Singapore Passport Photo: 400 × 514 px, 8 MB Max
Singapore is the rare case where file size is almost never the problem. ICA caps an online photo at 8 MB — a ceiling generous enough that an unedited phone photo clears it — and it accepts jpg, jpeg, heic, heif and png. The rule that actually rejects photos is the dimensions: ICA gives a figure of 400 × 514 pixels for uploads through its e-Services, and that is an exact size rather than a minimum. Two further rules catch people out, and both are Singapore-specific: a mirrored or flipped photo is a listed fault, and a head covering has to be dark in colour against the white background. Read the table before you touch anything.
Singapore passport photo requirements (official)
| Dimensions for online upload | 400 × 514 pixels — the exact figure ICA gives for photos uploaded through its e-Services |
|---|---|
| Maximum file size | 8 MB |
| Accepted formats | jpg, jpeg, heic, heif and png |
| Background | White |
| Taken | Within the last 3 months |
| Print finish | Matte or semi-matte and non-reflective, for a photo submitted on paper |
| Headgear | Allowed for religious or medical reasons, but must be dark in colour so it stands out against the white background |
| Spectacles | Clear, untinted lenses with the frames clearly visible — no glare, reflection or shadow over the eyes |
| Contact lenses | Non-coloured only, and the photo must show no red eye |
| Framing | Full front view of the face with the eyes looking at the camera, shoulders and hair fully visible, even brightness |
| Expression | Neutral, with the mouth closed |
| Quality | Clear, in sharp focus and not pixelated |
| Mirrored photos | Not accepted — ICA lists a flipped photo as a fault, because the hair parting and moles end up on the wrong side |
| Alteration | Facial features must not be enhanced or reshaped; ICA separately states that resizing the digital photo with image-editing software is allowed |
| Standard | ICA photo requirements follow ISO and ICAO specifications |
Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), Government of Singapore — Photo Guidelines
Type the exact limit your form gave you. The tool searches for the highest quality that still fits under it.
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Target size: 7.8 MB
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How to use
- Start with the dimensions, not the bytes: check that your photo is 400 × 514 pixels.
- Only if your file is over 8 MB — or the portal you are uploading to caps smaller — type that cap in and compress it here.
- Fix the framing: white background, shoulders and hair fully visible, eyes to the camera, neutral expression, mouth closed.
- Do not mirror or flip the image. Rotating a photo that is simply the wrong way up is fine; flipping it is what ICA rejects.
- Download the result, then re-check that it is still 400 × 514 pixels and inside the size cap.
Frequently asked questions
Does Singapore set a file size limit?
Yes, but it is a ceiling you are unlikely to hit. ICA accepts up to 8 MB for an online photo and sets no minimum, which is the opposite of the UK — GOV.UK rejects a digital passport photo below 50 KB outright. So if a Singapore photo is bouncing, size is almost never the reason. Check the pixel dimensions first, and check whether the form you are actually uploading to is the one imposing a smaller cap.
Can I upload a HEIC photo straight from my iPhone?
Yes. ICA lists jpg, jpeg, heic, heif and png as accepted file extensions — HEIC and HEIF included, which is unusual, because most government upload forms take JPEG and PNG only. What you cannot do is hand in a photo that has been enhanced. ICA draws the line at altering the photo, not at its file format, so a straight-out-of-camera HEIC is fine and a retouched JPEG is not.
Can I use editing software to resize the photo?
ICA says so explicitly. Its FAQ, asked whether a photo taken on a mobile phone can be used, answers that you can use the image editing software in your computer to resize the digital photograph. The restriction is on alteration and enhancement — modifying facial features. Resizing and re-encoding to reach 400 × 514 pixels and stay under 8 MB is a technical step, not a change to how you look. Retouching is not.
Can I wear glasses in the photo?
Yes, and that is unusual. ICA allows spectacles provided the lenses are clear and untinted, the frames are clearly visible, and no glare, reflection or shadow covers your eyes. Contact lenses must be non-coloured, and the photo must show no red eye. Compare that with the United States and Vietnam, where glasses are not allowed at all.
Why would a mirrored photo be rejected?
ICA lists "photo must not be distorted / flipped" among its dos and don'ts, and it explains the giveaway: for a flipped photo, the hair and the mole are different from the actual self. It is an easy mistake because a phone's front camera mirrors by default. Rotating a photo that is simply the wrong way up is a different thing, and that is fine — see the image rotator linked below.
Does a head covering have to be dark?
If you wear headgear or a head covering, ICA requires it to be dark in colour against the white background, and permits it for religious or medical reasons. Most countries simply say headwear is allowed for religious reasons and say nothing about its colour. ICA is one of the few that specifies it, which makes it an easy detail to miss.
Is my photo uploaded to a server?
No. The compression runs entirely in your browser and the file stays on your device. For an identity document that is the point — you can confirm it yourself in the browser network panel.