The short version
- SelfieToPassport: a 1200 x 1600 px NZeTA JPG under 10 MB from a phone photo, free preview, $6.95.
- Upload a .JPG or .JPEG file smaller than 10 MB.
- Use a photo less than six months old, not a photo of a passport, a print or a screen.
- Stand in front of a plain, light-coloured background, with even light.
- Eyes open, neutral expression, no sunglasses and no hair over the face.
- Do not edit the photo with AI or other editing tools.
- If the system cannot detect your face, ask for a manual review after you submit.
The file the NZeTA form accepts
The form takes a photo you upload or one taken with your device camera, and checks it either way. An uploaded file has to be a JPG or JPEG under 10 MB; a HEIC photo from an iPhone is the wrong format even if it is small.
It has to be a real photo of you, not a picture of your passport, of a printed photo or of a screen.
The rules
- The NZeTA form gives two ways to supply the face photo: upload a recent one, or let the device camera take it, and the form then checks the picture. nzeta.immigration.govt.nz
- The NZeTA request form takes the photo only as a .JPG or .JPEG file, and the file has to be smaller than 10 MB. nzeta.immigration.govt.nz
- An NZeTA photo has to be less than six months old. nzeta.immigration.govt.nz
- A picture of a passport, of a printed photo or of a screen falls short of the technical standards for an NZeTA photo. nzeta.immigration.govt.nz
Background, light and face
Use a plain, light-coloured wall and light that is neither too bright nor too dark. Keep sunglasses and loose hair off the face.
The rules
- Behind the traveller, an NZeTA photo needs a plain, light-coloured background. nzeta.immigration.govt.nz
- An NZeTA photo that comes out too bright or too dark is not acceptable. nzeta.immigration.govt.nz
- Nothing may hide the eyes or face in an NZeTA photo, which rules out sunglasses and loose hair across the face. nzeta.immigration.govt.nz
- The NZeTA photo shows the traveller with open eyes and a neutral expression, looking straight into the lens. nzeta.immigration.govt.nz
- Immigration New Zealand forbids manipulating or digitally altering an NZeTA photo, whether with AI or with any other editing tool. nzeta.immigration.govt.nz
When the photo is not accepted
Without an accepted photo the request cannot be completed or sent, and a photo that misses the standards can delay or decline it.
Immigration New Zealand says photos from a professional photographer are more likely to be accepted. If the system cannot detect your face because of uncommon facial characteristics, you can ask for a person to review it after you submit.
The rules
- The NZeTA photo is how Immigration New Zealand confirms who the traveller is, and without it the request cannot be completed or sent. nzeta.immigration.govt.nz
- An NZeTA request can be held up or declined when its photo misses the Immigration New Zealand standards. nzeta.immigration.govt.nz
- Immigration New Zealand says a picture from a professional photographer has a better chance of passing the NZeTA check, and suggests reusing an existing passport photo. nzeta.immigration.govt.nz
- A traveller whose uncommon facial features stop the NZeTA system from finding the face can ask for a person to review the photo once the request is submitted. nzeta.immigration.govt.nz
How to fix the photo
SelfieToPassport crops and resizes the photo in your browser and saves it as a JPG. It does not retouch the face or change the background, and you see the result in a free preview before you pay $6.95.
You can also use the camera option in the form instead of uploading a file.
- Retake the photo against a plain, light-coloured wall, with even light, eyes open and a neutral expression.
- Crop and resize without filters or editing.
- Save it as a 1200 x 1600 pixel JPG and check that it is under 10 MB.
- Upload it again in the NZeTA form, or switch to the camera and line your face up in the green oval.
The rule
- When the NZeTA form uses the camera, the traveller lines the face up in the middle of a green oval on the screen before the shot. nzeta.immigration.govt.nz
FAQ
What file does the NZeTA photo have to be?
A .JPG or .JPEG smaller than 10 MB, taken less than six months ago. Source: official page "NZeTA application - request an NZeTA (traveller photo page)", checked on Nov 3, 2026.
Can I upload a photo of my passport for the NZeTA?
No. Photos of a passport, of a printed photo or of a screen do not meet the technical standards. Source: official page "NZeTA application - request an NZeTA (traveller photo page)", checked on Nov 3, 2026.
What if the NZeTA system cannot detect my face?
If uncommon facial characteristics stop the system from detecting your face, you can ask for a manual review of the photo after you submit the request. Source: official page "NZeTA application - request an NZeTA (traveller photo page)", checked on Nov 3, 2026.
Can I edit my NZeTA photo?
No. You cannot manipulate or digitally alter the photo with AI or other digital editing tools. Source: official page "NZeTA application - request an NZeTA (traveller photo page)", checked on Nov 3, 2026.
Where this information comes from
Every rule on this page comes from a page published by the U.S. Department of State and the companies named, read on the date shown. We rewrite each rule in plain words and link to the page it came from. Each rule has a review deadline; one that passes it without a new check comes off the page.
- NZeTA application - request an NZeTA (traveller photo page) nzeta.immigration.govt.nz · checked Nov 3, 2026
Something here out of date? Tell us and we will check it against the official page.