How to take a Japanese passport photo at home

What the Japanese rules ask for

The Japanese passport picture measures 35 by 45 mm. Here the head is counted from the chin up to where the hair ends, the opposite of countries that ignore hair, and the maker’s rule card gives 32 to 36 mm. In addition there must be 2 to 6 mm of space between the top of the head and the upper edge of the picture. That small gap decides a lot: too tight and the head looks cropped, too loose and the face gets small.

The backdrop is plain white and the card wants a frontal view with a closed mouth. Glasses can stay if the rims leave the eyes clear and the lenses give back no glare; tinted lenses and hats cannot. Two items are unusual: a mirrored (left–right flipped) picture is not accepted, and neither is a retouched one. Always compare with the current page of the issuing office, since details can change.

• Frame 35 × 45 mm
• Chin to hair top: 32–36 mm
• Space above the head: 2–6 mm
• Plain white background, mouth closed
• No hat, dark lenses, editing or flipped image

Why a selfie can come out flipped

Many phones show the front camera as a mirror, which feels natural when you check your hair. Some of them also save the picture in that mirrored form, so a parting that sat on your left in life ends up on the right in the file. For a Japanese passport that is a reason for refusal.

The maker saves the photo the right way round, so you do not need to flip anything yourself. Still, it is worth knowing the risk if you edit the picture elsewhere first. A quick test is to look at a feature that is not symmetrical, such as a mole, a parting or a collar, and compare it with a mirror and with a normal photo of you.

Choosing the wall and the light

White is the only background colour the rule card lists, so look for a white wall, a white sliding door or a clean white board behind you. In a small flat, a shōji-style panel or a white curtain tends to show folds and a see-through pattern, so a flat painted wall is better. Keep a step of distance so your shadow stays off it.

Soft window light falling on your face is the easiest option. Avoid a single ceiling lamp, which darkens the eye sockets, and avoid a warm bulb, which turns a white wall yellow. If the evening is the only time you have, use two lamps with the same bulb on either side, slightly in front, at the height of your face.

Shooting step by step

Set the phone on a shelf at eye height, about an arm and a half from your face. In the setup step choose the Japanese passport line under ‘Document and size’, then tap ‘Show size and rules’ to keep the figures in view. After that, tap ‘Open the camera’; it waits for a good position, facing, shoulders and light before a short countdown ends in the shot.

Sit upright with level shoulders and a level chin, eyes on the lens, mouth closed. Resist the urge to tilt your head to seem friendlier; tilting is exactly what the checks catch. Shoot plenty of frames and keep the one with open eyes and a straight head, not the one that flatters.

Hair, glasses and clothes

Because the head is measured to the top of the hair, how you style it matters. Flatten tall volume or a stiff fringe a little, and keep hair off the eyes and eyebrows. A tall style makes the head count larger, so the face inside it shrinks when the maker scales the picture into the 32–36 mm range.

If you wear glasses, check for glare before you decide. Make sure no window or screen faces the lenses; a very slight dip of the head can shift the glare, though the head must end up straight. If the reflection stays, take the glasses off. A dark or mid-tone top works best, because white against a white wall erases the shoulders. Take off hats, clips, earphones and big earrings.

Checking the result

Go through ‘Checks’ line by line. Whatever appears under ‘Some things need a new photo’ is explained with a retake tip. Background and colour have been dealt with, leaving you to judge face, pose and light.

Next, ‘Fine-tune’ adjusts position and head size; watch the gap above the head as well as the 32–36 mm figure. ‘Face, hair and clothes’ should remain on ‘No touch-ups’. Slimming the face, smoothing skin or restyling hair is not accepted, and a reviewer notices at once when the picture stops resembling you.

Saving the file or the sheet

If your application takes a digital picture, press ‘Save file’ and upload it untouched. If a print is required, press ‘Save print sheet’ and pick whichever of the offered paper formats your printer holds. Print at true scale with page fitting disabled, and check one head with a ruler.

Use matt or semi-matt photo paper and let the ink dry. Cut along the guide lines with a steady blade, then carry the copies flat in an envelope so none bends or picks up a mark on the way to the counter.

Typical reasons for a new photo

Refusals usually trace back to a short list. Read it before sending, and keep the original shot for a quick second try. The receiving office decides each case and may ask for another picture even if this one looks right.

• A mirrored or flipped picture
• No space above the head, or far more than 6 mm
• Head outside the 32–36 mm range
• Shadow behind the head or uneven light
• Reflections on lenses, or dark lenses
• Parted lips, a smile or a leaning head
• Editing, skin smoothing or a swapped backdrop