On this page
Specifications
Every measurable requirement, in the same order on every country page. Bracketed numbers point to the official source below.
| Printed photo | ||
|---|---|---|
| Photo size | 45 × 35 mm | [1] |
| Head height (chin to crown) | Not specified by the authority | |
| Eye position | Not specified by the authority | |
| Background | White | [1] |
| Print resolution | Not specified by the authority | |
| Paper | Not specified by the authority | |
| Copies required | 2 | [1] |
| Digital upload | ||
| Pixel size | Not specified by the authority | |
| File format | Not specified by the authority | |
| File size | Not specified by the authority | |
| Colour | Colour | [1] |
| Validity | ||
| Taken within | Within 6 months | [4] |
| Also specified | ||
| Photo placement — Resident Visa checklist | Paste the two photos onto the printed application form | [2] |
| Local name and framing — 停留簽證須知 (Visitor Visa notice, Chinese) | Locally described as "2吋" (2-inch); framed 半身 (half-body/bust) | [3] |
| Print finish — TECO Manila (Philippines) checklist | Glossy | [5] |
Rules
What is allowed and what is refused. Same ten rows on every page; “Conditional” means allowed only as described.
| Expression | Required | Neutral expression with the mouth closed; applicants who are unable to close their mouths are excluded from this requirement (TECO Manila) [5] |
| Eyes | Required | Face forward and look directly at the camera, with eyes open and clearly visible (TECO Manila) [5] |
| Glasses | Not specified | — |
| Head covering | Not specified | — |
| Hair | Not specified | — |
| Ears | Not specified | — |
| Clothing | Not specified | — |
| Retouching / filters | Not allowed | Composite photos, selfies, and altered photos are not accepted (TECO Manila) [5] |
| Shadows and objects | Not specified | — |
| Infants and children | Not specified | — |
Notes and common mistakes
Two application channels: the paper visa and the online eVisa
Most ROC (Taiwan) visa applicants use the paper route: the application form is filled in online, printed, signed, and submitted together with the required photographs at the Bureau of Consular Affairs (BOCA) in Taipei or at a Taiwan (ROC) overseas mission (TECRO/TECO) [1][2]. BOCA separately operates an eVisa system open only to a specific list of nationalities; its own notice walks through submitting personal information and paying online, and does not describe a photo-upload step anywhere in that procedure [6].
Photos are pasted onto the form, not simply enclosed
For a Resident Visa application, BOCA’s instructions say specifically to paste the photos onto the printed application form [2] — a small assembly step that is easy to miss if an applicant assumes photos just need to be included loose with the paperwork.
A local name and framing convention not used in the English notice
BOCA’s Chinese-language Visitor Visa notice (停留簽證須知) gives this same photo a colloquial local name and calls for a half-body (半身) framing — details that do not appear on the equivalent English-language Visitor Visa page [3].
Countries with the same photo size
35 × 45 mm Australia Canada Egypt France Germany Ireland Italy Japan Netherlands New Zealand Pakistan Portugal Schengen area Singapore South Korea Thailand United Kingdom
Questions
What size, colour and background does a Taiwan visa photo need?
BOCA's Visitor Visa checklist calls for two passport-size (45 mm in height and 35 mm in width) photos in colour, taken within the past six months, with a white background [1]. The Resident Visa checklist states the same size and colour, and separately confirms the same white background and six-month window for the two photos that get pasted onto the printed application form [2].
Do I attach the photos to the application form myself?
For a Resident Visa application, BOCA's own instructions say to paste the two photos onto the printed application form [2], rather than leaving them loose with the paperwork.
Is there a local name for this photo size?
The Chinese-language Visitor Visa notice (停留簽證須知) calls it a "2吋" (2-inch) photo and specifies half-body (半身) framing — terms that do not appear on the English-language Visitor Visa page [3].
Does Taiwan's eVisa have its own digital photo requirement?
BOCA's eVisa notice describes submitting personal information and paying the fee by credit card online; it does not set out a photo-upload step anywhere in its application procedure [6].
Does BOCA specify what paper the two printed photos should be on?
BOCA's own national checklists do not specify a paper finish. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines (TECO Manila), one overseas mission that accepts paper Visitor Visa applications, asks specifically for glossy prints [5].
Sources
Every value above is taken from the following official documents. If a source disagrees with this page, the source is right — tell us. Report an error.
- [1] Visitor Visa for Tourism Purpose — Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Taiwan)
https://www.boca.gov.tw/cp-158-250-a5a40-2.html - [2] Resident Visas for White Collar Workers — Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Taiwan)
https://www.boca.gov.tw/cp-166-276-48430-2.html - [3] 停留簽證須知 (Visitor Visa Notice, Chinese) — Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Taiwan)
https://www.boca.gov.tw/cp-392-4-04a58-1.html - [4] Enforcement Rules for the Issuance of ROC Visas to Foreign-Passport Holders, Article 5 — Bureau of Consular Affairs, MOFA (Taiwan)
https://www.boca.gov.tw/cp-160-269-14e8b-2.html - [5] Visitor Visa for Tourism Purpose (document checklist) — Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines (TECO Manila)
https://www.roc-taiwan.org/uploads/sites/76/2023/04/4.-20250307-updated-Visitor-Visa-for-Tourism-Purpose.pdf - [6] eVisa Application — General Information — Bureau of Consular Affairs, MOFA (BOCA_EVISA)
https://visawebapp.boca.gov.tw/BOCA_EVISA/MRV04FORM.do