Make Ireland Visa Photo

Almost every country gives one measurement. Ireland gives two ranges: both photos must be 45 to 50mm in height and 35 to 38mm in width, with your face taking up 70% to 80% of the photo.

That is unusually forgiving, and it has a practical consequence — the standard 35x45mm photo used across Europe and much of Asia sits at the bottom corner of Ireland's range and is therefore acceptable. This tool exports that size for exactly that reason.

The face proportion is the part to get right. On a 45mm-tall photo, 70-80% works out to roughly 31.5 to 36mm from chin to crown.

Ireland asks for two passport-sized colour photographs, and then tells you what to put on the reverse of each one: sign your name — in your native script and language — and write your Visa Application Transaction Number from AVATS.

That explains two rules that look fussy in isolation. The photo should be printed on photographic paper, and the reverse of each photo should be white and unglazed. A glossy or coated back will not take a pen reliably, and a smudged transaction number separates your photo from your application.

This is the same logic South Africa uses when it asks for the applicant's names on the reverse. Where photos travel separately from paperwork, the back of the photo becomes the label.

The requirement says the photos must show exactly the same image. Two frames taken seconds apart are two different images, even if they look identical to you.

So print the same file twice rather than picking two shots you like. It is a small thing that is easy to get wrong when a photo booth hands you a strip of four slightly different exposures.

The photos must also be less than 6 months old.

The background must be plain white or light grey, with good contrast between your facial features and it, and no shadows or glare either in the image or in the background.

The photo must be in colour with good colour balance, natural flesh tones and no red eye. Your head must be centred, looking directly at the camera and showing your full face, with no tilting or turning.

Expression must be neutral — Ireland spells out that you should not squint, frown or smile. If the photos do not meet these rules, the application is delayed until you supply correct ones.