Burkina Faso Work Permit Photo — Exact 35×45 mm Standard

A photo submitted for a Burkina Faso work permit must meet the national 35×45 mm frontal portrait standard — the same specification that governs residency and travel documents issued by Burkinabè authorities. Getting every measurement right from the start is essential: a non-compliant photo delays processing at the Direction Générale de la Police Nationale or the issuing prefecture and forces a repeat appointment.

One important practical detail for foreign workers in Burkina Faso: work authorisation is typically issued alongside — or in close administrative connection with — the carte de séjour (residence permit). Both documents draw on the same photo file submitted to authorities, which means a single correctly prepared photo can serve the entire work-and-residence dossier. The required format is the national standard: 35×45 mm, white background, head straight and centred, taken recently. There is no separate, divergent format for the work permit itself — conforming to this one standard covers the full application package.

• Print size: 35×45 mm (digital equivalent: 413×531 px at 300 dpi)
• Background: plain white (#FFFFFF) — no shadows, gradients, or objects
• Face coverage: 70–80% of the frame height
• Expression: neutral, mouth closed, eyes fully open and looking directly at the camera
• Glasses: not permitted under any circumstances
• Head coverings: forbidden, except for documented religious observance
• Recency: taken within the last six months to reflect your current appearance
• Pose: full frontal — no tilting or turning of the head

• Common reasons photos are rejected for Burkina Faso work permit applications:
• Background is off-white, cream, or contains visible shadows cast by the subject — Burkinabè processing officers require a clean, uniform white
• Glasses present in the photo — this disqualification is absolute and applies even to thin frames or lightly tinted lenses
• Face coverage falls below 70% of frame height, a frequent issue when applicants reuse a photo shot for a different document at a different crop ratio
• Photo is older than six months or shows a significantly different appearance (hair, facial hair, weight) compared to the applicant presenting the dossier

To get your photo right without a studio visit, upload a clear, well-lit selfie or portrait. Your image is automatically cropped and sized to the exact 35×45 mm official standard, the background is set to clean white, and the framing is checked against the face-coverage rule. Before any payment, you receive a free watermarked preview to confirm the result looks correct. You pay only for the final downloadable file — and if the photo is ever rejected by the issuing authority, it will be redone at no charge or refunded in full. Upload once, preview free, pay only when it fits.