Laos Passport Photo Requirements & Guidelines
Content Writer · Updated on August 23, 2026
TL;DR: Laos uses the tall 40x60 mm photo, and the background is white — not the light blue some local studios still use. Here is what the current standard actually asks for.
Two things define a Laos passport photo, and both catch people out. The first is the size: 40 × 60 mm, a tall format rather than the common 35 × 45 mm rectangle. The second is the background — the current standard is plain white, even though some local studios in Laos historically shot passport photos against light blue, and blue is now commonly rejected.
If you learn nothing else from this guide: make it tall, and make it white. Everything below fills in the rest.
The specification, at a glance
| Specification | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Print size | 40 x 60 mm (4 x 6 cm) |
| Head height | ~36 mm chin to crown |
| Clearance | ~6 mm above the top of the head |
| Background | Plain white, even, no shadows |
| Glasses | Not permitted (medical exception only) |
| Photo age | Within the last 6 months |
White, not blue
This is the detail to get right first. Older Lao passport photos — and some studios still working to the old habit — used a light blue background. The modern standard is plain white, and a blue backdrop is now a frequent reason for rejection.
If you already have a photo on blue, or you're shooting against a coloured wall at home, the cleanest fix is to replace the background rather than reshoot. You can create your Laos passport photo on a clean, even white background from a photo taken almost anywhere.
Make it white, make it tall
Upload one photo and get a Laos-compliant 40x60 mm passport photo on a plain white background — the current standard, not the old blue.
The tall 40 × 60 frame
The 40 × 60 mm size is the other thing that separates Laos from most of its neighbours. It's taller and narrower than a standard passport photo, so cropping a phone image to fit means the head sits differently than you'd expect — more vertical space around the face.
The head itself should be about 36 mm from chin to crown, with roughly 6 mm of clearance above the hair. That's a strict target: an undersized head in the large frame is one of the top rejection reasons, precisely because the extra height tempts people to leave the face too small. Aim to fill the frame vertically without cutting off the top of the head.
Glasses off, expression neutral
Glasses are not permitted unless medically required with a signed note — and even then, no lens glare and eyes fully visible. For almost everyone, that means taking them off. Keep the expression neutral, mouth closed, both eyes open and looking straight at the camera, head level and centred.
Print and digital
The printed photo
A 40 × 60 mm colour print on photo paper, white background, head ~36 mm, taken within the last six months. This is what you submit with an in-person application — Laos doesn't run a public self-service passport photo portal.
If you're shooting for a Lao e-visa instead
Don't confuse the passport photo with the e-visa photo — the Laos e-visa upload is a different, much smaller file (commonly cited around 152 × 227 px, JPG, under 2 MB). If your goal is the e-visa rather than the passport, work to that spec; for the passport itself, the 40 × 60 mm print is the deliverable.
One photo, done right
We size your photo to the Laos 40x60 mm passport spec on a white background — the correct proportion and head height, ready to print.
How Laos compares
Laos shares its 40 × 60 mm tall format with countries like Kyrgyzstan and Libya, but the background is where it differs from parts of the region — several neighbours still accept or expect blue, while Laos has moved to white. The frame is regional; the finish is national. Preparing photos for more than one country? Our passport photo tool for 150+ countries applies each country's own size and background to the same source image.
The short version
For a Laos passport photo, get two things right and the rest follows: the tall 40 × 60 mm frame with a 36 mm head, and a plain white background — not the light blue you may still see locally. Glasses off, neutral expression, taken within six months, and you're compliant.
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