Preparing Your Gibraltar Identity Card Photo
You need a clear, correct photo for your Gibraltar Identity Card application. Follow the official rules carefully so your paperwork is not delayed.
Official Size and Dimensions
The HM Government of Gibraltar Department of Immigration & Home Affairs handles identity card applications[1]. The application form asks you to provide a passport-size photograph[1]. The official ID-card guidance does not separately state numeric dimensions, but 35×45 mm (which is about 1.38×1.77 inches) is the commonly used passport-photo crop[2]. You must confirm the exact requirements with the issuing office if you have any doubts about the correct dimensions[2].
The guidance recommends a head height of 29 to 34 mm for standard passport photos[2]. You can use the tool above to crop your image, but follow the official photo instructions when preparing it.
Background and Lighting Requirements
Your photo must have a white background and be a standard passport photo taken in a photo studio, not at home or in a photo booth[2].
Make sure the room has bright, even lighting. Face toward a window or a soft light source so both sides of your face receive equal illumination. Avoid dim rooms or harsh overhead bulbs that create dark shadows under your eyes, nose, or chin.
Expression, Glasses, and Headwear Rules
Adults and children over five must have a neutral expression, look straight at the camera, and keep their eyes open and visible[2]. Children aged five and under do not need a neutral expression or to look directly at the camera, and babies under one do not need their eyes open[2].
Glasses are allowed under conditional rules[1][2], but they must not have heavy frames that obscure your eyes or tinted lenses that hide your pupils. Any glare on the lenses will cause your photo to be refused. Head coverings are permitted for religious or medical reasons only[1][2]. Your entire face from the bottom of your chin to the top of your forehead must remain completely unobstructed and free of shadows.
Special Rules for Children and Infants
Photographing young children for official documents can be challenging, but the official rules provide helpful exceptions for them[1][2]. Children aged five and under need not have a neutral expression or look directly at the camera lens[1][2]. Babies under one year old need not have their eyes open at all[1][2].
If you need to support a baby's head while taking the photo, your supporting hand must not be visible in the final image[1][2]. Try laying your baby on a plain white blanket or sheet, or use a baby seat covered entirely in white fabric to meet the background requirement.
Taking Your Photo at Home Step by Step
The guidance says your photo must be taken in a studio, not at home or in a photo booth[2]. Ask a photo studio to take it.
Stand up straight, relax your shoulders, and wear dark clothing so you contrast well against the white background. Take several test shots so you can review them and choose the one that matches all the official guidelines before you move on to printing.
Printing and Preparing Your Final Photo
You must submit one recent passport-size photo with your application[1][2]. The photo must be taken within the last month, printed on white photographic paper, and not cut down from a larger photo[2]. The card includes a digital image of your photo[1].
Take this prepared file to a local photo kiosk or print it at home on standard glossy photo paper using high-quality settings. Cut the printed photo carefully along the precise edges before submitting your application paperwork.