If you need the direct answer first, the Korean visa photo size on the Republic of Korea's visa application form is 35 mm x 45 mm, in color, taken within the last 6 months, with a full-face front view against a white or off-white background. According to the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Los Angeles, the full-face length should be 25 mm to 35 mm, and the applicant should look directly at the camera. That is the part applicants miss most often: the outer paper size can be correct while the face is still framed wrong.
Source: Korea visa application form, Korean Consulate in Los Angeles photo notice
This guide turns the live official rules into a checklist you can actually use before you print or upload anything. If you want a broader refusal-prevention pass after the photo is fixed, use Visa Document Mistakes: Hidden Errors That Cause Refusals and compare the companion Chinese Visa Photo Requirements (2026): Size + Rules before you reuse the same studio file for another East Asia application.
| Check | Official rule | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Standard photo size | 35 mm x 45 mm | This is the baseline size printed on the official visa form and repeated by Korean missions. |
| Face length | 25 mm to 35 mm | A correct outer size still fails if the face is too small or too large. |
| Background | Plain white or off-white, evenly lit | Shadows, texture, or dark backdrops trigger easy rework. |
| Recency | Taken within the last 6 months | Older photos can be returned even if they otherwise look usable. |
| E-Form workflow | Some missions say E-Form applicants do not need a physical photo because the uploaded image prints automatically | This affects what you carry to the appointment and how you self-check the digital file. |
| Passport validity | Some Korean mission pages also require the passport to be valid for more than 6 months | Fixing the photo alone is not enough if the passport fails the same intake check. |
Table of Contents
- Korean visa photo size at a glance
- The official 35x45 mm size and 25-35 mm face length
- Background, expression, hats, and other rejection triggers
- E-Form uploads vs physical photos
- A fast self-check before you submit
- Official sources
- FAQ
- Conclusion
Korean visa photo size at a glance
The safest way to handle a Korean visa photo is to treat it like a spec sheet, not like a generic passport photo request. Across the official Korean form and several mission pages, the measurable rules are consistent:
- 35 mm x 45 mm
- Color
- Taken within the last 6 months
- Full-face, front view
- White or off-white background
The more detailed Los Angeles notice adds the framing rule many other pages skip in summary form: your full-face length should be 25 mm to 35 mm. It also says the photo should be taken against a plain, evenly lit and light background and that the applicant must be shown looking directly at the camera.
Source: Los Angeles notice
That means the usual failure pattern is not "wrong size" in the obvious sense. It is:
- the print is 35 x 45 mm,
- but the face sits too small inside the frame,
- or the background is not truly plain,
- or the photo is older than six months,
- or the applicant used a local studio crop that matches another country instead of Korea.
If you are comparing Korean photo rules with another route, do not assume the same crop works everywhere. A U.S. case still pulls many applicants into a separate US Visa Checklist for 2026: Documents + Interview, and U.S. photo rules frequently use a different size standard than Korea.
The official 35x45 mm size and 25-35 mm face length
The official Korean visa application form itself prints the photo requirement in the photo box: 35 mm x 45 mm, color, full face without a hat, front view, and taken within the last six months against a white or off-white background.
Source: Visa application form PDF
The Los Angeles mission notice adds the missing in-frame measurement:
- Photo size: 35 x 45 mm
- Length of full face: 25 x 35 mm
- View: direct to camera
- Background: plain, evenly lit, light background
This is the practical takeaway: the photo has two measurements, not one. The paper rectangle is one rule. The face size inside it is the second rule.
According to the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Finland, the photo must also be taken in full-face view directly facing the camera with a neutral facial expression and both eyes open. That is why heavily smiling photos, half-profile poses, or "passport style but relaxed" studio shots cause trouble.
Source: Finland visa photo requirements
Why some Korean mission pages say 2"x2"
This is where applicants get confused. The Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in New York currently summarizes one required photo as 2 x 2 inches for short-term tourist cases, while other Korean mission pages and the master form use 35 x 45 mm. Atlanta and Finland still use the 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm format in their instructions.
Sources: New York visa information page, Atlanta mission guide, Finland photo requirements
The safe rule is simple: your intake mission's checklist wins. If your consulate page gives a local measurement, follow that page. If it does not, the official visa form and the Korea mission photo notices point back to 35 x 45 mm.
Background, expression, hats, and other rejection triggers
The Korean rules are not only about measurements. They also screen for photos that are technically the right size but visually weak.
According to the Finnish mission, the image must be:
- in color
- on a plain white or off-white background
- in full-face view
- with both eyes open
- with a neutral facial expression
The Los Angeles mission adds that the background should be plain and evenly lit, and it explicitly says no sunglasses or hats, except for medical or disability reasons. It also warns that applications can be delayed when the photograph makes it hard to judge whether it is the same person, including cases where the ears are not visible.
Source: Los Angeles notice
That matters because many studio photos fail for reasons the applicant does not notice:
- light shadows behind the head
- hair covering the outline of the face
- strong retouching or smoothing
- tinted glasses
- a smile that changes the face shape too much
If you are also preparing another country file at the same time, compare against the route-specific photo guides before you recycle one studio shot across everything. Vidicy already has destination-specific references for Chinese visa photo requirements, photo requirements for Indian visa, and the broader visa photo requirements guide.
E-Form uploads vs physical photos
One useful detail on Korean mission pages is that the photo workflow changes depending on whether you use the online e-Form.
The Atlanta mission says:
- E-Form applicants do not need a physical photo
- the photo uploaded online will automatically be printed on the application form
- paper-form applicants should attach one color photo
- that photo should be 3.5 x 4.5 cm, taken within the last 6 months, full-face without a hat, against a white or off-white background
Source: Atlanta visa application guide
That distinction matters for two reasons.
First, it changes what you bring. If your mission accepts the e-Form workflow exactly as Atlanta describes it, you may not need to carry a separate physical print for that step.
Second, it means the digital image still has to look like a real visa photo. A Bangladesh mission e-Form checklist also describes the upload requirement as a digital photograph in natural color, size 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm.
Source: Bangladesh F-3 e-Form checklist
So even when a mission removes the physical-photo step, the measurable photo rules do not disappear. They simply move upstream into the upload process.
While you are checking that step, verify the other intake items on the same mission page too. For example, New York's visa information page also requires a passport more than 6 months valid alongside the photo. A perfect photo cannot save a file that fails the same front-desk checklist on passport validity.
Source: New York visa information page
A fast self-check before you submit
Before you print or upload your Korean visa photo, run this quick pass:
| Self-check question | Pass if... | Fix if not |
|---|---|---|
| Is the outer size right? | The photo is 35 x 45 mm or your local mission's stated equivalent | Reprint or recrop to the mission rule |
| Is the face framed correctly? | Full-face length is about 25-35 mm and centered | Re-shoot or crop tighter/looser |
| Is the background clean? | White or off-white, evenly lit, no texture, no shadows | Retake against a plain wall with softer light |
| Does the face look natural and current? | Neutral expression, both eyes open, taken within 6 months | Retake close to the application date |
| Does the workflow match your mission? | You followed your mission's e-Form vs paper instruction | Re-check the mission page before the appointment |
Three final rules keep applicants out of trouble:
- Do not assume another country's photo will pass Korea.
- Do not assume every Korean mission uses the exact same shortcut wording.
- Do not stop at the photo. Keep the rest of the application consistent too.
If you want a last pre-submission review after the photo is fixed, the best next step is to create a Vidicy workspace and run the full document set through a structured check instead of validating one file at a time.
Related guides
If you're double-checking photo compliance before filing, these companion guides help:
- Chinese Visa Photo Requirements (2026): Size + Rules
- Turkish Visa Photo Requirements (2026)
- Visa photo requirements (2026): size, pixels, background
- Travel Visa Checker: What to Verify Before You Submit
Official sources
- Republic of Korea visa application form PDF
- Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Los Angeles - Photo Requirements for Korean Visa Application
- Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Finland - Photo Requirements for a Visa
- Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Atlanta - General Information for Visa Application
- Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in New York - Visa Information
- Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Bangladesh - Documents for Family Visit Visa (F-3) Application
FAQ
What is the Korean visa photo size?
The baseline Korean visa photo size on the official visa form is 35 mm x 45 mm. Several Korean mission pages repeat the same rule, though some U.S. mission summaries also describe the attachment as 2 x 2 inches, so your intake mission's page should be the final reference.
How big should my face be in a Korean visa photo?
The Korean Consulate in Los Angeles says the length of the full face should be 25 mm to 35 mm. This is why a print can be the correct outer size but still fail the framing check.
How recent does the Korean visa photo need to be?
Official Korean visa sources consistently require the photo to be taken within the last 6 months so it reflects your current appearance.
Do e-Form applicants need to bring a separate physical photo?
Some missions say no. Atlanta states that e-Form applicants do not need a physical photo because the uploaded image prints automatically on the form. Paper-form applicants still attach one color photo.
What background is allowed for a Korean visa photo?
The official visa form and mission pages say the photo should be taken against a white or off-white background. Los Angeles adds that it should be plain and evenly lit.
Conclusion
The safest answer to Korean visa photo size is not just "35 x 45 mm." It is 35 x 45 mm, recent, full-face, correctly framed inside the rectangle, and matched to your mission's own e-Form or paper workflow. Fix those details before you book your appointment, and you remove one of the easiest reasons for avoidable rework.
If you want a second set of eyes on the rest of the file after the photo is solved, start with how Vidicy works and then sign up to review the full package.