Singapore passport and pass photo requirements (ICA and MOM)
Updated 2026-09-30
Singapore has three separate photo workflows, and the numbers of one do not carry over to the others: an online passport application through ICA e-Services, a paper application filed overseas, and applications for passes other than a passport. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is a different agency with its own upload limit.
| Workflow | Photo | What the official page gives |
|---|---|---|
| Passport, online (ICA e-Services) | Digital upload | 400 × 514 pixels; JPG, JPEG, HEIC, HEIF or PNG; up to 8 MB |
| Passport, paper form filed overseas | Printed | 35 × 45 mm from the overseas application form. Child and infant print rules are not stated there. |
| Other passes, for example the Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) | Digital upload | 400 × 514 pixels on the LTVP checklist. The checklist does not restate file types or a size limit. |
| MOM work pass documents | Documents, not a photo specification | JPG, PNG or PDF up to 2 MB, from a 2023 FAQ |
Online passport application
ICA recommends 400 × 514 pixels on a white background, and lists JPG, JPEG, HEIC, HEIF and PNG up to 8 MB. HEIC is the format many iPhones save, and it can be uploaded without converting it first. The photo should be taken within the last three months. ICA does not recommend selfies.
Paper application filed overseas
The overseas application form asks for a 35 × 45 mm print. The general ICA photo page says printed photos should be matte or semi-matte and non-reflective, but gives no millimetre size, so the 35 × 45 mm figure applies to the overseas form only. Confirm with the mission where you file.
Passes other than a passport
The LTVP document checklist asks for a 400 × 514 pixel photo. It does not say which file types or size limit apply to that pass. The general ICA page gives 8 MB, but we do not assert it for this pass. Check the limit shown in your own e-Service.
No retouching
ICA says the photo must not be altered or enhanced in any way, including by photo editing software. GetFormatted only crops, resizes and re-encodes. It does not smooth, whiten, change a background or retouch, and it cannot make a photo that has been edited acceptable.
Ministry of Manpower
MOM has no photo specification we could find. A MOM FAQ dated 2023 gives JPG, PNG or PDF files up to 2 MB for its work pass document upload. That limit may have been superseded, so confirm it in your own application. Do not use the ICA 8 MB limit for a MOM upload.
What we read
| Document | Type | Size | File size | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passport (ICA e-Services (digital photo upload)) | Digital upload, all applicants | 400 × 514 px minimum | up to 8 MB | Official page |
| Passport (Overseas paper application form) | Printed, all applicants | 35 × 45 mm | Not stated | Official page |
| Long-Term Visit Pass (ICA e-Service (applicant photo)) | Digital upload, all applicants | 400 × 514 px minimum | Not stated | Official page |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Singapore passport photo size in pixels?
- ICA gives 400 × 514 pixels as the recommended size for the online upload.
- What size is a Singapore passport photo for an overseas paper application?
- The overseas application form asks for 35 × 45 mm. The ICA photo page does not give a millimetre size, so this applies to that form.
- Is the MOM upload limit the same as ICA's?
- No. ICA gives up to 8 MB for the passport photo. A 2023 MOM FAQ gives up to 2 MB for work pass documents. Check your own application.
- Are selfies allowed?
- ICA does not recommend selfies, and it does not accept photos altered by software.