Nepal Passport Photo Requirements: 2026 Rules for Adults and Children

Applying for or renewing a Nepal passport? Most likely, you don’t need to submit a photograph. For applicants aged 5 or older, the photo is captured live during in-person biometric enrollment. Parents or legal guardians of children under 5 need to submit 2 printed photos measuring 35 x 45 mm (3.5 x 4.5 cm), with a plain white background, and no borders or frames. 

This Guide covers all Nepal passport photo requirements in 2026, including the live enrollment process. All information is current and verified against official Nepal government sources in August 2026.

Source: Department of Passports, Nepal

11 Essential Nepal Passport Photo Requirements: a Checklist

Nepal passport photo requirements are set by Nepal's Department of Passports (under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and by Nepal's diplomatic missions abroad. Since adult applicants are enrolled in person, most of the information in the table below applies to applications for children under five.

Do You Need to Submit a Nepal Passport Photo at All?

No, if you're an adult. The Department of Passports enrolls every adult applicant in person, and the biometric photo is taken during the appointment (alongside fingerprints and a signature). First, an applicant needs to fill out the online pre-enrollment form, book a slot, and bring documents to the office on the required date. For children under 5, their parents or legal guardians do need to bring two printed passport-size photos for the passport appointment.

Acceptable Nepal Passport Photo Examples 

Unacceptable Nepal Passport Photo Examples 

Nepal Passport Photo Size and Face Position Rules

The Nepal passport photo size for children under five is 35 x 45 mm (3.5 x 4.5 cm), and the print must not have borders or frames. The face should fill 70 – 80% of the frame, measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head. These requirements follow the ICAO Document 9303 biometric photo standard for machine-readable and electronic passports worldwide. Nepal 

Nepal Passport Photo Background, Lighting, and Print Quality

Nepal passport photo background must be plain white, with no patterns, textures, or shadows. The photo must be professionally printed from a high-resolution file source. A soft-focus, low-resolution, or visibly pixelated print is treated the same as a photo with the wrong background and will not be accepted.

Face, Eyes, and Forehead Marks in a Nepal Passport Photo

For all Nepal passport photos — whether captured by the enrollment officer or taken of a child under five — both eyes must be open, and ears should preferably be visible. As with other ID photos, glasses are discouraged; if an applicant must wear them, the lenses must be free of glare or flash reflection, and the eyes must remain fully visible, not obscured by heavy frames or hair.

At in-person biometric appointments, applicants may be asked to remove heavy jewelry and overly bright makeup before their biometrics are captured.

A child’s photo showing a tika — the mark many Nepalis wear on the forehead for religious or festival occasions — is not accepted. For adult applicants and children over 5 years old attending a biometric appointment, it is recommended to remove a tika for the passport photo capture.

Nepal Passport Photo Requirements for Children Under 5

Children under 5 are the only applicant type that needs to submit a photo. Parents are allowed to complete the process without bringing an infant or toddler in for live biometric enrollment. 

All Nepal passport rules — 35 x 45 mm, plain white background, no frames or borders, both eyes open, no tika, professionally printed from a high-resolution source photo — apply for children.

Parents complete the special-provision pre-enrollment form on the Government website from home, and then provide all the paperwork in person.

A minor's passport is valid for 5 years, after which renewal requires a Minor Identity Card.

Documents Required With a Child's Nepal Passport Photo

Alongside the 2 printed photos, the pre-enrollment form requires:

• Child's citizenship or birth registration certificate 

• Parents' marriage registration certificate 

• Parents' citizenship certificates

• Scans of parents' passport photo pages

• Scans of parents’ visa pages (if applying at a mission abroad). 

How the Nepal e-Passport Application Process Works

• The process starts online: an applicant fills the pre-enrollment form, selects a 34-page or 66-page passport booklet, selects an enrollment center, and uploads a scanned citizenship certificate or an existing passport scan at 300 – 400 KB (double-check the enrollment center requirements). 

• The completed form with a barcode and a QR code is downloaded, printed, and brought to the appointment.

• At the appointment, an officer verifies the documents, captures an applicant’s photograph, fingerprints, and signature, and completes the live enrollment after the applicant pays the fee.

Applying for a Nepal Passport From Abroad

The same pre-enrollment form applies, but an applicant books an appointment at a Nepali embassy or consulate. Processing commonly takes around a month from the date of application.

What to Bring to Your Nepal Passport Photo Appointment

An applicant must bring the printed pre-enrollment form (with QR and barcode), the original citizenship certificate or the minor’s identity card, the current or expired passport, and a fee. If a parent or legal guardian is attending on behalf of a child, they must bring the documents listed in the section above.

Common Reasons for Nepal Passport Photo Rejection

As most applicants don’t submit a photo, most rejection risks cover the child-under-5 category. We list them in the table below.

A wrong background, a border/frame, or an oversized file can usually be fixed with a reprint or a resave. A face that is framed too small or too large, or a photo taken with a tika, needs a full reshoot.

Your Nepal Passport Requirements Are Clear: What's Next?

Whether you're preparing for live enrollment or getting a child's photo ready, here's what to check next.

• Review the rest of your appointment paperwork. The photo is only one piece of the process — make sure your printed pre-enrollment form (with QR and barcode), citizenship certificate or minor's identity card, and current or expired passport are all ready to bring in person.

• Applying on behalf of a child under 5? Confirm you have both printed photos plus the child's citizenship or birth registration certificate, the parents' marriage registration certificate, parents' citizenship certificates, and parents' passport photo pages before the appointment.

• Applying from abroad? The same pre-enrollment form applies, but book your appointment at a Nepali embassy or consulate instead — processing commonly takes around a month.

• Traveling internationally once your passport is issued? Visa photo specs vary by destination. PhotoGov also covers the US visa photo, Canadian visa photo, Schengen visa photo, and many more — each automatically adjusted to the official requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Need to Submit a Photo for My Nepal Passport?

Only if you are applying on behalf of a child under 5. Applicants aged 5 and older have their photo captured live during in-person enrollment and submit nothing beforehand.

What Size is a Nepal Passport Photo for a Child Under 5?

35 x 45 mm (3.5 x 4.5 cm), borderless, with the face filling about 70% to 80% of the frame.

How Many Photos Do I Need for a Nepal Passport?

2 printed photos, and only for a child under 5. No photos are needed for applicants 5 and older: the biometric photo is taken by the enrollment officer during your passport appointment.

Can I Take my Child’s Nepal Passport Photo at Home?

Yes. You can take a clear portrait of your child and use an online Nepal passport-making tool like PhotoGov to prepare it for application. All you’ll need to do is print it out at the nearest shop and bring it to the appointment. 

What Happens During Nepal's Live Photo and Biometric Enrollment?

A passport officer takes your photograph, fingerprints, and signature in person at a domestic enrollment center or a Nepali embassy or consulate, as part of the same appointment where your documents are verified.

Can I Fix a Mistake in My Photo After My Enrollment Appointment?

Only if you catch it during the appointment itself. The Department of Passports states that corrections, including to the photo, can be requested during the capture step, but not once the application has been approved, at which point a new application is required.

Can I Wear a Tika in My Nepal Passport Photo?

No. A photo with a tika on the forehead is not accepted for newborn, minor, and adult photo submissions alike.

Can I Wear Glasses in a Nepal Passport Photo?

It is highly recommended to remove glasses for your passport photo, and the lenses may have glare or a flash reflection that may interfere with the biometric identification.

Can I Wear a Headscarf, Topi, or Other Head Covering?

Yes. But only if it is religious headwear that you officially wear on a daily basis. All other head accessories, hats, and headwear must be removed.

How Recent Must a Nepal Passport Photo Be?

A photo is taken during the enrollment. For a child under 5, the photo must be current — preferably, take it right before the submission.

What File Size and Format Does the Online Pre-Enrollment Portal Accept?

Official size limits are 300 KB (official passport portal) and 400 KB (some of the foreign missions). Therefore, we recommend keeping the size at 300 KB.

Where do I Apply for a Nepal Passport From Abroad?

At your nearest Nepali embassy or consulate, after completing the same online pre-enrollment form used domestically and booking an appointment for live biometric and photo enrollment.

What Happens if My Child's Photo Does Not Meet Requirements?

The application is sent back for a corrected photo, whether the issue is the background, the border, the face size, or a visible tika. The rest of the pre-enrollment file does not need to be resubmitted, only the photo.

How do I Get a Ready Photo for My Child's Nepal Passport Application?

Upload a picture to the Nepal passport photo maker, which sizes it to 35 x 45 mm on a plain white background, then have it professionally printed before your enrollment center visit.

Official Sources

Nepal e-Passport Application Process and Requirements: Department of Passports, Nepal

How to Apply for an Ordinary Passport: Department of Passports, Nepal

Department of Passports Official Homepage: Department of Passports, Nepal

Nepal e-Passport Pre-Enrollment Portal: Department of Passports, Nepal

Biometric Standard for Machine-Readable Travel Documents: International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Document 9303