Part of Ava Travel's Vietnam visa guide. Last updated 9 November 2026 by the Ava Travel team in Hanoi.

The short answer, from Ava Travel in Hanoi: the Vietnam e-visa form asks for two pictures. The first is a recent colour portrait, 4 x 6 cm, face straight on, plain white background, no glasses. The second is a clear image of your passport data page with the two lines of letters and chevrons at the bottom. A phone and a white wall are enough for both; the form on evisa.gov.vn shows its own file size limit.

The two uploads, side by side

Portrait photoPassport data page
What it showsYour head and the top of your shouldersThe whole page with your photo, name and passport number
ShapePortrait, 4 x 6 cm (a 2:3 ratio)The page as it is, all four corners visible
BackgroundPlain white, no shadow behind your headA dark table makes the page edges easy to see
LightDaylight from in front of youEven light, no flash, no glare on the laminate
Must be readableBoth eyes and the whole face to the chinThe two machine-readable lines at the bottom
FileJPGJPG (a scan saved as JPG is fine)

Face, glasses and head coverings

  • Look straight at the camera with a neutral face: eyes open, mouth closed.
  • Take glasses off, including prescription glasses. If you cannot for a medical reason, tell us before you apply.
  • No hat or cap. A head covering worn for religious reasons is fine when the whole face, from forehead to chin, is visible.
  • Hair away from the eyes; no sunglasses on the head.
  • Recent: taken within the last 6 months, so it looks like you on arrival day.

Taking an accepted photo with a phone, step by step

  • 1. Stand about 50 cm in front of a plain white wall or a white sheet, so no shadow falls behind you.
  • 2. Face a window; turn off the flash.
  • 3. Ask someone else to take it at eye level, about 1.5 m away. A selfie distorts the face and is often refused.
  • 4. Crop to a portrait 2:3 frame with space above the head and the shoulders just visible.
  • 5. Turn off filters, portrait mode and beauty effects; save as JPG.
  • 6. Do not photograph the small photo printed in your passport: the laminate shines and it is the wrong size.

Children and babies

Every traveller needs their own e-visa and their own photo, babies included, with the same rules. For a baby, lay them on a plain white sheet and take the picture from above, with no hands or toys in the frame. Their passport page is uploaded the same way as an adult's.

If the upload fails

  • The file is too big: export a smaller JPG, around 1 MB; the form shows its exact limit.
  • Wrong format: PNG, HEIC or PDF are not taken for the portrait; save it as JPG.
  • The page reloads and loses your photo: fill the form in one sitting and keep both files ready before you start.

When Ava Travel files your e-visa

On the e-visa service page (from US$55) you upload the portrait and the passport page before you pay. The form shrinks large phone pictures for you (portraits to 1,200 pixels on the long side, passport pages to 2,000) and accepts a PDF scan of the passport page. A person in Hanoi looks at both and asks for a new picture if one will not pass, before anything is sent to the government. Already refused because of a photo? See what to do after a refusal.

Frequently asked questions

What are the Vietnam e-visa photo requirements?

A recent colour portrait, 4 x 6 cm, face straight on, plain white background, no glasses, as a JPG file, plus a clear image of the passport data page with the two machine-readable lines at the bottom.

Can I wear glasses in my Vietnam e-visa photo?

No. Take them off, including prescription glasses; glasses are one of the most common reasons a photo is refused.

Can I take my Vietnam e-visa photo with a phone?

Yes. Stand in front of a plain white wall facing a window, have someone else take it at eye level, crop to a 2:3 portrait and save it as a JPG without filters.

What size should the Vietnam e-visa photo file be?

The form shows its own limit; if the upload fails, export a smaller JPG of around 1 MB.

Can I use the photo from my passport?

Not a photo of the passport page photo: it shines and is the wrong size. Take a new portrait; the passport page is a separate upload.

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