Sudan National ID Card Photo: Official Requirements and How to Prepare

A compliant photo is the foundation of a smooth Sudan national ID appointment. The standard is set by the Civil Registry and General Directorate of Passports & Civil Registry and requires a 40×50 mm image (472×591 px) against a pure white background — one of the strictest, most unambiguous specifications in the region. Getting the framing and background exactly right matters: even a near-white or slightly shadowed background can trigger a rejection at the desk.

Sudan's national ID — sometimes called the national number card or civil registry card — is processed entirely through the Civil Registry directorate. Unlike many countries where applicants submit a printed photo in advance, biometric data including the photograph is captured digitally on-site during your registration appointment. This means the camera operator applies the same 40×50 mm, white-background standard to the image they take. Arriving with a ready reference image — one that shows you exactly how the compliant framing, expression and background must look — means no surprises on the day. A compliant digital file is also directly reusable for Sudanese visa applications and other official documents that do accept submitted photographs.

• Print size: 40×50 mm — digital resolution 472×591 px
• Background: pure white (#FFFFFF); no gradients, shadows, patterns or coloured tints
• Face coverage: 62–70% of the total frame height
• Expression: neutral, mouth closed, both eyes fully open and clearly visible
• Glasses: not permitted under any circumstances
• Headwear: permitted for religious reasons only; must not obscure the face, cast shadows or cover any facial feature
• Recency: photo must reflect current appearance — taken within the last 6 months

Common reasons photos are rejected in Sudan:

• Background is off-white, cream, light grey or shows a shadow cast by the head or shoulders — only #FFFFFF is accepted
• Face coverage falls outside the 62–70% range: too loose (face too small) or too tight (crown or chin clipped)
• Applicant is wearing non-religious headwear, decorative accessories or any type of glasses including tinted lenses
• Expression deviates from neutral — a slight smile, raised eyebrows or a partially open mouth are all grounds for rejection

Use our tool to format your photo to the precise 40×50 mm, white background, 62–70% face-coverage specification before your Civil Registry appointment. The service automatically crops and scales your image to match the exact standard, so you walk in knowing precisely what a compliant photo looks like. A free watermarked preview is available before any download — review it, confirm it meets the standard, then save the full-resolution file for use in any supporting visa or official document application that accepts a submitted photograph.