Chile National ID Card (Cedula de Identidad) Photo: The Exact Official Standard
Learn precisely how a compliant Chilean Cedula de Identidad photo must look, and prepare for your Registro Civil appointment with a perfectly standard-matched reference image.
This photo must be taken by an accredited service
For this document, Chile does not accept a self-prepared photo. By law it must be captured on site by an authorised service and submitted electronically, so we cannot produce a submittable file for it. The official specification is shown below so you know exactly what to expect at your appointment.
This photo is captured on site — but we can make your Chile photos online:
A document photo is a headache of its own
A Chile National ID card photo has strict requirements, and a mistake costs time and money. We’ll show you how to pass on the first try.
It gets rejected
Wrong size, background or cropping — and the system returns the application.
Expensive and slow
A trip to a photo studio means a queue, time and €7–12 for a reshoot.
Confusing requirements
Exact size, head height, light background, facial expression — easy to get wrong.
Redo it all over
Rejected — take another photo, pay and submit again. Round and round.
«Below are the exact requirements from the official source, so you arrive at your appointment prepared.»
Ordinary photo → ready for submission
We remove the background and clutter, set the framing and lighting — keeping your face without «beautifying».
Your face stays yours — we do not change features, only the background, lighting and framing.
Your National ID card photo: what matters
The photo for the Chilean Cedula de Identidad (national ID card) follows the same unified biometric standard used for the Chilean passport, administered by the Servicio de Registro Civil e Identificacion. The goal is a frontal, neutral portrait on a pure white background that meets ICAO-aligned biometric rules so it can be matched reliably against the national identity register.
Here is the most important country-specific fact: for the Cedula de Identidad, the official document image is captured live on-site at the Registro Civil office, a process Chileans call the foto carnet. The agent photographs you directly with a controlled camera and lighting setup, so a downloaded or self-made photo is generally not accepted for domestic submission. The familiar printed foto carnet is traditionally 3x4 cm, but the legally binding image is the live biometric capture, not a print you bring with you. This live-capture rule is what makes Chile different from countries where you supply your own photo.
The exact technical standard the captured image conforms to:
- Size: 45x45 mm (531x531 px)
- Background: plain white (#FFFFFF), evenly lit, no shadows
- Face size: the head fills 70-80% of the frame height
- Expression: neutral, eyes open, mouth closed
- Glasses: not allowed
- Headwear: none, except religious head coverings, which are tolerated
- Recency: the image must reflect your current appearance (within 6 months)
Common reasons photos are rejected in Chile:
- Wearing eyeglasses, which are not permitted and frequently cause glare or eye obstruction at the capture station
- A background that is off-white, grey or shadowed instead of pure #FFFFFF
- A smile or open mouth, when the standard requires a strictly neutral expression
- A non-religious cap, hat or fashion headband covering the hairline or face outline
Because Chile mandates on-site digital capture, you cannot upload a self-made file to replace the foto carnet. What you can do is use this tool to produce a perfectly standard-compliant reference image from your own picture: it is automatically cropped to the exact 45x45 mm framing, white background and 70-80% face proportion. Use it to see exactly how a compliant photo must look, to fix your hair, glasses-free framing and expression before your appointment, or for any secondary purpose where a clean ID-style portrait is useful. It is an honest preparation aid, not a replacement for the official live capture at the Registro Civil.
What an accepted National ID card photo looks like
Chile · 45 × 45 mm. Tap any requirement to see what it means on a real photo.
- Size
- 45 × 45 mm · 531 × 531 px
- Background
- White plain
- Head in frame
- 70–80%
- Glasses
- Not allowed
- Facial expression
- Neutral, mouth closed
- Headwear
- Only for religious reasons
- File
- JPG · ≤ 500 KB
Print size is 45 × 45 mm and the digital file is 531 × 531 px.
Official requirements source: chile.gob.cl, ciie.cl
Requirements verified: 08.2026
How to take a good photo
The most common reasons a Chile National ID card photo gets rejected — and how to avoid them. Compare good and bad shots.
1Format and freshness
A color photo taken no more than 6 months ago.
2Lighting and background
Even light with no shadows on the face; a plain light background, without glare.
3Head position
Face head-on, head centered, no tilt or turn.
4Facial expression
Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open and looking at the camera.
5Glasses and accessories
No glasses (especially sunglasses); eyes fully visible, without glare.
6Headwear
Only for religious reasons and not covering the face — the face fully visible.
7Clothing
Ordinary everyday clothes; no uniforms or face-covering clothing.
Common questions about Chile National ID card photos
Can I submit a self-made photo for the Chilean Cedula de Identidad?
What is the foto carnet?
What are the exact size and background requirements?
Can I wear glasses for the Chilean ID photo?
Is religious headwear allowed?
How recent must my appearance be?
Your photo is protected
A photo is personal data, so we handle it carefully and in line with GDPR. We process it only to prepare the document and delete it within clear deadlines.
- Only with consentWe process the photo only after your explicit consent before upload.
- Auto-deletionWe delete the source photo within a day, the ready file after 7 days.
- No sharing with third partiesYour photos are not sold or used to train any third-party systems.
- Deletion on requestYou can ask to delete your data at any time — with a single request.