What does ICA actually require in a Singapore passport photo?
TL;DR Thirteen rules, published as an image, not text — which is why most guides paraphrase them loosely. Read from ICA's own guideline image: white background, taken within 3 months, neutral and mouth closed, shoulders and hair fully visible, dark head gear and attire, clear untinted spectacles, no red eye, full frontal, not distorted or flipped, and — the one that matters most for any online tool — "original without alterations using computer software/mobile app".
The thirteen rules, as ICA shows them
ICA's photo-guidelines page carries a single tall image of ✗/✓ example pairs. In order: even brightness; taken within the last 3 months; neutral expression with mouth closed; clear, in sharp focus, not pixelated; shoulders and hair fully visible; background white; head gear or attire dark in colour against the white background; spectacles with clear untinted lenses and the eyes clearly visible; non-coloured contact lenses and no red eye; eyes fully visible; full frontal view with eyes at the camera; not distorted or flipped; and a digital photo that is original, without alterations by computer software or a mobile app.
The page's text adds the upload size — 400 × 514 pixels — and that a printed copy must be matte or semi-matte.
What ICA does not publish
A chin-to-crown measurement. Many guides — this site included, until 6 September 2026 — quote "25 to 35 mm" as ICA's rule. It is not on ICA's guideline image or its passport application page. It is a photo-shop convention wearing ICA's name. ICA's own composition guidance is the ✓ examples: head and shoulders, hair fully in frame, centred.
The rule about apps, read whole
Rule 13 forbids alterations "using computer software/mobile app", and its ✗ example is a visibly retouched face. On the same page, ICA's own FAQ answer A1 says: "We recommend that you download and use mobile apps that are specifically designed to take photographs for passport or identity card applications." Read together: use an app to take and frame the photo; do not use one to change your face.
On this site that means the default real-face output — background replaced, face left as photographed. The AI-face version is a repainted face, is marked keepsake-only, and is exactly what rule 13 refuses.
Singapore's two ICA documents
| Document | Size | Head in frame (as we compose it) | Background | Max age | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore passport | 35 × 45 mm | 56–78% | pure featureless white | 3 months | www.ica.gov.sg |
| Singapore nric | 35 × 45 mm | 56–78% | pure featureless white | 3 months | www.ica.gov.sg |
A real case
A renewal was delayed for a month because the applicant had used a phone's "portrait" mode, which smoothed the skin. ICA's rejection did not say why; the second photo, taken plainly by a friend and only cropped, went through. Rule 13 is enforced even when the letter does not quote it.
Common questions
- Can I smile?
- No. "Facial expression should be neutral with mouth closed" — ICA's ✗ example is a smile.
- Does it have to be white, or is off-white fine?
- ICA's rule says "white in colour" and its ✗ example is a blue background. Off-white is a risk not worth taking; the tool outputs pure white.
- Can I upload a photo taken with my phone?
- Yes. ICA's A1 recommends dedicated apps for exactly this. Its A2 advises against selfies — have someone else take it, at a normal distance.
Related documents
- Singapore passport — 35 × 45 mm
- Singapore nric — 35 × 45 mm
Sources
Read on the issuing authority's own pages on the dates shown on each document page:
- Singapore passport: www.ica.gov.sg (read 2026-09-06)
- Singapore nric: www.ica.gov.sg (read 2026-09-06)
SGfoto is independent — not affiliated with or endorsed by any government or issuing authority — and does not guarantee acceptance. Requirements change; the authority's page is the one that counts. Rebuilt 2026-09-16.