Free NZ Citizenship Photo Online — Print 35 × 45 mm or Upload a JPEG

The photo for your New Zealand citizenship application depends on how you apply: 1 photo saved as a .jpeg file online, or 2 identical colour photos on paper, in person or by post.

The Citizenship Office of the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) accepts passport-style photos taken less than 6 months ago that meet the passport photo requirements. What you send depends on how you apply:

Whichever way you apply, the photo must:

• be a colour photo of only you, clear, sharp and in focus;
• show your head and shoulders, with your face looking directly at the camera;
• show your eyes open and clearly visible, not covered by hair or sunglasses — prescription glasses are fine if your eyes are still visible;
• have a neutral expression, not smiling or frowning, with your mouth closed;
• have a plain, light-coloured background that is not white, with strong contrast to your face and no shadows or objects behind your head.

The DIA calls online the easiest way to apply. You upload 1 digital photo saved as a .jpeg file, and you need an identity referee instead of a witness. IDPhotoBy gives you a 1500 × 2000 px JPEG: a 3:4 file inside the 250 KB to 5 MB window.

The online application may also ask for a selfie and a short video of your face. That identity check is optional and separate from your application photo, which still cannot be a selfie.

A paper application needs 2 identical colour photos, each passport-sized at 35 mm wide and 45 mm high — and the DIA says: do not trim the photos. The paper forms also set these rules:

• your head, including hair, must be 80% of the image height;
• print on high-quality photographic paper with no ink marks — do not use an inkjet printer;
• your witness writes your full name, signs their own name and dates the back of 1 photo;
• do not staple, glue or paper-clip the photos to the form.

The form for registering New Zealand citizenship by descent asks for the same passport-sized photos. The DIA recommends having paper photos taken by a business that offers a passport photo service; if you use IDPhotoBy instead, have the print-ready sheet printed on photographic paper at a photo lab.

Selfies are not accepted, because they change the way your face looks. Ask a friend, colleague or family member to take your photo — a cellphone or camera is enough.

Children aged 15 or under need passport-style photos too; for babies, see the FAQ below.

1. Have someone photograph you against a plain, light-coloured wall.
2. Upload it here; the New Zealand citizenship document is preselected.
3. IDPhotoBy crops and resizes it to 35 × 45 mm for printing and to a 1500 × 2000 px JPEG.
4. Check the preview: head and shoulders in frame, eyes open, mouth closed.
5. Download your files, then upload the JPEG online or have the sheet printed for a paper application.

The DIA asks for a true image, not altered in any way: do not edit, apply filters, or use AI tools to modify how you look. IDPhotoBy crops and resizes the photo you upload to the DIA measurements; it does not retouch or beautify your face.

No online service can promise that your photo will be accepted — the Department of Internal Affairs decides.

The Citizenship Office accepts passport-style photos that meet the passport photo requirements. For citizenship you send 1 JPEG online, or 2 identical prints with your witness’s signature on the back of one. A passport photo for your citizenship application must still be less than 6 months old. Applying for a New Zealand passport later? Use our New Zealand passport photo page.

The Department of Internal Affairs publishes the current New Zealand citizenship photo requirements on govt.nz. Check the official application portal before submitting.