Applying for a Saudi national ID card (Iqama or Saudi citizen ID) requires a biometric photo that precisely meets the standard 4x6 cm (40x60 mm) criteria. Errors in size, background, or appearance could cause delays or rejections at civil affairs agencies or Jawazat. With only a selfie, PhotoGov.net helps you generate a completely compliant Saudi Arabia ID card photo. Our system guarantees ideal size, background, and resolution, so saving you time and avoiding mistakes. All done online, you'll get a high-quality printable version and a ready-to-upload digital file.
Natural daylight is ideal; avoid shadows on your face.
Stand against a light wall or curtain.
Stand tall, face centered and straight.
Avoid editing techniques that alter your face.
Wear medium or dark solid clothes to offset the backdrop.
Follow these steps to create a completely compliant ID card photo using PhotoGov:
Select the Document Type
From our supported list, choose "Saudi Arabia ID Card - 4x6 cm."
Snap Your Picture
Your phone or camera will do. Under natural light, stand 1.5–2 meters from a white wall.
Send the Picture
Send your photo to PhotoGov. Ensure your face is well-lit and your expression is neutral.
Revise and Maximize
Our tool will improve quality, clean the background, and crop the picture to the 4x6 centimeter size.
Download and Send in
Print it for offline use or download your digital file for online use right away.
Your ID photo has to fit certain criteria in size, arrangement, quality, and attractiveness if it is to be accepted for Saudi national identity. These policies apply to residents seeking Iqama or Muqeem cards as well as Saudi nationals.
Dimensions | 4 x 6 cm (40 x 60 mm) |
Resolution | Minimum 300 DPI |
Image Format | JPEG or PNG |
File Size | Suggested under 1 MB |
Background | Shade Very light gray or plain white |
Ratio of Aspect | 2:3 |
Print-ready | Certainly, use premium photo paper to print |
*Data from government agencies
Standards of Appearance
relaxed face, closed mouth, no smile
open, apparent, no red-eye
Straight and centered
Should cover 70–80% of the height of the picture
Not permitted (take out even transparent lenses)
Permitted solely for religious purposes; face has to stay totally exposed
Hair should not hide face characteristics; ears may stay seen
If you don’t want to go through the trouble and expense of locating and hiring a professional photographer to take your picture, you can simply take your own from home. So long as you follow the below instructions carefully, you can capture the perfect employment authorization photo yourself:
Open up the PhotoGov.net photo service and take your picture. Make sure you’re not wearing any headcovers or glasses, do not wear a uniform, and keep your expression neutral. Ensure that the area is well-lit and that you are standing against a neutral background.
Watch "How to take a photo" (00:46)
Next, upload your image and process it through our site.
Finally, you can download your ID photo. These images can be printed off, or you can simply use them as digital photos.
Causing Rejection Sending the incorrect size — for example, passport size or 2x2 inch rather than 4x6 cm.
Grinning or tilting your head
Wearing white clothing that blends with the backdrop
Relying on overexposed, pixelated, low-resolution photographs
Wearing headgear or glasses not allowed per policy
Background not plain or shadows seen behind you
PhotoGov's compliance tool will automatically find and fix these problems.
Our online passport photo tool offers several features to help you create the perfect photo:
Our in-built cropping feature allows you to trim new employment authorization photos and ensure that they don’t have uneven edges. This allows you to neaten up your picture and ensure it’s the proper size for your employment authorization.
You can also resize your picture as needed through PhotoGov, meaning that the end result will be a perfectly proportioned image that will fit just right into your employment authorization. Additionally, you don’t need to worry about stretching or squishing the image and ruining the quality.
If you can’t find a neutral background against which you can take a satisfactory picture, don’t worry; we have a background removal tool that can help you achieve the same results.
With the click of a button, you can have our auto-adjustment tool immediately optimize your image to meet brightness, color, and contrast standards.
Do not digitally modify face characteristics
No blurring or pixelation; make sure sharpness and clarity.
Face should occupy at least 70% of the frame; check proportion.
Select the appropriate file size and format—JPEG/PNG, under 1 MB
Preview using PhotoGov validation tools before submission.
For In-Person Use, cut to 4x6 cm and print your photo on high-quality glossy or matte photo paper.
Depending on your ID application type, upload the JPEG file via the Civil Affairs or Absher portals for digital submission.
When taking pictures of babies and children for employment authorization, many of the same rules apply; for example, they must still adhere to the dress code, and the photograph must be high-quality and well-lit. With that being said, the State Department is generally more forgiving when it comes to the neutral expression requirement.
For slightly older babies:
How big should a Saudi Arabia ID card photo be?
May I use a phone to take my ID photo?
May I grin in my Saudi ID picture?
Does Saudi ID permit digital photos?
May I wear a head covering?
May I print the image at home?
Other documents for the Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
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