Senegal National ID Card Photo: Exact CEDEAO Biometric Standard
Everything you need to know about the photo for Senegal's biometric CEDEAO national ID card, including the exact 35x45 mm specification and the on-site capture rule applicants often overlook.
This photo must be taken by an accredited service
For this document, Senegal does not accept a self-prepared photo. By law it must be captured on site by an authorised service and submitted electronically, so we cannot produce a submittable file for it. The official specification is shown below so you know exactly what to expect at your appointment.
This photo is captured on site — but we can make your Senegal photos online:
A document photo is a headache of its own
A Senegal National ID card photo has strict requirements, and a mistake costs time and money. We’ll show you how to pass on the first try.
It gets rejected
Wrong size, background or cropping — and the system returns the application.
Expensive and slow
A trip to a photo studio means a queue, time and €7–12 for a reshoot.
Confusing requirements
Exact size, head height, light background, facial expression — easy to get wrong.
Redo it all over
Rejected — take another photo, pay and submit again. Round and round.
«Below are the exact requirements from the official source, so you arrive at your appointment prepared.»
Ordinary photo → ready for submission
We remove the background and clutter, set the framing and lighting — keeping your face without «beautifying».
Your face stays yours — we do not change features, only the background, lighting and framing.
Your National ID card photo: what matters
The portrait on Senegal's national identity card must meet the standard set by the Carte Nationale d'Identite biometrique CEDEAO, issued through the Direction de l'Automatisation des Fichiers (DAF). It is a precise document: a 35x45 mm head-and-shoulders portrait on a pure white background, with the face sharp, evenly lit and free of shadows. Getting these details right matters because the same image is reproduced twice on the finished card.
Senegal holds a notable place in the region: it was the first ECOWAS member state to roll out the biometric CEDEAO card, in 2016. Because the card is biometric, the law requires the physical presence of the applicant at an enrollment center, where the portrait, fingerprints and signature are all captured live by an official operator. The card then displays a main photograph alongside a smaller, semi-transparent 'ghost' image used as a security feature against tampering. This is why a self-supplied photo is generally not accepted: the picture is taken digitally on the spot.
The official portrait specification is:
- Size: 35x45 mm (827x1063 px at print resolution)
- Background: plain pure white (#FFFFFF), no texture or shadow
- Face size: the head fills roughly 70-80% of the frame height
- Expression: neutral, mouth closed, eyes open and looking at the camera
- Glasses: allowed only if the eyes are fully visible, with no glare or tinted lenses
- Headwear: none, except head coverings worn for religious reasons, which must not hide the face
- Recency: the likeness must be current, taken within the last 6 months
- Common reasons photos are rejected in Senegal:
- Bringing a printed or phone photo, when the center requires a live on-site digital capture
- A background that is grey, cream or off-white instead of pure white
- Glare on eyeglasses or tinted lenses hiding the eyes
- A religious head covering pushed too far forward, casting shadow over the forehead or eyebrows
You can use our tool to automatically crop your own picture to the exact 35x45 mm CEDEAO standard, so you can see precisely how a compliant portrait should look before your appointment. Be aware, however, that for the Senegalese biometric ID card the photograph is captured digitally at the enrollment center, so a downloaded or self-made image is normally not accepted for submission. Treat the result as a reliable reference: a way to prepare, check your appearance against the rules and arrive confident.
What an accepted National ID card photo looks like
Senegal · 35 × 45 mm. Tap any requirement to see what it means on a real photo.
- Size
- 35 × 45 mm · 827 × 1063 px
- Background
- White plain
- Head in frame
- 70–80%
- Glasses
- Allowed
- Facial expression
- Neutral, mouth closed
- Headwear
- Only for religious reasons
- File
- JPG · ≤ 2 MB
Print size is 35 × 45 mm and the digital file is 827 × 1063 px.
Official requirements source: interieur.gouv.sn, daf.sn
Requirements verified: 08.2026
How to take a good photo
The most common reasons a Senegal National ID card photo gets rejected — and how to avoid them. Compare good and bad shots.
1Format and freshness
A color photo taken no more than 6 months ago.
2Lighting and background
Even light with no shadows on the face; a plain light background, without glare.
3Head position
Face head-on, head centered, no tilt or turn.
4Facial expression
Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open and looking at the camera.
5Glasses and accessories
No glasses (especially sunglasses); eyes fully visible, without glare.
6Headwear
Only for religious reasons and not covering the face — the face fully visible.
7Clothing
Ordinary everyday clothes; no uniforms or face-covering clothing.
Common questions about Senegal National ID card photos
What size must the Senegal national ID card photo be?
Can I submit my own photo for the Senegalese biometric ID card?
What background colour is required?
Why does the card show two photos?
Are glasses allowed in the photo?
Can I wear a head covering?
Your photo is protected
A photo is personal data, so we handle it carefully and in line with GDPR. We process it only to prepare the document and delete it within clear deadlines.
- Only with consentWe process the photo only after your explicit consent before upload.
- Auto-deletionWe delete the source photo within a day, the ready file after 7 days.
- No sharing with third partiesYour photos are not sold or used to train any third-party systems.
- Deletion on requestYou can ask to delete your data at any time — with a single request.