Lesotho Work Permit Photo — Official 35×45 mm Requirements

A compliant photograph is one of the first things officers check when your work permit application reaches the Ministry of Labour or the Department of Immigration under the Ministry of Home Affairs of Lesotho. The required standard is unambiguous: 35×45 mm, pure white background, neutral expression. Submitting a photo that deviates — even slightly — from these parameters is one of the most common reasons applications are delayed or returned at the counter before they are even assessed on merit.

Lesotho work permits are issued through either the Ministry of Labour or the Department of Immigration (Ministry of Home Affairs), depending on the permit category and whether the application is employer-sponsored or individually lodged. In both cases, the photo standard applied is the same internationally recognised Southern African passport-photo format. Critically, physical applications typically require two printed copies of the photograph submitted alongside the document package — not one. This two-copy requirement is easy to overlook and can result in your application being sent back on procedural grounds alone. The background must be plain white (#FFFFFF) with no gradient, pattern, or shadow; even an off-white or cream-coloured backdrop is sufficient grounds for rejection.

• Print size: 35×45 mm (width × height) — digital file: 827×1063 px at 600 dpi
• Background: plain white (#FFFFFF) — no shadows, gradients, or patterns
• Face coverage: 70–80% of the total frame height
• Expression: neutral, mouth closed, eyes fully open and clearly visible
• Glasses: not permitted — prescription lenses and sunglasses are both refused
• Headwear: not permitted (religious exceptions may require supporting documentation)
• Recency: photo must have been taken within the last 6 months
• Copies: two printed copies are typically required for a physical submission

Common reasons work permit photos are rejected in Lesotho

• Off-white or shadowed background: cream, grey, or any background that is not pure #FFFFFF is refused — this is the single most frequent technical rejection cause
• Incorrect face-to-frame ratio: face too small (below 70%) or too large (above 80%) in the vertical frame, often caused by using an existing selfie not properly cropped
• Eyewear present: any type of glasses results in automatic non-compliance — remove them entirely before the photo is taken
• Visible shadows on face or background: uneven or single-source lighting creates shadows that fail the plain-background requirement and can obscure facial features

Upload a clear, front-facing portrait and your photo is automatically prepared to the exact 35×45 mm standard — correct white background, correct face-to-frame crop, correct proportions — matching precisely what the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs Immigration of Lesotho expects. You receive a free watermarked preview before any payment, so you can confirm it meets the standard before committing. If the authorities ever reject the photo, it will be redone at no cost or you receive a full refund. You pay only for the final file, once you are satisfied.