Who applies for the Saudi eVisa online
The Saudi Arabia e-visa is the main online travel authorization for tourists, families and Umrah travelers. Citizens of more than 60 eligible countries, GCC residents and holders of a valid US, UK or Schengen tourist or business visa can apply through visa.visitsaudi.com without an embassy visit. You fill in the form online and upload a digital visa photo during the application, so your Saudi visa photo has to pass the portal's automatic photo check on the first attempt.
Saudi e-visa photo size in pixels
The official photo specifications ask for a square image of exactly 200×200 pixels. This is a pixel dimension only: there is no centimeter or inch value for this visa, because the photo is never printed. A file in a different size can fail the upload. Your face should fill 70% to 80% of the visa photo from chin to crown, which keeps it large enough for identification while the top of your shoulders stays in the frame.
File size: from 5 KB to 100 KB
The visa photo file size must be between 5 KB and 100 KB. A phone camera at default settings produces a photo file far larger than 100 KB, so the image has to be reduced before upload. Squeezing it too hard is a problem too: a file under 5 KB loses detail and is rejected. Our online maker exports the 200×200 pixel Saudi e-visa photo with the right compression and file size, so the file lands inside this range.
Background, light and shadows
The background of the photo must be plain white with no pattern. No shadows may appear on the background or on your face. A shadow from overhead light, or from standing too close to the wall, turns the white background grey and the check fails. Cream, light grey and off-white walls often look white on a phone screen but do not pass a digital check. Face a window for soft daylight and stand a little away from the wall when you take the visa photo.
Saudi Arabia visa photo size in cm or inches
Searches for a Saudi Arabia visa photo in cm often return 35×45 mm or 51×51 mm. Those measurements belong to printed photos for embassy or consulate applications, a different process with its own rules. The visitsaudi.com eVisa photo is a 200×200 pixel digital file that you upload online, so you do not need a printed photo for this step.
Religious headwear in an e-visa photo
Headwear is allowed only for religious reasons. A hijab or other religious head covering is fine in the photo when your full face from the tip of the chin to the forehead stays clearly visible, and both ears and cheeks should show where the garment permits. Hats, caps and fashion accessories lead to a rejected Saudi e-visa photo. The specifications do not mention glasses, so check the portal when you reach the photo step.
Umrah and the Saudi tourist visa
The tourist eVisa covers tourism, family visits, event attendance and Umrah outside the Hajj season. Paid work and study are not allowed on this Saudi visa. The photo rules stay the same whatever the purpose of your trip: a 200×200 pixel colour photo with a white background. For the Hajj season, see our Saudi Hajj visa photo page.
How to apply for the Saudi eVisa online
The whole Saudi eVisa application runs online at visa.visitsaudi.com, the official website for the Saudi Arabia e-visa. Third-party sites that offer to apply for you are not officially sanctioned and may charge extra fees. You need a valid email address to receive the approved visa. Fill in the online form and upload your Saudi e-visa photo at the photo step. Because the portal accepts digital uploads only, no printed photo is needed.
After you upload the photo
The approved Saudi eVisa is sent to the email address you give in the application. It is valid for one year, allows multiple entries and stays of up to 90 days per visit. Carry a printed or digital copy of the visa approval on your first arrival in Saudi Arabia. Biometric details are taken by immigration on arrival in Saudi Arabia, not from the uploaded visa photo.
Ways to get a Saudi visa photo
The visitsaudi.com portal wants a 200×200 pixel digital file, a format that most physical photo services are not set up to produce. A pharmacy or a passport photo booth usually gives you prints, not a digital photo file, and the staff may not know the Saudi eVisa pixel rules. A photo studio that knows the specification can help, but you have to visit in person. An online photo maker like ours works from any device and checks the visa photo against the portal rules before you download it.
Saudi e-visa photo checklist
- Exact photo size: 200×200 pixels.
- File size between 5 KB and 100 KB.
- Plain white background, no shadows or pattern.
- Face fills 70% to 80% of the photo, head square to the camera.
- Both ears and cheeks visible, neutral expression.
- Colour visa photo taken within the last six months.
- Nobody else and no objects in the visa photo.
