Short, plain-English pieces on the parts of the New Zealand passport photo rules that catch people out. Written against the official guidance, dated so you can see how current they are.
The nine rules the Department of Internal Affairs applies to every photo — size, background, expression, glasses, hats, hair, lighting, focus and who else is in the frame — plus the digital file specification and the rules that relax for babies.
AUGUST 2026 · 8 MIN READ35 × 45 mm printed, 3:4 digital, 900–4500 px wide. Every number in one table, with head height and eye line.
AUGUST 2026 · 5 MIN READWhere to stand, how far back, which wall, which window — and how the guided capture takes the shot for you.
AUGUST 2026 · 6 MIN READSixteen questions people actually ask, answered against the official rules rather than wishful thinking.
AUGUST 2026 · 7 MIN READThe questions we get asked most that don't have a page yet.
The six failures that account for nearly every rejected home attempt, and the fix for each.
What NZ relaxes for under-ones, and a method that works on a wriggling toddler.
Exactly when eyewear is allowed, why glare fails, and how religious coverings are handled.
Finding the right wall, killing the shadow behind your head, and which window to face.
The booth applies every rule on these pages for you. $9.99, free retakes, and if Internal Affairs rejects a photo you bought here, email the rejection notice to [email protected] and your reshoot is free — as many times as it takes.
Each link opens the home page on that document's rules, with it already added to your shoot. One capture covers as many as you pick.