Morocco Work Permit Photo — Exact Requirements & Instant Compliant File

When applying for a Moroccan work authorisation (contrat de travail des étrangers) — the contract that must be endorsed by the Ministère du Travail or processed through ANAPEC — your dossier must include identity photos that conform to Morocco's national 35x45 mm light-background standard. A non-compliant photo is one of the most common reasons a dossier is returned before it even reaches the reviewing officer, causing costly delays. Preparing the photo correctly before submission is the single fastest way to protect your timeline.

Morocco's work authorisation process is handled through a government-endorsed framework involving both the employer and the relevant ministry. Because the dossier is reviewed by officials accustomed to a specific national photo format — not a generic international passport format — even photos that pass easily in other countries are sometimes rejected here. The key distinction is the white (#FFFFFF) background: cream, off-white, or light-grey backgrounds that are acceptable in some European countries are not compliant for Moroccan administrative dossiers. The face-to-frame ratio is also stricter than many applicants expect: your face must occupy between 70 % and 80 % of the total frame height, meaning a photo taken for a European visa (which typically requires a smaller face proportion) will usually be too small and will be flagged.

• Dimensions: 35 × 45 mm (digital equivalent: 413 × 531 px at 300 dpi)
• Background: Plain white — exact hex #FFFFFF; no shadows, patterns, or gradients
• Face coverage: 70–80 % of total frame height, centred, eyes at mid-frame level
• Expression: Neutral, mouth closed, no smile
• Glasses: Permitted only if both eyes are fully visible with no glare and no tinted lenses
• Headwear: Not permitted except for religious reasons; head must be fully visible from chin to crown
• Recency: Photo must have been taken within the last 6 months
• Print quality: High-resolution, sharp focus, uniform lighting — no shadows across face or background

Common reasons photos are rejected in Morocco:

• Off-white or grey background — the standard explicitly requires pure white; anything with even a slight warm or cool cast is non-compliant
• Face too small — photos cropped for European biometric passports often fall below the 70 % face-height threshold required for Moroccan administrative documents
• Shadow on the background or face — caused by standing too close to the backdrop or by uneven lighting; a common problem with home or low-cost studio photos
• Tinted or photochromic glasses — lenses that appear even slightly darkened indoors are rejected regardless of whether the eyes are otherwise visible

To get a compliant file without visiting a photo studio, upload your own clear photo — taken against any plain surface, in good natural light. The photo is automatically cropped and calibrated to the exact 35 × 45 mm / 413 × 531 px specification, with a pure white background set to the required standard. Before paying anything, you receive a free watermarked preview so you can confirm the result. Payment is only required for the final print-ready file. If the photo is ever rejected by the Moroccan authorities, it is redone free of charge or refunded in full — no questions asked. Submit with confidence the first time.