Latvia Work Permit Photo: Official PMLP Biometric Requirements

Securing the right to work in Latvia means obtaining a biometric residence permit — and the photo standard behind it is set by the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP — Pilsonības un migrācijas lietu pārvalde), Latvia's sole issuing authority for residence and work-related documents. PMLP follows an ICAO-aligned biometric standard, identical in format to international travel documents: a 35 × 45 mm image with strict proportions and a plain light-grey background.

One important distinction makes Latvia different from many other countries: Latvia does not issue a separate, standalone work-permit card. The right to work is encoded directly inside a biometric residence permit. Because of this, PMLP captures your facial image digitally on-site during the appointment at their office — biometric data, including the photo, is recorded by the officer from a live digital camera, not from a print you hand in. This means a downloaded or home-printed photo cannot substitute for that on-site digital capture for the biometric card itself. Knowing the standard still matters: it governs how you must look at the appointment, and it applies to any paper forms or supplementary documents within your application file.

• Size: 35 × 45 mm (digital equivalent: 827 × 1063 px at 600 dpi)
• Background: plain light grey (#F5F5F5) — uniform, no shadows, gradients, or patterns
• Face coverage: face must occupy 70–80 % of the total frame height
• Expression: neutral and relaxed; mouth closed
• Glasses: permitted only when eyes are fully visible with no tint, glare, or reflections on the lenses
• Head covering: not permitted except for documented religious observance
• Recency: taken within the last 6 months, accurately reflecting your current appearance
• Lighting: even and diffuse — no harsh shadows across the face, neck, or background

• Incorrect background colour: PMLP requires a specific light grey (#F5F5F5). Photos with a bright white or cream background — common from photo booths calibrated for passport standards — are a frequent source of rejection on paper forms.
• Face occupying less than 70 % of frame height: Latvia's biometric standard defines a minimum face-to-frame ratio. Images where the head appears too small are refused without exception.
• Tinted or glare-affected glasses: even mildly tinted lenses violate the standard. PMLP officers are required to verify iris colour and eye detail, so any obstruction causes rejection.
• Outdated photo not reflecting current appearance: significant changes in hair colour, facial hair, or weight after the photo was taken — particularly for photos older than 6 months — may be challenged at the counter.

For your PMLP appointment, the biometric photo is taken digitally by the officer — you do not submit a printed image for the residence permit card. That said, our tool prepares a pixel-perfect 35 × 45 mm reference image conforming exactly to the PMLP biometric standard: use it to check your appearance before the appointment, share it with a certified photographer for a compliant print, or attach it to any paper-form components of your application. Upload your photo and the tool automatically crops it to the correct dimensions and verifies the proportions — so you arrive at PMLP knowing precisely what to expect.