Saudi Arabia National ID Card Photo — Exact Biometric Requirements & Compliant Photo

A photo submitted for the Saudi Arabian National Identity Card — known as the Hawiya — must comply with the biometric standard set by the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) and enforced through the Absher digital platform. The standard mirrors the Kingdom's passport specification exactly: a 40×60 mm print (or a 640×480 px digital file at a 4:3 aspect ratio) with the head measuring approximately 38 mm in height. Submitting a photo that deviates from these proportions is one of the most common causes of rejection through the Absher portal.

What makes the Hawiya photo requirement distinct from many other countries is the mandatory Saudi national dress code. Saudi men are expected to appear in traditional attire (thobe), and Saudi women must cover both the head and neck — typically in a black hijab — with only the face visible from forehead to chin. This is not optional: a photo showing a woman with an uncovered neck, or a man in Western clothing, will be flagged during the document check. Additionally, glasses are not permitted under any circumstances except for a documented medical necessity, and even then the frames must not obscure any facial features. These cultural and legal requirements are non-negotiable and consistently cause rejections among applicants who are unaware of them.

• Print size: 40×60 mm (digital: 945×1417 px, or 640×480 px at 4:3 for Absher portal upload)
• Background: Plain white (#FFFFFF) — no shadows, no texture, no colour gradients
• Face coverage: The face must fill 60–70% of the frame height; head height approximately 38 mm
• Expression: Neutral, mouth closed, both eyes open and clearly visible
• Glasses: Not permitted (medical exception only, confirmed by prescription)
• Headwear: Religious headwear only — hijab for women (head and neck fully covered), religious cap for men if applicable; no fashion or sports headwear
• Dress: Saudi national dress required — thobe for men, black hijab covering head and neck for women
• Photo age: Taken within the last 6 months; must reflect current appearance
• Quality: Sharp focus, even lighting, no red-eye, no pixelation

• Common reasons Saudi Hawiya photos are rejected:
• Woman's neck or hair visible — the hijab must cover both head and neck completely
• Glasses worn in the photo — even thin frames cause automatic rejection via Absher biometric scan
• Non-white or off-white background — cream, light grey, or any shadowed wall does not pass
• Wrong aspect ratio or incorrect head size — uploading a passport-format 35×45 mm crop instead of the 4×6 cm standard is rejected at the portal level

To get a compliant photo, simply upload any clear, well-lit snapshot — the photo is automatically cropped and sized to the exact Jawazat biometric standard, background is set to pure white, and proportions are adjusted to the required 4:6 ratio. Before any payment, you receive a free watermarked preview so you can confirm the result. If the final photo is ever rejected by the issuing authority, it is redone at no charge or you receive a full refund — you pay only for a file you are satisfied with.