A Belarus passport photo for the non-biometric passport (series PP) is a set of 4 colour photos, 40 × 50 mm each, printed on one sheet. Your face measures 32–35 mm from the chin to the top of the hair, with 2–3 mm of space above the head, against a plain, even, light background. Do not cut the photos yourself: passport staff trim one photo to 35 × 45 mm.
Applying for an ID card or a biometric passport? You don't need a printed photo, because you are photographed digitally on site. IDPhotoBy prepares photos for the non-biometric passport only.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) sets the technical requirements for a Belarusian passport photo in Annex 1 to Resolution No. 251 of 12 July 2024, and Presidential Decree No. 200 (items 11.1 and 11.2) requires the 4 photos.
| Rule | Belarus passport photo |
|---|
| Photo size (print stencil) | 40 × 50 mm (4 × 5 cm) |
| Number of photos | 4 colour photos on one sheet |
| Trimmed size | 35 × 45 mm, cut from one photo by passport staff |
| Head size | 32–35 mm from the chin to the top of the hair |
| Space above the head | 2–3 mm |
| Background | Plain, even and light |
| Lighting | From the front, above and the side |
| Pose | Full-face, taken straight on |
| Head covering | Not allowed |
| Glasses | No dark (sun) glasses, except for people with visual impairments |
| Symbols and clothing | No symbols that are not officially registered on the face, neck or clothing (jewellery is allowed); no uniform |
| Retouching | Technical retouching only |
| Image quality | Sharp, with no creases, scratches, damage to the emulsion layer, streaks or fog |
| Likeness | Matches your age at the time you apply |
| Standard | Meets the international standard for machine-readable documents |
Full-face means that the vertical centre line of the camera frame runs along the centre line of your face, and the horizontal centre line passes through the lower edges of the eye sockets and the ear openings.
Belarusian citizens can choose between the non-biometric passport and the ID card with a biometric passport. Only the non-biometric passport uses printed photos:
- Living in Belarus: apply at a citizenship and migration unit or, if you are a registered resident, at the housing-services organisation at your place of registration.
- Living abroad and on the consular register: apply at the citizenship and migration unit of your last registered address in Belarus, where the non-biometric passport is available.
- Emigrated and not on the consular register: you can only get biometric documents, at the MFA Main Consular Directorate in Minsk, so this photo does not apply to you.
- ID card and biometric passport: you are photographed digitally on site. Once you have biometric documents, a non-biometric passport can no longer be issued.
Belarusian embassies and consulates no longer issue, exchange or extend passports (Presidential Decree No. 278 of 4 September 2023), so passports are issued and exchanged only in Belarus.
The MVD requirements leave several details open:
- No background colour. The background must be plain, even and light, but neither white nor grey is a set rule.
- No expression rule. The requirements describe the pose, not your facial expression.
- No limit in months. The photo must match your age at the time you apply.
- No paper type. Matte or glossy photo paper is not specified.
The photos are not submitted online: you hand in prints with your application.
IDPhotoBy works with the photo you upload and doesn't retouch your face or change your features. IDPhotoBy doesn't submit anything for you and can't promise acceptance: the passport staff who take your application decide whether to accept your photos.
The MVD publishes the photo requirements on mvd.gov.by, and procedures can change. Check the official application portal before submitting.
