Jamaica passport photo size — 2×2 inch (50×50 mm) PICA dimensions

Exact dimensions and pixel size

Jamaica uses the 2×2 inch square format, which is 50×50 millimeters or 5×5 centimeters. At 300 DPI the digital equivalent is 600×600 pixels — the same dimensions used by the US passport and DS-160 visa, the India eVisa, and the Saudi MOFA eVisa.

This means a single complypic photo at 50×50 mm on a white background works for a Jamaica passport renewal, a US tourist visa application, an Indian eVisa, and a Saudi eVisa simultaneously — particularly valuable for Jamaican professionals who travel frequently and need to keep all four photo records aligned.

Head height and framing

Head height chin to crown — including hair — must be between 25 and 35 mm, occupying 50-70% of the photo's vertical dimension. Eyes should sit between 56% and 69% from the bottom edge. The face must be centered, looking straight at the lens.

PICA's most common rejection at the New Kingston office and at consulates abroad is head framed too small — the result of selfies taken at arm's length. The acceptable range is wide (25-35 mm), but heads below 25 mm fail consistently.

Background and colour

Plain white background is mandatory. PICA explicitly rejects coloured, grey, and patterned backgrounds. Uniform lighting matters — shadows behind the head from indoor lamps cause the second-most-common rejection.

Photo must be in colour with natural skin tone. Many Jamaican applicants are darker-skinned, which means the contrast against a pure white background is high; PICA officers expect that contrast and will reject photos where light has been adjusted to mute it.

Recency, glasses and expression

The photo must be taken within the last 6 months. PICA compares the new photo against your previous passport on file. Significant divergence (different hairstyle, weight change, new beard) requires verification, though not always rejection.

Glasses are not permitted. Religious head coverings (Rastafarian tams, hijab) are accepted only when the face is fully visible from chin to forehead and not shadowed. Expression must be neutral with mouth closed.

PICA appointment and consular upload requirements

For passport applications at the PICA office in New Kingston (or the regional offices in Montego Bay and Mandeville), bring two printed 2×2 inch photos signed on the reverse by a Justice of the Peace, plus a digital JPG submitted through the PICA online appointment system where available.

Jamaican consulates abroad (NYC, Miami, Toronto, London) accept the same 2×2 inch white-background photo for diaspora renewals. Some require two prints, some require three plus a digital copy; the 4×6 inch print sheet from complypic contains two crops, suitable for either workflow.

FAQ