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

As of October 27, 2026, Thailand’s e-Visa form takes the photo only as a .JPG or .JPEG file of up to 3 MB, and from the U.S. every visa application goes through thaievisa.go.th. The photo must be from the last six months, facing forward on a plain white background, clear rather than blurry or pixelated, with the face neither too small nor too large; it cannot be a picture of a printed photo or one changed by a face-altering app. The form warns that an unsuitable photo may get the visa request rejected. SelfieToPassport turns a phone photo into a 1200 x 1200 pixel JPEG under 3 MB, with a free preview and $6.95 for the file.

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The short version

  1. SelfieToPassport: a 1200 x 1200 px Thai e-Visa JPEG under 3 MB from a phone photo, free preview, $6.95.
  2. Upload the photo as a .JPG or .JPEG file of 3 MB or less; the portal gives no pixel size.
  3. Use a photo taken in the last six months.
  4. Face the camera against a plain white background.
  5. Keep the face clear: not blurry, pixelated, too small or too large.
  6. Do not upload a picture of a printed photo, and skip apps that alter the face.
  7. From the U.S., apply on thaievisa.go.th; consulates take no mail, walk-ins or drop-offs.

The file rules for the Thai e-Visa photo

The photo step of the e-Visa form takes only .JPG or .JPEG files of up to 3 MB, and Thai missions in the U.S. ask for every uploaded document to be large and clear. The portal and its manual give no pixel size; Chicago’s general visa list still names a 2 x 2 inch photo.

Upload the photo file itself: the Los Angeles consulate asks you not to upload a picture of a printed photo.

The rules

  • In the photo step of the Thai e-Visa form, the upload box takes only .JPG or .JPEG files of up to 3 MB, as shown in the Foreign Ministry’s user manual. thaievisa.go.th
  • Thai missions in the U.S. ask for every tourist visa document, the photo included, to be uploaded as a large, clear JPEG or PDF no bigger than 3 MB. thaiconsulatela.thaiembassy.org
  • The Royal Thai Consulate-General in Los Angeles asks applicants not to upload a picture taken of an already printed photo. thaiconsulatela.thaiembassy.org
  • Among its general visa requirements, the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Chicago still lists one passport-sized 2 x 2 inch color photo taken from the front. cgchicago.thaiembassy.org

Recency, background and pose

The photo must be from the last six months, taken from the front against a plain white background. Do not run it through photo apps that may change how your face looks.

The rules

  • The Thai e-Visa portal lists a photograph from the last six months among the required documents for a tourism visa. thaievisa.go.th
  • The Los Angeles consulate wants the visa picture taken within six months against a plain, blank, white background. thaiconsulatela.thaiembassy.org
  • For a Thai visa, the applicant has to face the camera straight on, according to the Los Angeles consulate. thaiconsulatela.thaiembassy.org
  • Photo apps that could change how the face looks should not be used on a Thai visa picture, the Los Angeles consulate says. thaiconsulatela.thaiembassy.org

Why the photo or the visa request gets rejected

Los Angeles lists the problems to avoid: a face that is blurry, pixelated, too small or too large, or a photo older than six months. The e-Visa form warns that an unsuitable photo may get the visa request rejected, and Chicago puts unprepared documents and photo first among the reasons for a denial.

Consular officers can also ask for more documents or turn down an application without giving a reason.

The rules

  • Los Angeles lists the photo problems to avoid: a face that is blurry, pixelated, too small or too large, or a picture older than six months. thaiconsulatela.thaiembassy.org
  • Thailand’s e-Visa form warns that a photo older than six months, or otherwise unsuitable, can get the visa request rejected. thaievisa.go.th
  • The first reason the Chicago consulate gives for a denied visa request is uploading documents and a photo that are not ready. cgchicago.thaiembassy.org
  • Consular officers at the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington may ask for more documents and can turn down an application without giving a reason. washingtondc.thaiembassy.org

Applying from the U.S.

Every visa application from the U.S. goes through thaievisa.go.th, except the Thailand Elite visa: create an account, fill in the form, upload the supporting documents and pay the fee, and the approved e-Visa arrives by email. Consulates no longer take paperwork by mail, walk-in or drop-off.

The rules

  • Every visa applicant in the United States has to apply on the Thai e-Visa website, the Chicago consulate says. cgchicago.thaiembassy.org
  • Thai consulates in the U.S. no longer take visa paperwork by mail, walk-in or drop-off; the application goes through thaievisa.go.th. thaiconsulatela.thaiembassy.org
  • Only the Thailand Elite visa is left outside the e-Visa portal, according to the Thai consulate in New York. newyork.thaiembassy.org
  • On thaievisa.go.th the steps are an account, the form, the supporting uploads and the fee, and the approved e-Visa arrives by email. thaievisa.go.th

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 white wall, even light, facing the camera.
  2. Crop it square, with your whole face clear and centred.
  3. Resize to 1200 x 1200 pixels and save as a JPEG.
  4. Check that the file is under 3 MB.
  5. Upload it in the photo step of the e-Visa form.

FAQ

What size is the Thailand e-Visa photo?

The form takes a .JPG or .JPEG file of up to 3 MB. Neither the portal nor its manual gives a pixel size. Source: official page "Guide to Thailand E-Visa Application (English manual) › 3.2 Upload your photograph, page 24", checked on Oct 27, 2026.

How recent must my Thai e-Visa photo be?

Taken within the last six months. The form warns that an older or otherwise unsuitable photo may get the visa request rejected. Source: official pages "Tourist Visas › Tourism and Leisure activities › Required Documents — Thai e-Visa" and "Guide to Thailand E-Visa Application (English manual) › 3.2 Upload your photograph, page 24", checked on Oct 27, 2026.

Can I upload a photo of my printed passport photo?

No. The Royal Thai Consulate-General in Los Angeles asks applicants not to upload a photo of an already printed photo. Source: official page "Visa Information — Royal Thai Consulate-General, Los Angeles", checked on Oct 27, 2026.

Can I apply for a Thai visa by mail from the U.S.?

No. Thai consulates in the U.S. take visa applications only through the e-Visa portal, not by mail, walk-in or drop-off. Source: official page "Frequently Ask Questions (FAQ) for VISA — Royal Thai Consulate-General, Los Angeles", checked on Oct 27, 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.