What the book is and why it needs a photo
The family book is an official record issued in the United Arab Emirates to Emirati citizens. It documents the relationships inside a family: the spouses, their children and the changes that happen over the years. UAE nationals use it to prove family ties when they deal with government services, school enrolment, health services and residence matters. A photo for the application has to show the face clearly, so it is worth getting the size, background and pose right the first time.
The 35×45 mm photo size explained
Our template is a vertical rectangle of 35 × 45 mm, about 1.38 × 1.77 inches. The head takes about 34 mm from the chin to the top of the head, and there is a margin of about 4 mm between the top of the hair and the upper edge of the frame. The background is plain white, and the photo is in colour. At 600 DPI the full frame is about 827 × 1063 pixels, so a print stays sharp at this size and the same file works when an online service asks for a digital photo instead of paper copies.
Who issues the record in the UAE
In the Emirates, the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) has an official service page for issuing the book. Check it for the current conditions, the documents and any fee before you apply, because rules can change; this page only helps with the photo.
Documents you usually prepare
Besides the photos, applicants are typically asked for:
- the original Emirates ID of the applicant, with copies;
- the marriage certificate, if it applies;
- the birth certificates of the children, if it applies;
- any other document that shows the family ties.
The book is issued in Arabic. It does not expire, but it is updated when the family status changes, for example after a birth, a death or a marriage. In the UAE, an update may involve new paperwork for a family member, so it helps to keep a correct digital photo file ready.
Photos for children and babies
Children are listed in the Emirati family record too, and our template gives their photos the same size and white background. For a baby, lay the child on a plain white sheet and take the photo from above with even light, or hold the baby against a white wall so that no hands or toys show in the frame. Our AI tool crops the photo to 35×45 mm and checks the head size, so you can retake the picture at home until the check passes, without paying a studio for every attempt.
Printed photos and online upload
This photo works both as a print and for online submission. If you need paper copies, print the photo on photo paper at 600 DPI and cut it to the exact 35×45 mm size. If you apply online, upload the digital file instead of a scan of a print; a scan loses sharpness and often adds a grey tint to the white background.
Photo checklist for the UAE family record
- Correct photo size: 35×45 mm, head about 34 mm.
- Plain white background, no shadows or patterns.
- Neutral expression, mouth closed, both eyes open.
- Head straight and centred, face looking at the camera.
- Recent colour photo with no filters or retouching of features.
- Sharp image with even light on both sides of the face.
Photo size in pixels and in inches
The official size is set in millimetres, but a phone or an online form works in pixels. Here is how the 35×45 mm photo size converts:
- In inches: about 1.38 × 1.77 in.
- At 600 DPI: about 827 × 1063 pixels, the size of our download file.
- At 300 DPI: about 413 × 531 pixels, enough for a small print but not for the 600 DPI file.
- Head size: about 34 mm, or roughly 800 pixels at 600 DPI.
Keep the 35:45 proportions whenever you resize the file. If an online form in the UAE squeezes a photo with the wrong proportions, the face gets stretched or cut, and the head size no longer matches the requirements.
How to make the photo online, step by step
You do not need a studio to get a correct photo for the Emirates. With our online photo maker the whole job takes a few minutes:
- Stand about one metre in front of a plain wall, facing a window.
- Ask someone to take the photo at eye level, or take a selfie with the phone at arm's length.
- Upload the photo online; the AI finds your face, crops the photo to the 35×45 mm size and sets the white background.
- Read the result of the check. If a point fails, such as a shadow or a tilted head, retake the photo and upload it again.
- Download the free digital photo, upload it to the online application or print it at 600 DPI.
Printing the photo in the UAE
If you are asked for paper photos, print the digital file at a photo shop or on a home photo printer. Choose the actual size or 100% option so the printer does not scale the photo, then measure the print with a ruler: the photo should be exactly 35 mm wide and 45 mm high. Matte or glossy photo paper both work as long as the white background stays white and the face is sharp. Print a few spare copies at once; they can save you a trip later.
Why use an online photo tool
A studio photo costs money every time, and if the head size or background is slightly off, you pay again. Our online tool is free for the digital photo: you can try as many times as you like, see the check result at once and keep the file on your phone. The AI follows the size and background of this template exactly, so the crop is the same for every member of the family, from the parents to the youngest child. If a photo does not pass the check because of uneven light, the optional paid retouch fixes the lighting and shadows for you.
Photos for the whole family at once
When a UAE family applies for the record or updates it, several people often need a photo at the same time: the husband, the wife and the children. Take all the photos on the same day, in front of the same plain wall and with the same window light. Upload the pictures online one by one; the AI crops each to the same 35×45 mm template, so the head size and the white background match across the family. Name each downloaded photo file after the person, for example as written on the Emirates ID, so the right photo goes into the right place in the UAE application. Keep the original photos as well, in case you need a new crop or another print in the Emirates.
What the online photo check looks at
After you upload a photo, the online check goes through the same points a person would look for, so you know whether the photo is usable before you download it:
- Photo size and crop: the frame is 35×45 mm and the head takes about 34 mm of it.
- Background: plain white, with no shadow behind the head and no objects in the photo.
- Expression: a neutral face, both eyes open and the mouth closed.
- Quality: a sharp photo with natural colours and even light, ready to print at 600 DPI or to upload online.
If one point fails, the check tells you which one, so you can fix that detail and take a new photo at home. You can repeat the online check for free as often as you need until every photo for your UAE application passes.
Before you submit the photo
Open the downloaded photo on a large screen and look at it as a UAE officer would. The face should be sharp, the eyes open and level, and the colours natural. The white background should have no grey corners, no shadow behind the head and no objects at the edges of the photo. If something looks wrong, retake the photo online for free rather than submit a photo that may be returned.
Other photos for the Emirates
The same family often needs several photos for other UAE documents, and each one may have its own size and background. See our pages for the UAE passport photo, the Emirates ID and residence visa photo, the UAE driving license photo and the UAE visa online photo. Rather than reuse one photo for all of them, pick the right template, and our online tool sets the right size for each.
