Suriname Work Permit Photo — Exact Size & Standards

A correctly prepared photo is one of the most common stumbling blocks in a Suriname work authorisation application. The Labour Ministry (Ministerie van Arbeid) and the Aliens Registration Office (Vreemdelingen Registratie) require passport-style colour photographs that conform to the national 35×45 mm standard. Submitting a photo that deviates from this standard — even slightly — delays the entire permit process, which can affect your legal right to work in Suriname.

What makes the Suriname work permit photo noteworthy is that it reuses the same specification as the national identity document and passport photograph standard. This means the requirements are well-established and strictly enforced at the counter. The prescribed background colour is a specific neutral grey (#E6E6E6), not pure white and not off-white — a distinction that catches many applicants off guard. The grey tone must be uniform and free of shadows, textures, or patterns behind the subject.

• Print size: 35×45 mm (digital equivalent: 827×1063 px at 600 dpi)
• Background: uniform neutral grey (#E6E6E6) — no white, no cream, no gradients
• Face coverage: the face must fill 70–80% of the total frame height
• Expression: neutral, mouth closed, both eyes open and clearly visible
• Glasses: not permitted under any circumstances
• Headwear: not permitted except for documented religious reasons
• Recency: photo must have been taken within the last six months
• Colour: full colour photograph, not black-and-white or sepia
• Lighting: even, no harsh shadows on the face or background

• Common reasons photos are rejected in Suriname:
• Wrong background colour: submitting a photo with a white or off-white background instead of the required neutral grey (#E6E6E6) is the single most frequent rejection cause at the Vreemdelingen Registratie counter
• Face too small or too large: the 70–80% face-height rule is actively checked; a photo where the face occupies less than 70% of the frame height will be returned
• Glasses worn: spectacles of any kind — including clear, photochromic, or lightly tinted lenses — are not accepted; remove them before taking the photo
• Photo older than six months: permits can take time to process, but the photo itself must reflect your current appearance; images taken more than six months before submission are routinely rejected

To get your photo right the first time, upload a clear, front-facing picture taken against any plain background. The photo is automatically cropped and adjusted to the exact 35×45 mm official standard — correct grey background, precise face framing, and proper dimensions — so the output matches what the Labour Ministry and Vreemdelingen Registratie expect. You receive a free watermarked preview before any payment, so you can confirm the result looks correct. Pay only for the final downloadable file. If the photo is ever rejected by the issuing authority, it will be redone free of charge or you receive a full refund — no questions asked.