ConvertDuck

Make Hong Kong Visa Photo

40x50mm with the head at 32-36mm — the same frame as a Hong Kong passport photo. The rule people trip on is clothing: what you wear has to contrast with the background, so no white top on a white wall.

Upload PhotoJPG, PNG

Precise Face Alignment

  • 1

    Fit your head inside the guide

    32 to 36mm from chin to crown.

  • 2

    Wear something that contrasts

    Avoid white or very light tops.

  • 3

    Use a plain light background

    White, or light grey — both accepted.

Specifications

40x50mm — wider and shorter than the 35x45mm ICAO frame.

Dimensions40 x 50mm (4 x 5cm)
Head Height32 - 36mm
BackgroundWhite or light grey
FormatJPEG for online

Compliance Checklist

  • Clothing contrasts with the background

    A white shirt on a white wall merges into it.

  • 40x50mm, not 35x45mm

    Hong Kong uses its own frame.

  • Head straight, facing forward

    No tilt.

  • Glasses only if there's no glare

    Clear lenses, eyes fully visible.

Someone else must certify this

Hong Kong publishes no photo size for a visit visa or entry permit — the only specification it issues, 40 x 50mm, is for travel documents. The frame below is that one. Check the guidebook for the visa category you are applying under before printing.

Hong Kong Visa Photo Requirements, Explained

40x50mm, not the 35x45mm you may have used elsewhere — and Hong Kong is unusually specific about what you wear, because your clothing has to separate from the background.

Quick Check: Do's & Don'ts

No White or Very Light Top

Your clothing must contrast with the background, or your shoulders vanish into it.

40x50mm, Not 35x45mm

Hong Kong uses its own frame. A Schengen-sized photo is the wrong shape.

Head 32-36mm, Facing Forward

Chin to crown, head straight with no tilt.

What You Wear Is a Requirement

Clothing has to contrast with the background.

Hong Kong guidance asks applicants to wear regular attire that contrasts with the background, and specifically warns against clothing that blends into it — a white or very light top against a white background being the obvious case.

This is worth taking seriously because it is a real failure mode rather than a stylistic note. If your shirt is the same tone as the wall, the outline of your shoulders disappears and the photo reads as a head floating on a blank field. Automated checks and human reviewers both key on that outline.

Mid-tone or darker colours are the safe choice: navy, grey, olive, burgundy. Avoid busy patterns and logos, and avoid anything strapless or off-the-shoulder, which produces the same vanishing-shoulder effect.

The 40x50mm Frame

Wider and shorter than the ICAO standard.

A Hong Kong visa or entry permit photo is 40 x 50mm (4 x 5cm), with the head measuring between 32mm and 36mm from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head, filling roughly 70-80% of the frame.

This is the same format as a Hong Kong passport photo, so if you have made one of those recently the geometry is identical. It is not the same as the 35x45mm frame used across Europe, India and much of Asia — that is a 7:9 rectangle, and this is 4:5. A 35x45mm photo scaled to 40x50mm will crop or stretch.

Your head must be straight and facing forward, without tilting or turning to either side.

Background & Submission Format

White or light grey; JPEG online, photo paper in print.

The background must be plain, with white the standard choice and light grey also accepted. Either way it must be a single uniform tone with no patterns or shadows behind your head.

For online applications the photo is submitted as a JPEG. If you are handing in a printed photo instead, it should be on quality photo paper — matte or glossy both acceptable — rather than printed on plain paper, which does not hold enough detail.

Stand about a metre clear of the wall so your shadow falls behind you, and light both sides of your face evenly.

Glasses, Head Coverings and Expression

Both permitted with conditions.

Clear prescription glasses are permitted only if there is no glare on the lenses and nothing obstructs your eyes. Tinted lenses and heavy frames that cross the eyes are not acceptable. If you get any reflection at all, take the glasses off.

Religious head coverings are permitted as long as they do not block any facial features — your full face from the hairline to the chin must remain visible.

Keep a neutral expression with your mouth closed and both eyes open, and use a photo taken within the last six months.

Hong Kong Visa Photo Maker (40x50mm)

Create the 40x50mm photo a Hong Kong visa or entry permit needs — head 32-36mm, plain background, free and 100% private.

Get Your Photo in 3 Steps

1. Wear Something That Contrasts

Hong Kong requires your clothing to separate from the background.

Skip the white shirt — pick a mid-tone or darker top.

2. Upload & Auto Align

We crop to 40x50mm with your head at 32-36mm.

This is not the 35x45mm ICAO frame.

3. Download & Submit

Attach the JPEG online, or print it on photo paper.

Matte or glossy both work; plain paper doesn't.

Hong Kong Visa Photo Specifications

Dimensions40 x 50mm (4 x 5cm)
Head Height32 - 36mm, face 70-80% of frame
BackgroundPlain white or light grey
ClothingMust contrast with the background
FormatJPEG online; photo paper in print

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.What size is a Hong Kong visa photo?▼
40 x 50mm (4 x 5cm), with the head measuring 32-36mm from chin to crown and the face filling about 70-80% of the frame. It is the same format as a Hong Kong passport photo.
Q.Can I use a 35x45mm photo?▼
No. 35x45mm is a 7:9 rectangle and Hong Kong's 40x50mm is 4:5, so scaling one to the other crops or stretches the image. Build the 40x50mm version from your original photo.
Q.Why does my clothing matter?▼
Hong Kong asks for attire that contrasts with the background and warns against clothing that blends into it. A white top against a white background makes the outline of your shoulders disappear, which both automated checks and reviewers key on. Choose a mid-tone or darker colour.
Q.Can I wear glasses?▼
Clear prescription glasses are permitted only if there is no glare and nothing obstructs your eyes. Tinted lenses and frames that cross the eyes are not accepted. If you see any reflection in the lenses, take them off and reshoot.
Q.Are religious head coverings allowed?▼
Yes, as long as they do not block any facial features. Your full face from hairline to chin must stay visible.
Q.Does the background have to be white?▼
Plain white is the standard choice and light grey is also accepted. What matters is that it is a single uniform tone with no patterns or shadows — and that your clothing does not match it.