aimed exactly at the camera lens;
- the face is completely captured.
Regarding the required proportions and the distance between the various elements:
- the face should occupy about 80 percent of the photo;
- head height should be in the range from 3.2 to 3.6 centimeters, width - from 1.8 to 2.5 centimeters;
- between the upper border and the crown - 5 millimeters;
- between the pupils - no more than 7 millimeters;
- from the chin to the horizontal axis of the eyes - 12 millimeters.
Important! The photograph must be of high quality: no defocusing, suboptimal sharpness or color contrast, no shadows or additional layers.
Appearance requirements: glasses, beard, hair
The photo must correspond to the real appearance of the citizen:
- you can take a photo with your hair down, but it should not cover your face;
- for lovers of facial hair, it is allowed to film with a beard; basic requirement: wearing a beard must be permanent;
- Having glasses is also possible if they are intended for vision correction, that is, if a citizen uses them on an ongoing basis, then he can leave them, but subject to additional conditions: the glasses are transparent, there is no glare.
It is worth noting that there is a limitation for contact lenses - they should not be colored.
How to submit a passport photo through the State Services website: new instructions
Citizens increasingly prefer not to stand in queues, but to submit replacement documents through the State Services website. This also applies to obtaining a passport, but when filling out the application form and providing scans, the question arises of how to upload a photo. If the system rejects the file, check whether the snapshot meets the following requirements:
- Only image files in .jpeg ;
- resolution - 600 dpi and more;
- weight - 300 KB ;
- image bit depth is 8 bits for black and white and 24 bits for color.
The instructions on the Gosuslugi portal specify that when submitting an application for a replacement Russian passport, the photo is uploaded electronically directly to the site. You can take a photo at home or contact the salon, asking them to provide not printouts, but a file in the required format.
Thanks to new technologies, it will be easier to understand whether the result of your work matches the sample
It will be possible to determine whether the result meets the requirements at the loading stage. You will see hints at what level the top of your head and chin should be positioned, so you can make adjustments as needed. You will learn from the video how to process a photo so that it is suitable for a new Russian passport.
Clothes for passport photos
Photographs of people taken in any specialized form are prohibited. The best option is regular plain clothes. It is also important to consider other recommendations and requirements:
- female representatives should avoid low-cut tops;
- it is better for men to use light shirts and dark jackets;
- Regarding decorations, there are no strict restrictions, but it is better to limit the use of shiny objects that can cause glare.
Important! The photo requirements for a new passport fully comply with the criteria that apply to the old ID card, so there is no need to study other standards.
What clothes should you wear to take photos for your Russian passport?
A man's passport photo should also reflect his real appearance. At its core, a beard is a change in appearance. And if in ordinary life you do not wear it, but in the photo you appear unshaven, then for the rest of the time, when presenting your passport, you will have to prove that you are you.
In order to improve the final quality of the photo, you can try it at home, make several attempts, correct them using a simple editor and print them on a printer or transfer them to a flash drive and take them to the nearest studio. When taking photographs yourself, it is recommended to adhere to the following recommendations.
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What should we not forget?
The main rule is to include the full face in the photo. Parts should not extend beyond the edges of the photo. The face occupies 0.8 of the image, the remaining 0.2 is allocated to the background.
Photo design rules include:
- The person is photographed from the front, that is, sitting straight and looking into the camera.
- The top space is at least 0.5 cm; Part of the hair should not protrude beyond the edges of the photo.
- The background should be light shades, preferably white.
- An image made in both color and black and white is acceptable.
- The hairstyle should not hide the contours of the face.
- Photography is permitted with glasses if the person wears them for health reasons most of the day.
- Facial expression: mouth closed, lips relaxed, eyes naturally open.
- Photographing is done in familiar clothes of the same tone. Uniforms are not allowed.
- Quantitative characteristics of the head: height – 32-36 mm; width - 18-25 mm.
- Additional requirements: distance between pupils – 7 mm; from the lower edge of the face to the center of the eyes – 12 mm.
How to Dress for a Passport Photo
A passport is a universal document that will be required everywhere from registering at a library or finding a job to entering a nightclub. Men who are citizens of the Russian Federation are required to change their passport three times in their lives - at 14, 20 and 45 years old; women, of course, do this more often due to a change of surname during marriage. For an expired passport, there is a fine, the amount of which will depend on the amount of the missed period.
A classic example of a successful photograph for a Russian passport is a photograph of Gerard Depardieu. In real life he is a rather unkempt person, but in photographs he looks exemplary: fresh-looking, neat hair. Please note that you are not allowed to take pictures wearing hats. If you have a piercing on your face, it is advisable to remove it for photography. It is better to plan haircuts and hair coloring in advance, at least a week before the photo shoot. Women are not recommended to wear bright makeup, flashy jewelry, or large gypsy-style earrings. Hair can be left loose or pulled up into an updo. Although office-style hairstyles are recommended, some photographs turn out poorly: for example, with their hair pulled back, some women look very much like men, and those with high foreheads with hairstyles appear bald in frontal photographs. But you also don’t need to hang your hair like curtains, although the current requirements for Russian passport photographs do not directly say this. Many countries, such as the USA, require that ears be visible in the photo.
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Should I take pictures with or without glasses?
Thus, according to the law, if you constantly wear glasses, you must be photographed wearing them for your passport, but getting a high-quality photo that is guaranteed to be accepted is not so easy. Therefore, in many cases, people with low vision take pictures without glasses - especially since there are no sanctions for this.
Let us note, by the way, that it was precisely problems with the quality of photographs that caused the US State Department to decide to ban photographing with glasses on documents - this applies to both American passports and photographs for visas. An exception to the rules can be made only in the presence of serious medical indications and upon presentation of a certificate. However, the American approach is still an exception to the rule and when applying for, for example, Schengen visas, standard photo requirements apply, allowing photography with clear glasses.