Sierra Leone Residence Card Photo — Official 35×45 mm Standard

A compliant photograph is the first document check your Sierra Leone residence card application faces. The Immigration Department of Sierra Leone requires a 35×45 mm photograph on a plain white background — a specification drawn from the unified national photo standard applied consistently across the country's official identity documents. Getting the exact dimensions, face coverage, and background right at the first attempt means your application advances without delays or repeat visits to the department.

Sierra Leone's residence permit for foreigners sits within the same unified national 35×45 mm format that the Immigration Department uses across its document portfolio. That consistency is a strength — the rules are clear and well-documented — but it also means officers compare submissions directly against the standard. Photographs printed at 4×6 cm (common in many European and West African studio chains) or at standard passport proportions from other countries do not satisfy this requirement and are turned back at intake. Equally important is face coverage: the head from crown to chin must occupy 70–80% of the frame height. This is a stricter fill ratio than many applicants expect, and a photo where the subject is framed with generous space above the head will fail even if colour and size are otherwise correct.

• Print size: 35×45 mm (digital: 827×1063 px at 600 dpi)
• Background: plain white (#FFFFFF) — no gradients, shadows, or off-white tints
• Face coverage: head (crown to chin) fills 70–80% of frame height
• Expression: neutral, mouth closed, eyes open, gaze directed straight at the camera
• Glasses: not permitted under any circumstances — prescription or otherwise
• Head coverings: permitted for documented religious reasons only; full face must remain clearly visible
• Recency: taken within the last six months
• Technical quality: sharp focus, even lighting, no shadows on the face or background

Common reasons residence card photos are rejected in Sierra Leone:

• Wrong print size or aspect ratio — photos at 4×6 cm or other proportions used in neighbouring countries do not meet the 35×45 mm specification
• Off-white or cream background — any tint, head shadow, or gradient fails the pure white (#FFFFFF) rule; even a slightly warm studio backdrop can cause rejection
• Face too small in the frame — a subject photographed from too far away, leaving empty space above the head, fails the 70–80% face-height threshold
• Glasses in the photo — prescription glasses, tinted lenses, and sunglasses are all prohibited; there is no medical exemption for this document type

Upload your own photo and it will be automatically prepared to the exact Immigration Department standard — cropped to 35×45 mm, background corrected to pure white, and face coverage verified against the 70–80% rule. You receive a free watermarked preview before any payment, so you can confirm the result is right. If your photo is rejected by the authorities for any compliance reason, we redo it at no charge or issue a full refund. You pay only for the final file, and only when you are satisfied with what you see.