Hong Kong Passport Photo Requirements & Guidelines

Hong Kong runs its own passport photo standard, and it differs from mainland China and most of the world in two ways: a larger 40 × 50 mm frame, and a no-glasses rule the Immigration Department has enforced strictly since 2015. Wear your specs and the photo comes back, no exceptions for glare.

This guide covers every current Hong Kong passport photo requirement for 2026 — the 40 × 50 mm size, the white background, the 32–36 mm head height, and the online pixel spec used for the electronic application.

Hong Kong Passport Photo Requirements at a Glance

Here are the core specifications for the Hong Kong passport (HKSAR) photo:

The no-glasses line is the one to read twice — it is absolute, not conditional on glare.

Photo Size and Head Position Rules

Exact photo dimensions

The Hong Kong passport photo is 40 mm wide by 50 mm tall, larger than the European 35 × 45 mm and different again from mainland China's 33 × 48 mm. A standard print cannot be trimmed to fit.

Head size and placement

Your head must measure between 32 mm and 36 mm from chin to crown, centred in the frame, filling about 70–80% of the photo height. Face the camera straight on with a level head.

Fitting a larger, uncommon frame with a set head height is easy to get wrong by eye. You can create your Hong Kong passport photo and have the 40 × 50 mm frame and 1200 × 1600 px file produced from your source image.

Background Requirements

Acceptable backgrounds

Hong Kong requires a plain white background, evenly lit, with no shadows, patterns, gradients, or objects behind you.

Common background mistakes

• Shadow outlines behind the head from standing too close to the wall.
• Off-white walls — cream and pale grey photograph darker than they look.
• Booth photos with textured or coloured curtains behind you.
• Uneven lighting leaving one side of the background brighter.

Pose, Expression, and Lighting Rules

Expression and eyes

Keep a neutral expression with your mouth closed and both eyes open, looking directly into the lens. No smiling or raised eyebrows.

Lighting

Use soft, even, frontal light so both sides of your face match and the white background stays shadow-free. Because glasses are barred outright, you never have to worry about lens glare — but skin glare from hard light still fails.

Glasses, Head Coverings, and Other Restrictions

Glasses

Glasses are not allowed at all in Hong Kong passport and HKID photos — a strict rule since 2015. Remove them for the photo, including prescription frames. There is no glare exception.

Head coverings

Everyday hats and caps are not accepted. Religious head coverings are permitted provided the full face stays visible from the chin to the forehead, without shadow.

Editing and retouching

Do not alter the photo. No blemish removal, no skin smoothing, no filters, no AI enhancement — the image must show your natural appearance.

Digital Upload vs. Printed Photo Specs

Online photo

For the electronic passport application, supply a file at 1200 × 1600 pixels in the 3:4 proportion, sharp and naturally coloured. Do not upscale a small crop to reach the pixel count.

Printed photo

Where a print is used, provide a clean 40 × 50 mm photo on photo paper with accurate colour, free of creases, marks, or damage.

Top Reasons Hong Kong Passport Photos Get Rejected

• Glasses worn — the single most common Hong Kong-specific fault.
• Wrong size — a 35 × 45 mm or mainland 33 × 48 mm photo instead of 40 × 50 mm.
• Head height off — outside the 32–36 mm band.
• Background faults — shadows, coloured booth curtains, or non-white walls.
• Undersized online file — below 1200 × 1600 px.
• Retouched photos — smoothing, filters, or edited features.
• Outdated photos — older than six months.

How to Take a Compliant Photo at Home

1. Find a plain white wall and clear everything else out of frame.
2. Stand about half a metre in front of it to keep the background shadow-free.
3. Face a window so your face is evenly lit from the front.
4. Set the camera at eye level, 1.5–2 metres away.
5. Take your glasses off — they are not allowed at all.
6. Hold a neutral expression — mouth closed, both eyes open.
7. Remove any non-religious head covering.
8. Crop to 40 × 50 mm with your head at 32–36 mm, exporting 1200 × 1600 px for the online application — or let an automated tool handle both sizes.

Beyond Hong Kong: Other Countries' Requirements

Hong Kong is a reminder that "China" is not one photo standard: the HKSAR passport uses 40 × 50 mm on white with no glasses, while mainland China uses a different 33 × 48 mm format. Macao differs again. If you are preparing documents across the region or beyond, our passport photo tool for 150+ countries applies each official spec to the same source photo.

Conclusion

Three rules decide a Hong Kong passport photo: the 40 × 50 mm frame with your head at 32–36 mm, a plain white background, and no glasses — a strict, unconditional rule. Take your specs off, hit the size, and the photo clears on the first pass.