Dubai: The Indian Consulate in Dubai has issued a new passport application rule for Indian expats in the UAE, requiring updated standards for photographs, which will come into effect from September 1.

The change will mean most applicants will need to take fresh photographs when submitting their passport applications.

The mission has announced guidelines for ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation)-compliant photographs for passport applications. ICAO is the global aviation body that sets biometric and identity benchmarks for travel documents worldwide.

MEA directive

The consulate’s move follows a directive from India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), issued through its Passport Seva portal to embassies and consulates.

“From September 1, 2025, ICAO-compliant photographs will be required for submitting passport applications,” the directive said.

The Press Wing of the Indian Consulate confirmed in Dubai that passport applications will only be accepted with photographs meeting ICAO standards. The wing clarified that this requirement is part of ICAO’s international travel regulations.

Gulf News reported on Wednesday that the Indian Embassy in Kuwait had announced stricter passport photo standards. The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi is also expected to announce the new rule shortly.

New passport photo guidelines

Colour photo, size 630x810 pixels, white background.
Close-up of head and shoulders, face covering 80–85% of the frame.
Full face, front view, eyes open, natural expression.
No hair across eyes; mouth closed; no shadows, red-eye, or flash reflections.
Uniform lighting, with skin tones looking natural.
Head centred in the frame, from the top of the hair to the chin.
Taken from about 1.5m away, not blurred or digitally altered.
Glasses must be removed to avoid reflections.
Head coverings allowed only for religious reasons, but facial features must be fully visible.

What does BLS say?

The Consulate’s Press Wing said the new rule has been posted on the mission’s website and conveyed to its outsourced passport application service provider, BLS International.

However, BLS has yet to update its site, which, at the time of publishing, continued to display ICAO’s old photograph standards that the Indian missions here have been following.

According to its website, BLS provides a photography service for an additional Dh30. However, the website notes that there is no provision for taking photos of newborn babies at BLS Centres. This means parents applying for passports for their newborns will need to obtain photographs from other service providers that can meet the ICAO guidelines.

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