Make NZeTA Photo

Almost every authority sets a ceiling on file size. New Zealand sets a floor as well: the photo you upload must be between 512KB and 3.14MB, as a JPG or JPEG.

That catches people coming from stricter countries. A photo compressed to satisfy Uzbekistan's 1MB limit or Kazakhstan's much smaller one can land under half a megabyte and be rejected here for being too small.

If you are submitting a paper application instead, the printed photo is 35mm wide and 45mm high — the familiar international frame.

This is the rule worth reading twice, because it is the one most photo tools break. Immigration New Zealand lists edits that fail its standard, and among them is "cropping your head and shoulders to place it on a plain background".

Alongside it: skin smoothing, face slimming, and digitally removing objects from around your face such as glasses, jewellery, headbands or hats. Photos that are AI enhanced or altered do not meet the standard, and a failing photo may be delayed, declined or refused.

So the plain background has to be an actual plain background. Stand about half a metre clear of a neutral wall so you cast no shadow on it, and make sure there is good contrast between your face and the wall.

Patterns cause trouble beyond aesthetics — New Zealand warns that patterned clothing and backgrounds can create technical issues with its system.

New Zealand states that your photo is collected and used as biometric information, authorised by the Immigration Act 2009 and the regulations under it.

That framing explains the rest of the rules. A photograph that has been smoothed, slimmed or lifted onto a synthetic background is no longer a measurement of your face, and the whole point of the collection is that it is one.

It also means the same standard applies whether you are requesting an NZeTA or applying for a visa. The guidance page is titled "Acceptable photos for a visa or NZeTA" — one picture, two processes.

Immigration New Zealand says plainly that it can be difficult to take a selfie meeting its requirements, and recommends having someone else photograph you. It names background, positioning and lighting as the usual failures.

For the pose: look straight at the camera with a neutral expression and your mouth closed. Remove head coverings unless worn for religious or medical reasons, and if worn, the covering must not cover your mouth or the sides of your face.

Prescription glasses are allowed provided they are clear rather than tinted, with no glare and rims thin enough not to obscure your face. If they keep causing problems, taking them off is the simpler route.