Angola Work Permit Photo — Exact Requirements & Compliant Photo in Minutes

A correctly prepared photo is one of the most common reasons Angola work-authorisation applications are delayed or returned. Angola processes work authorisation through a Visto de Trabalho (Work Visa) issued by the Serviço de Migração e Estrangeiros (SME — Angola's immigration authority). The photo standard follows the SME visa specification: recent colour photograph, plain white background, neutral expression, taken within the last six months. Getting every detail right the first time avoids costly delays in your employment start date.

One important detail that catches many applicants off guard: Angola's Visto de Trabalho is handled as a visa category through the SME rather than as a standalone permit document, meaning the photo requirements mirror the national visa standard exactly. The background must be pure white (#FFFFFF) — off-white, cream, or light grey backgrounds, which are sometimes accepted for other countries, will result in an automatic rejection by SME processing staff. The photograph must also have been taken within six months of the application date; older photos are routinely flagged even if they look recent.

• Size: 35 × 45 mm (digital equivalent: 413 × 531 px at 300 dpi)
• Background: Plain white only (#FFFFFF) — no shadows, gradients, or patterns
• Face coverage: The face must fill 70–80% of the total frame height
• Expression: Neutral, relaxed — mouth must be closed
• Glasses: Not permitted under any circumstances
• Head coverings: Permitted only for documented religious reasons; the full face must remain clearly visible
• Recency: Photo must have been taken within the last six months
• Colour: Full colour photograph; black-and-white images are not accepted

• Common reasons photos are rejected for Angola Visto de Trabalho:
• Background not pure white: SME officers specifically check for off-white or slightly grey digital backgrounds — any deviation is grounds for return
• Face proportion out of range: Photos where the face occupies less than 70% of the frame height are among the leading causes of rejection; selfies taken at arm's length are a frequent culprit
• Glasses visible: Angola's SME rules prohibit glasses entirely — even clear lenses or thin frames are not accepted
• Photo older than six months: Applications submitted with photographs dated more than six months prior are rejected at the document-check stage, regardless of how current the applicant looks

Upload your normal photo and it is automatically prepared to the exact SME standard — cropped to 35×45 mm, background set to pure white, face proportion verified — so you can see a free watermarked preview before paying anything. The file you download is sized and formatted for both print and digital submission. If your photo is rejected by the SME for any technical reason covered by the standard, we redo it free of charge or issue a full refund. You pay only when you are satisfied with the result.