South Sudan Passport Photo — Exact Official Requirements, Ready in Minutes

When applying for a South Sudan passport, your photo must satisfy the requirements set by the Directorate of Nationality, Passports and Immigration. Official embassy guidance calls for two (2) passport-size photographs with a plain white background — and a single non-compliant photo is enough to delay your entire application. Submitting a photo built to the exact standard is the fastest route to a first-time acceptance.

One detail applicants frequently overlook: South Sudan follows the international 35×45 mm format, but embassy guidance places particular emphasis on the plain white background — not off-white, cream, or light grey, but a clean #FFFFFF white. Commercial photo studios in the region sometimes produce photos with a slightly warm or grey tone that fails inspection. Additionally, the head height must occupy approximately 34 mm of the 45 mm frame — meaning your face fills roughly 70–80% of the photo height — and the image should be printed at a minimum of 600 dpi for sharp, reproducible detail. A natural, forward-facing pose with the mouth closed is required; any hint of a smile or tilt is grounds for rejection.

• Photo size: 35 × 45 mm (digital equivalent: 827 × 1063 px at 600 dpi)
• Background: plain white (#FFFFFF) — no patterns, shadows, or gradients
• Head height: approximately 34 mm; face fills 70–80% of frame height
• Expression: neutral, mouth closed — smiling is not permitted
• Eyes: open, clearly visible, looking directly at the camera
• Glasses: not allowed under any circumstances
• Headwear: not permitted except for religious reasons, and must not obscure the face
• Photo recency: taken within the last six months to reflect current appearance
• Resolution: minimum 600 dpi; no pixelation, blur, or digital alterations to facial features

• Common reasons South Sudan passport photos are rejected:
• Off-white or cream background: any background that is not a true, pure white (#FFFFFF) fails the plain-white requirement — a very frequent issue with studio prints in the region
• Glasses worn in the photo: glasses are not permitted regardless of whether they are prescription or sunglasses; many applicants are unaware this rule applies
• Head too small or too large in the frame: the face must occupy 70–80% of the frame height; a photo taken at too great a distance — or cropped too tightly — will be returned
• Visible smile or open mouth: even a slight smile or parted lips is a valid rejection cause; the expression must be fully neutral with the mouth closed

To get your compliant photo, simply upload a clear, front-facing picture taken against any background — the photo is automatically cropped and formatted to the exact 35×45 mm official standard, with the correct white background and face proportions. Before you pay anything, you receive a free watermarked preview so you can confirm the result looks right. Payment is only required for the final printable or digital file. And if your photo is ever rejected by the issuing authority, we will redo it at no charge or issue a full refund — that is our acceptance guarantee.