Ethiopia Work Permit Photo — Exact Official Size & Requirements

When you apply for a work permit or residence permit in Ethiopia as a foreign worker, the Ministry of Labour and Skills requires you to submit recent passport-size photographs that meet a precise, official standard. The photo must measure 30×40 mm (354×472 px) with a plain white background — and it must look right the first time. A non-compliant photo is rejected at the counter, delaying the entire application process and potentially affecting your legal right to work in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia's work permit photo requirement follows international passport-photo conventions, but there are specifics worth knowing. The Ministry of Labour and Skills processes applications for foreign nationals working across all sectors, from NGOs to private enterprise, and their documentation standards are strictly enforced. The photo must be recent — typically taken within the past six months — to match your current appearance. The white background (#FFFFFF) is mandatory: off-white, cream, grey, or any patterned background will cause the photo to be returned. Digital colour-correction to fake a white background is also a common reason for rejection, because the resulting compression artefacts are visible to trained reviewers.

• Size: 30×40 mm (354×472 px at 300 dpi)
• Background: Plain white (#FFFFFF) — no shadows, gradients, or patterns
• Face coverage: Your face must fill 70–80% of the frame height
• Expression: Neutral, relaxed — mouth closed, no smiling
• Glasses: Not permitted under any circumstances
• Headwear: Only permitted for verified religious reasons; face must remain fully visible
• Recency: Photo must have been taken within the last six months
• Focus and lighting: Sharp focus, even lighting — no shadows across the face or behind the head

• Common reasons photos are rejected for Ethiopia work permits:
• Background is off-white, light grey, or cream — only a true pure white (#FFFFFF) is accepted
• Face proportion falls below 70% or above 80% of frame height, often because the photo was taken at arm's length or cropped from a larger image incorrectly
• Glasses present in the photo — this is a strict ban with no exceptions for prescription eyewear
• Photo is older than six months or visibly does not match the applicant's current appearance (different hair, significant facial changes)

To get your photo right without a second trip to a print shop, upload any clear, well-lit photo of yourself — our system automatically crops and sizes it to the exact 30×40 mm Ministry of Labour and Skills standard, sets the background to pure white, and checks face proportions. You receive a free watermarked preview before you pay anything, so you can confirm the result looks correct. Pay only for the final print-ready file. If your work permit application authority rejects the photo for any technical reason, we will redo it at no charge or refund your payment in full — no questions asked.