Prepare a New Zealand passport photo from a picture you already have — 35 × 45 mm for paper applications, on a non-white, light-colored background (New Zealand is reported to reject plain white). Online applications reportedly use a different 33×44mm, 3:4 format — check which applies to you.
Official requirements
Official requirements
Compiled from the source below. Vekyo could not directly confirm these figures against that source, so check the official site before submitting your photo.
Digital photo requirements
No official digital pixel specification was found for this document — see printed requirements below.
Printed photo requirements
Photo size
35 × 45 mm
Paper / printing
New Zealand is reported to use a genuinely different size for ONLINE passport applications — 33×44mm at a 3:4 aspect ratio, rather than this 35×45mm paper-application size; this entry covers the paper-application print size only. New Zealand is also reported to reject selfies and AI-edited/filtered photos entirely.
Other requirements
Head / face position
Full face, centered, looking directly at the camera
Background
A non-white light background is explicitly required — differs from the common white default. Exact color isn't specified.
Expression
Neutral expression, eyes open and clearly visible.
Source: Department of Internal Affairs, New Zealand — passport photos.
Common mistakes
✕Using a plain white background — New Zealand explicitly requires a non-white light background
✕Submitting a selfie or an AI-edited/filtered photo — reportedly not accepted
✕Using the paper-application 35×45mm size for an online application, which reportedly uses a distinct 33×44mm (3:4) format instead
How to take a good photo
✓Use a non-white, light-colored background
✓Have someone else take the photo rather than a selfie, and do not apply any filters or editing
✓Confirm whether you're applying on paper (35×45mm) or online (reportedly 33×44mm, 3:4 ratio) before printing
How Vekyo works for a New Zealand passport (paper application)
Upload a recent photo, and Vekyo detects your face, then checks it against the New Zealand passport (paper application) specification above — including its a non-white light background is explicitly required — differs from the common white default. exact color isn't specified. background requirement — before letting you crop and position it to match. Face detection, quality checks, cropping, and resizing run in your browser by default. Vekyo never changes your facial features, skin tone, or facial structure, and never generates or beautifies a face. If your background doesn't look plain and evenly lit enough for this document, you'll see a warning rather than a silent pass, and you can choose the optional background tool to replace it with a plain color — nothing is replaced unless you ask. The optional high-quality background removal option sends the cropped photo to our server for that one step.
Frequently asked questions
Vekyo prepares your New Zealand passport (paper application) photo at 35×45mm, based on the published specification linked on this page — you don't need to measure or crop it yourself.
A non-white light background is explicitly required — differs from the common white default. Exact color isn't specified. Vekyo's compliance check flags a background that looks patterned, shadowed, or uneven before you pay, so you can retake the photo if needed.
Yes. A recent phone photo works well as long as it is a clear, front-facing shot in good, even lighting against a plain background. Vekyo crops and resizes it to the required dimensions in your browser.
Yes. Vekyo lets you prepare a photo that matches the New Zealand passport (paper application) photo specification from an existing picture, without visiting a photo studio. You still need to check your final photo, and print it, according to your application's instructions.
No. Vekyo crops, resizes, and repositions your existing photo to match the required dimensions, and can optionally replace the background or adjust lighting when you choose. It never alters your facial features, skin tone, or facial structure, and never generates or beautifies a face.
Not by default. Face detection, cropping, resizing, and file generation happen locally in your browser. If you choose the optional high-quality background removal service, the cropped image is securely sent to our server for that processing step only; the standard option stays entirely on your device. See our Privacy Policy for full details.
No. You get a free preview of your finished photo — including its compliance score and checklist — before paying anything. Payment only unlocks the full-resolution, watermark-free download and the printable sheet.
Your compliance checklist shows exactly which checks passed, which need attention, and which failed, with a plain-language explanation for each. From there you can use Auto-Fix to automatically correct issues like cropping, brightness, or sharpness, adjust the crop yourself, or upload or retake a different photo — you can keep adjusting until it looks right, all before you pay. A mistake we see often for a New Zealand passport (paper application): using a plain white background — new zealand explicitly requires a non-white light background.
Yes. Vekyo generates a printable PDF sized for a New Zealand passport (paper application) — 35×45mm — with multiple copies laid out on a 4x6 inch or A4 sheet, so you can print it at home or at a photo lab without distortion.
Vekyo prepares your photo according to the published New Zealand passport (paper application) photo specification linked on this page. You are responsible for confirming your final photo meets your specific application's requirements before submitting it.
We cannot guarantee acceptance. Vekyo prepares your photo according to the published photo specifications, but final acceptance is always decided by the receiving government authority. Always verify the latest requirements on the official source before submitting your application.
Prepared according to the published requirements — not a guarantee of acceptance and not government approved. Always verify the latest requirements with the official authority before submitting your photo.