Same 35×45 mm photo, different background rule
In our data, 20 documents that use 35×45 mm accept a white background only, and 21 accept or require light grey.
35×45 mm is the most common published print size among the requirements we hold (47 documents). It is easy to assume one 35×45 mm photo works for all of them. The background rule says otherwise.
Of the 35×45 mm documents whose authority publishes a background rule:
| Background rule | Documents | Countries |
|---|---|---|
| White only | 20 | 14 |
| Light grey accepted or required | 21 | 11 |
The rule can differ inside one country
In 8 of the 34 countries with a published background rule, two documents from the same country list different background colours. For example:
- France: Visa — white; ID card — light grey or light blue; Passport — light grey or light blue
- Malaysia: Driving licence — white; Visa — white; Work permit — light blue; Passport — white
If you are preparing more than one document, check the background for each one.
What this does not say
- That any rule is wrong. Each is the authority's own.
- That a photo made for one document will be refused for another. Acceptance is the authority's decision.
- Requirements change. Check the issuing authority before you submit.
How we counted
A background rule is counted only when it is not marked as unpublished and we have opened the document's source. Colours are compared as a set, so the same colours listed in a different order count as the same rule.