k-eta photo rejected fix

K-ETA photo rejected — how to fix and resubmit

Q: How fast does the K-ETA portal reject a photo?

Within minutes for technical rejections (dimensions, file size, format) — these are checked at the upload step. Photo-content rejections (background not white, head position) typically arrive within 24–48 hours after submission as part of the broader application review.

Q: Can I resubmit a K-ETA after rejection?

Yes, immediately. There's no waiting period. The KRW 10,000 (~US$8) fee is non-refundable, so each resubmission costs the fee. Use complypic's free preview to verify the photo before submitting to avoid paying the fee twice.

Q: Why does the K-ETA reject backgrounds that other Korean visas accept?

The K-ETA portal was updated in late 2024 with stricter automated checks than the older C-3-9 tourist visa channel. Backgrounds that previously passed (off-white, very pale grey) are now rejected — the portal now requires pure white.

Q: Is the K-ETA photo spec the same as the Korean visa photo spec?

Almost. Both require white background, square aspect ratio, JPEG format. The K-ETA has stricter automated checks on background uniformity and head position; the consulate-issued Korean visa photo is reviewed by a human at the consulate window and has slightly wider tolerances.

Q: Does the K-ETA accept AI-edited photos?

Yes as of 2026, with one caveat: the Korean Ministry of Justice has not yet adopted the US-style anti-AI-editing rule. Photos generated by AI tools that properly normalize to the K-ETA spec are accepted. The risk is that Korea adopts a similar rule in the next 12–24 months — for ongoing applications this is not a concern.

If your K-ETA application was rejected for the photo, the most common causes are (1) photo not square (must be 1:1 ratio, minimum 300×300 px), (2) background not pure white, (3) head positioned too low or too small in the frame, or (4) file size outside 100 KB to 1 MB. The K-ETA portal at k-eta.go.kr applies stricter automated checks than most Korean visa types. To fix: regenerate a 600×600 px square JPEG, head 50–69% of frame height, plain white background, file size ~200 KB. complypic's K-ETA template produces a compliant photo for US$4.99 with a refund if rejected on resubmission.

Why the K-ETA rejects photos more often than other Korean visas

The K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization) replaced visa-free entry from 112 countries in 2021 and uses a tighter automated photo-validation pipeline than the older Korean tourist visa (C-3-9) channel. The K-ETA portal validates dimensions, file size, format and background uniformity at the upload step — a photo that passed a C-3-9 application five years ago may not pass the K-ETA check today.

The Korean Ministry of Justice updated the K-ETA biometric checker in late 2024 to align with ICAO 9303 strictness. Backgrounds that were previously accepted as 'light enough' (off-white, very pale grey) are now rejected. Head-position tolerances were also tightened by about 10%.

Practical consequence: photos from Korean retail studios in your home country may pass, but selfies cropped from older photos rarely do. The K-ETA is one of the strictest portals for self-taken photos.

The exact K-ETA photo spec

Format: JPEG only. PNG, HEIC and GIF are rejected at upload.

Dimensions: minimum 300×300 px, maximum 1200×1200 px, square aspect ratio (1:1). Rectangular photos are rejected.

File size: minimum 100 KB, maximum 1 MB. Files smaller than 100 KB are flagged as insufficient resolution; files over 1 MB are rejected by the portal.

Background: plain white. The K-ETA does not accept off-white, light grey, or any color tint. The background must read as pure or near-pure white to the automated check.

Head: 50–69% of the frame height, eyes 56–69% from the bottom, centered horizontally, no tilt. Face fully visible — no hair across the eyes, no head turn.

Recency: taken within the last 6 months and showing the current appearance. No glasses, no hat (except religious head coverings with face fully visible), neutral expression with mouth closed.

Common K-ETA rejection codes and fixes

'Photo dimensions invalid' — the photo isn't square or is below 300×300 px. Fix: re-crop to 600×600 px square exactly.

'Background not compliant' — the background isn't pure white. This is the most common rejection. Fix: regenerate the photo with a normalized white background. A grey or off-white wall in the original selfie will trigger this every time.

'Head position invalid' — the head is too small (face takes up <50% of the frame) or too low. Fix: crop tighter so the chin is roughly 12–15% from the bottom of the frame and the crown is roughly 15–20% from the top.

'File size exceeded' — over 1 MB. Re-export the JPEG at quality 85 instead of 100. A 600×600 px JPEG at quality 85 is typically 150–250 KB, well within bounds.

'Photo previously used' — the K-ETA system stores submitted photos and rejects exact duplicates if you re-apply. Take a fresh photo before resubmitting.

What to do if your K-ETA was already rejected

First check whether the rejection was for the photo specifically or for a different reason (mismatched passport details, prior overstay, country eligibility). The K-ETA rejection email usually specifies the cause. If the photo is the cause, the email cites one of the codes above.

You can resubmit a K-ETA application immediately with a corrected photo — there's no waiting period. The K-ETA fee is non-refundable (KRW 10,000, ~US$8), so a resubmission means paying the fee again on top of any photo cost.

If your travel date is close (within 7 days), generating a compliant photo via complypic and resubmitting within minutes is the fastest path. complypic's K-ETA template targets the exact spec — 600×600 px square JPEG, pure white background, head 60% of frame height — and the preview shows the result before payment, so you can verify it matches K-ETA requirements before spending anything.

Generating a K-ETA compliant photo with complypic

Upload any selfie (any background, any size, any lighting). complypic's K-ETA template crops to 600×600 px square, normalizes the background to pure white, repositions the head to 60% of frame height, and exports as JPEG at ~200 KB — exactly within the K-ETA portal's accepted range.

The preview shows the full result before charging. If anything looks off (head position, background, expression), re-upload a different selfie at no cost. You only pay US$4.99 when the preview matches what the K-ETA portal will accept.

If your K-ETA application is rejected again after submitting the complypic photo (rare — the spec calibration is precise), the rejection-refund guarantee applies. Send the K-ETA rejection email to refund@complypic.com and we'll refund the US$4.99 via PayPal within 24 hours.

FAQ

How fast does the K-ETA portal reject a photo?

Within minutes for technical rejections (dimensions, file size, format) — these are checked at the upload step. Photo-content rejections (background not white, head position) typically arrive within 24–48 hours after submission as part of the broader application review.

Can I resubmit a K-ETA after rejection?

Yes, immediately. There's no waiting period. The KRW 10,000 (~US$8) fee is non-refundable, so each resubmission costs the fee. Use complypic's free preview to verify the photo before submitting to avoid paying the fee twice.

Why does the K-ETA reject backgrounds that other Korean visas accept?

The K-ETA portal was updated in late 2024 with stricter automated checks than the older C-3-9 tourist visa channel. Backgrounds that previously passed (off-white, very pale grey) are now rejected — the portal now requires pure white.

Is the K-ETA photo spec the same as the Korean visa photo spec?

Almost. Both require white background, square aspect ratio, JPEG format. The K-ETA has stricter automated checks on background uniformity and head position; the consulate-issued Korean visa photo is reviewed by a human at the consulate window and has slightly wider tolerances.

Does the K-ETA accept AI-edited photos?

Yes as of 2026, with one caveat: the Korean Ministry of Justice has not yet adopted the US-style anti-AI-editing rule. Photos generated by AI tools that properly normalize to the K-ETA spec are accepted. The risk is that Korea adopts a similar rule in the next 12–24 months — for ongoing applications this is not a concern.

Related guides

Korea visa

35×45 mm, plain white background, head 32-36 mm. Built for the K-ETA portal and Korean consulate visa applications — tourist (C-3), business (C-4), student (D-2/D-4) and work (E-series).

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Last reviewed 2026-05-28Official complypic page →