Ethiopian passport photo requirements

Applying in Ethiopia: your photo is taken for you

The Immigration and Citizenship Service describes the ePassport process in four steps:

1. Submit your application online on the ICS website.
2. Verification of your documents on your appointment date.
3. Visit the branch for biometrics: your fingerprints and your face photo are captured there for the chip in the ePassport.
4. Collect your ePassport.

Because the photo is taken at the branch, you don't need to make or print one for an application in Ethiopia. Dress as you want to appear in your passport, with your face clearly visible. ICS lists a free call line (8133) for questions.

Renewing at an embassy abroad

Embassies and consulates set their own procedures, so read the page of the mission you apply through. One example is the Embassy of Ethiopia in Washington, D.C. (notice of 19 February 2026):

• Online renewal runs through the Digital Invea app (App Store and Google Play). The uploaded passport photo and the scan of your passport must each be under 2.5 MB; applications that don't meet the technical requirements are delayed or rejected.
• In-person renewal asks for your expired passport, one recent passport-sized photograph and the fee by money order.

The notice doesn't state a size or background colour. If your embassy doesn't either, ask it. Otherwise a standard passport-style photo is the safe choice: a plain white background, full face looking at the camera, a neutral expression, no glasses, and taken recently. This is general guidance, not an official Ethiopian rule.

Ethiopian e-Visa photo (for foreign visitors)

The official e-Visa portal has the clearest published photo rules for Ethiopia:

The Ethiopia e-Visa photo page makes a photo to these rules.

Fayda National ID

For the Fayda digital ID, the National ID Program collects your fingerprints, iris scan and face photograph when you register in person at a registration location. You give your name, date of birth, gender, address and citizenship; email and phone number are optional. The program's site doesn't say you need to bring a printed photo.

Making a passport-sized photo on your phone

When an embassy or another office asks for a passport-sized photo or a digital file:

1. Stand half a metre in front of a white wall, facing a window, and ask someone to take the photo at eye level from about 1–1.5 metres.
2. Open the Passport Photo Maker with the Ethiopia preset (2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm), white background). If your office names another size, pick it in the document list.
3. Check the results for background, light and sharpness, then download the JPEG. It is far below 2 MB, so it fits the e-Visa portal and the Washington embassy's 2.5 MB limit.
4. For printed photos, download the 4 × 6 in sheet and print it at a photo shop.

See also how to take a passport photo at home for light and pose tips.

Tips for uploads and appointments

• Upload the photo file itself, not a screenshot or a photo of a printed photo.
• Scan documents flat and in colour, and check the file size before uploading.
• Bring the printouts and original documents your appointment confirmation lists.
• Use only official websites: immigration.gov.et for passports and evisa.gov.et for visas.