# Malaysia Passport Photo Maker, 35x50 mm

Country: Malaysia

Document: Passport

Page language: en

Page: [Malaysia Passport Photo Maker, 35x50 mm](https://onedollarpassportphoto.com/my/passport/)

Requirements last verified: 2025-01-25

## Photo specifications

These are document-specific values from the page data. Printed and digital requirements may apply to different application routes; consult the guide and sources below.

| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Photo dimensions | 35 × 50 mm |
| Photo paper | Glossy or matte |
| Digital pixel dimensions | 413 × 591 px (see guide/source for applicability and minimum vs exact sizing) |
| Digital file format | JPEG |
| Maximum digital file size | 1024 KB |
| Photo age | Taken within 6 months |

## Appearance and composition

- Background: Plain white background without shadows, patterns, or imperfections
- Head size: 25-30mm from chin to crown (50-60% of photo height)
- Expression: Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes fully open
- Glasses: Not permitted.
- Even lighting; no harsh shadows.
- Filters, beauty modes and retouching are forbidden.
- Color photo.
- Head coverings are permitted for religious reasons; check the source for conditions.
- Uniforms are restricted; check the source for exceptions.
- No earphones or wireless devices.

## Common rejection reasons

- Wearing glasses — All eyeglasses including prescription glasses must be removed to avoid glare and ensure eyes are clearly visible

- Wrong head size — Head must measure 25-30mm from chin to top of head (50-60% of photo height)

- File size incorrect — Digital photo must be between 100KB and 1MB for online submission

- Ears not visible — Both ears must be clearly shown, hair or accessories cannot cover them

- Face covered by hair — Forehead must be fully visible without hair covering it

- Strong shadows on face — Photo must have even lighting without harsh shadows

- Inappropriate clothing — Wear dark clothing that contrasts with the white background

- Hijab covering forehead — If wearing hijab, it must be dark-colored and not cover the forehead

## Source for the document requirements

[Source linked by the document page](https://www.imi.gov.my/index.php/en/main-services/passport/malaysian-international-passport/)

The complete guide below includes additional sources and application-specific qualifications when available.

## Create a photo with One Dollar Passport Photo

The service sizes, crops and checks a photo for the selected document. Its output settings are service choices, not additional government requirements.

- Digital photo download: $1 USD.
- Print-ready sheet download: $5 USD. Printing is separate.
- Optional human expert review: +$4.99 USD.

[Open the photo tool](https://onedollarpassportphoto.com/my/passport/)

Complete Guide

## Malaysia passport photo: requirements and where to get one

What the Jabatan Imigresen requires for a Malaysian international passport photo, how to shoot one that passes, and a fair comparison of where to get it in Malaysia — online and in-store.

Written by

Jake

Community & Writing, One Dollar Passport Photo

Reviewed by

Lisa

Expert Reviewer, One Dollar Passport Photo

Fact-checked & verified

May 27, 2026

## The official requirements

The Malaysian spec is unusually demanding about what stays uncovered: both ears and the full forehead must be visible, which is the rule that trips up applicants in a fringe or a low tudung. The full list:

-   **Size:** 35×50 mm (3.5×5 cm)
-   **Background:** plain white, no shadows, no patterns
-   **Head size:** 25–30 mm from chin to crown (about 50–60% of photo height)
-   **Expression:** neutral, mouth closed, both eyes fully open and clearly visible
-   **Ears:** both ears must be visible — hair or accessories cannot cover them
-   **Forehead:** fully visible, not covered by hair or a head covering
-   **Glasses:** not allowed — including prescription glasses
-   **Recency:** taken within the last 6 months
-   **Color:** color photo with even lighting, no filters

For digital submission through MyOnline Passport, the file is a **JPEG, 413×591 pixels**, between **100 KB and 1 MB**. Anything outside that range is rejected by the portal at upload.

## How to take a compliant photo

A recent phone camera is fine — Malaysian passport photos fail on background, head size and ears far more often than on camera quality. The setup that works:

1.  Stand 1.5–2 m in front of a plain white wall, with enough distance behind you that you don’t cast a shadow on the wall.
2.  Face a window so daylight hits you evenly from the front. Overhead ceiling lights cast shadows under the eyes and chin — avoid them.
3.  Have someone else take the photo at eye level. A selfie distorts facial proportions and almost always frames the head wrong.
4.  Pull hair back behind your ears, clear the forehead, look straight at the lens, neutral expression.
5.  Crop to 35×50 mm with your head occupying roughly the middle 55% of the frame — or upload the shot to a tool that crops and validates against JIM’s spec for you.

## Why photos get rejected

Counter staff at JIM and the MyOnline Passport check bounce the same handful of issues again and again. Each, with the fix:

-   **Glasses on** — the most common rejection. Take them off, prescription included.
-   **Ears hidden** — hair, hijab, or earrings covering one or both ears. Tuck hair behind the ears; pin the tudung back.
-   **Forehead covered** — fringe or a low headscarf hiding the hairline. The forehead must be fully visible.
-   **Head wrong size** — chin to crown must be 25–30 mm. Re-shoot closer or further, or re-crop.
-   **Shadows on the face or wall** — usually caused by overhead light or standing too close to the wall. Move away from the wall, light from the front.
-   **Background not truly white** — a cream or grey wall reads as off-spec under the JIM scanner.
-   **Smile or teeth showing** — keep the mouth closed.
-   **File too small or too large** — for digital submission, the JPEG must be 100 KB–1 MB.

## What to wear (and not wear)

The tudung is where most clothing rejections happen: keep it on if you wear one daily, but it has to be a dark colour and must leave the forehead, ears, and chin fully clear, since a light hijab simply vanishes into the white background. Beyond that:

**Avoid:** glasses of any kind, caps or hats (other than a religious head covering, see below), white or very light tops that blend into the white background, uniforms, and visible camera-strap branding. School uniforms in particular are commonly refused for adult passports.

**Wear:** plain, darker, solid-colour clothing that contrasts with the white background — a navy, dark grey, brown or black top is the safest choice. Light makeup that doesn’t change your everyday appearance is fine. Hearing aids and other medical devices worn daily are allowed.

If you wear a tudung or other religious head covering daily, you may keep it on — but it must be a **dark colour** and **must not cover the forehead, ears or chin**. The full face from forehead to chin needs to be visible.

## Where to get your photo

You can get a Malaysian passport photo at a pharmacy chain, a mall photo studio, or online. Prices and trade-offs in Malaysia:

| Where | Price (MYR) | Appointment | Speed | Digital file | Acceptance |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Watsons photo counter | ~RM 15–25 | No | Same day | Sometimes, on request | Counter-checked |
| Guardian photo service | ~RM 15–25 | No | Same day | Sometimes, on request | Counter-checked |
| Photobook Malaysia (online order) | ~RM 10–20 + delivery | No | 2–5 days | Yes | Depends on shoot |
| Mall photo studio (e.g. Mid Valley, Sunway, KLCC) | ~RM 20–40 | No | Same day | Yes | Studio-checked |
| Kedai gambar (neighbourhood photo shop) | ~RM 10–20 | No | Same day | On request | Varies |
| Online tool (this site) | ~RM 5 (US$1) | No | ~2 minutes | Yes | Money-back if rejected |

In-store is the path most Malaysians know — the shop sits you against a white backdrop, prints the photos, and hands you four prints in a paper sleeve. The trade-off is that many neighbourhood shops do not give you a digital file by default, which you need for MyOnline Passport. If you book online for renewal, ask the shop explicitly for the JPEG. Online tools are cheaper and give you both the print sheet and the digital file ready for upload.

## Submitting your photo

Malaysia gives you three routes: the MyOnline Passport portal for renewals, a JIM office counter that shoots the photo for you, and overseas high commissions that want printed copies with the form.

**MyOnline Passport (online renewal)** — Renewing through the JIM portal, you upload a JPEG (413×591 px, 100 KB–1 MB) when you reach the photo step. The portal validates the file; a wrong size, glasses, or off-white background gets rejected at upload and you re-submit.

**In person at a JIM office (UTC, Pusat Imigresen, or Putrajaya HQ)** — For first-time passports, kids’ passports, or applicants who don’t qualify for online renewal, JIM offices will capture a fresh biometric photo at the counter as part of the application. You don’t strictly need to bring printed photos, but bringing a compliant 35×50 mm print is useful as backup and is required by some overseas missions and consular posts.

If you’re applying through a Malaysian high commission or embassy overseas, check that post’s local instructions — some require two printed 35×50 mm photos submitted with the form, on photo paper, with your name on the back.

## Tudung, kids and special situations

**Tudung and other religious head coverings** are permitted if worn daily for religious reasons. The covering must be **dark coloured** and must not cover the forehead, ears, or chin — the full face must be visible. A light-coloured hijab blends into the white background and gets rejected.

**Infants and children** follow the same rules as adults — no pacifiers, no toys, no hands or arms in the frame, both eyes open, mouth closed. For very young babies, lay the child on a plain white sheet and shoot straight down. Eyes must be open and looking at the lens.

**Glasses** are not permitted, even prescription. Take them off for the photo; the JIM scanner flags glare and partially obscured eyes immediately.

**Medical exceptions** — hearing aids, oxygen tubes, and other devices worn daily are fine. For a covered eye or other temporary medical situation, bring a doctor’s letter when you submit.

### Sources & References

This guide is fact-checked against official government publications and updated regularly to reflect the latest requirements.

1.  \[1\]
    
    [Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia — Malaysian International Passport](https://www.imi.gov.my/index.php/en/main-services/passport/malaysian-international-passport/)
    
    imi.gov.my