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Guide

Tanzania e-Visa photo rejected? What to check and how to fix it

As of November 3, 2026, Tanzania’s e-Visa system takes the photo as a colour JPG or JPEG of 500 KB at most, no larger than 35 mm wide by 45 mm long, showing the full face from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin with the eyes open, on a plain background with no distracting shadows. The guidelines give no pixel size, and a photo outside them can get the visa application rejected. SelfieToPassport turns a phone photo into a 700 x 900 pixel JPEG in the 35 x 45 proportion, 500 KB or less, with a free preview and $6.95 for the file.

Updated Rules checked against visa.immigration.go.tzHow we check

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The short version

  1. SelfieToPassport: a 700 x 900 px Tanzania e-Visa JPEG of 500 KB or less from a phone photo, free preview, $6.95.
  2. Save the photo as a colour JPG or JPEG of 500 KB or less.
  3. Keep it no larger than 35 mm wide by 45 mm long; the guidelines give no pixel size.
  4. Show the full face from the front, top of the hair to the bottom of the chin, eyes open.
  5. Use a plain background with no distracting shadows or images.
  6. Keep a natural expression; everyday glasses can stay on.
  7. Head coverings only for religious reasons, with the face visible from chin to forehead and edge to edge.

The file rules for the Tanzania e-Visa photo

The photo is uploaded while you fill in the online form, along with the other required documents. The guidelines give a 500 KB limit, the JPG or JPEG format and a maximum of 35 x 45 mm, but no pixel size.

A photo straight from a phone is usually several megabytes, so it has to be cropped and compressed to get under the 500 KB limit.

The rules

  • Tanzania’s online visa procedure has the applicant upload a photo while filling in the form, together with the required documents. visa.immigration.go.tz
  • Each photo uploaded with a Tanzania visa application can be 500 KB at most. visa.immigration.go.tz
  • The Tanzania e-Visa system takes the photo only as a JPG or JPEG file. visa.immigration.go.tz
  • Every Tanzania visa applicant’s photograph must be in colour. visa.immigration.go.tz
  • Tanzania Immigration Services caps the e-Visa photo at 35 mm wide by 45 mm long. visa.immigration.go.tz

Framing, background, glasses and head coverings

Frame the whole head, from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin, facing the camera with the eyes open and a natural expression. Keep the background plain, with no shadows or other images behind you.

Glasses you wear every day can stay on. A head covering is allowed only for religious reasons, and then the face must show from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead and on both sides.

The rules

  • The Tanzania e-Visa photo is a front view of the whole face, from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin, with the eyes open. visa.immigration.go.tz
  • Tanzania wants a plain background behind the face in the e-Visa photo. visa.immigration.go.tz
  • Distracting shadows or images, on the face or behind it, are not acceptable in a Tanzania e-Visa photo. visa.immigration.go.tz
  • Tanzania asks for a natural facial expression in the visa photo. visa.immigration.go.tz
  • An applicant who wears glasses every day may keep them on for the Tanzania e-Visa photo. visa.immigration.go.tz
  • Head coverings are refused in a Tanzania e-Visa photo unless worn for religious reasons, and even then chin, forehead and both sides of the face must show. visa.immigration.go.tz

What happens if the photo does not follow the rules

Tanzania Immigration Services warns that not following its photo guidance may lead to the visa application being rejected. The guidelines ask for a recent photo without a number of months, so use one that shows how you look now.

The rules

  • Tanzania Immigration Services warns that a photo outside its guidance can lead to the visa application being rejected. visa.immigration.go.tz
  • Tanzania’s visa requirements call for a recent passport-size photo of the applicant, without a number of months. visa.immigration.go.tz

How to fix the photo

SelfieToPassport crops, resizes and compresses the photo in your browser, without retouching the face or replacing the background, and shows the result in a free preview before you pay $6.95.

  1. Retake the photo if needed: a plain wall behind you, even light with no shadows, facing the camera.
  2. Crop it to the 35 x 45 proportion with the whole head, hair to chin, in the frame.
  3. Resize to 700 x 900 pixels and save as a JPEG.
  4. Check that the file is 500 KB or less.
  5. Upload it in the online visa form.

FAQ

What size is the Tanzania e-Visa photo?

No larger than 35 mm wide by 45 mm long, uploaded as a colour JPG or JPEG of 500 KB at most. The guidelines give no pixel size. Source: official page "Tanzania eVisa - Guidelines", checked on Nov 3, 2026.

Can I wear glasses in a Tanzania e-Visa photo?

Yes, if you regularly wear them. Source: official page "Tanzania eVisa - Guidelines", checked on Nov 3, 2026.

Can I wear a head covering in a Tanzania e-Visa photo?

Only for religious reasons, and the face must show clearly from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead and on both edges. Source: official page "Tanzania eVisa - Guidelines", checked on Nov 3, 2026.

What happens if my Tanzania e-Visa photo does not follow the rules?

Tanzania Immigration Services says noncompliance with its photo guidance may cause the visa application to be rejected. Source: official page "Tanzania eVisa - Guidelines", 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.

Something here out of date? Tell us and we will check it against the official page.