The village people delaying your visa may actually be your passport photo

As a citizen of a third-world country, applying for a visa is one of the most stressful things you ever get to do with your life.

You have to get your documents in order, fill a million and one boxes with your personal information, and then possibly deal with intolerable queues when it's time for your visa interview.

The country you're applying to will also take a non-refundable visa fee from you to fund their own economies.

If you don't get the visa at the end of the day, it's easy to blame your village people who are chronically online or the insufferably evil officer who reviewed your application. But the problem could be as simple as the passport photograph on your visa application. 

The passport photograph is an essential part of the visa application process as it serves as proof of an applicant's visual identity. Messing up the submitted photo can be the difference between finally japaing to Canada or buying fuel for ₦617 per litre with the rest of the masses for another calendar year.

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According to MyBiometricPhotos, these are the correct passport photo specifications many countries use in the visa application process.

Size

Different countries have different visa size requirements but generally, the head should cover about 80% of the photo.

The height of your head, from the top of it to the bottom of your chin, must be 25 to 35 mm. For some countries, the required visa photo dimensions are 50×50mm, 22×35mm, 51×51mm, 35x45mm.

Quality

1. The photo must be in colour.
2. The background must be white. Few countries require a background of a different colour.
3. The photo must be clear and not blurry.
4. No shadows must be visible in the image.
5. No reflections must be visible in the image.
6. The eyes must not be red from the flash.
7. The photo must not be taken from too close or too far.

Facial expression

1. Your mouth must not be open.
2. Your eyes must be open.
3. You must look straight at the camera.
4. You must have a neutral facial expression.

It's useful to remember that every part of a visa application process is crucial, but using the perfect passport photograph is one of the most basic requirements that can seal your successful application, or kill it.

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