Passport and Visa Photo Glossary

Name: IDPhotoSnap
Author: Elena

By Elena, Founder · 30 terms · Source-anchored definitions

Plain-English definitions for the 30 most-cited passport, visa, and biometric photo terms. Forms (DS-160, DS-260, I-485), portals (COVA, Enjaz, Sarathi, K-ETA), standards (ICAO 9303, MRP), issuing authorities (USCIS, HMPO, Bürgeramt, VFS Global), and the laws that govern biometric data (BIPA, DPDP Act 2023, GDPR Article 9). Source-anchored against the official issuing authority for each term. Same methodology as our editorial standards.

Forms

DS-160: DS-160 is the online nonimmigrant visa application form used by the US Department of State for tourist (B-1/B-2), student (F-1/J-1), work (H-1B/L-1), and other temporary visa categories. The photo upload step has a strict 240 KB JPEG file-size cap that silently rejects most studio-produced photos.
DS-260: DS-260 is the online immigrant visa and alien registration application used for consular processing of US Green Card applications outside the United States. It replaced the paper DS-230 in 2013 and accepts photo uploads between 600x600 and 1200x1200 pixels JPEG, under 240 KB.
DS-5501: DS-5501 is the electronic entry form for the US Diversity Visa lottery, also called the Green Card lottery. From April 2026 entrants must upload a valid passport scan alongside the 600x600 pixel JPEG biometric photo.
I-485(Adjustment of Status, AoS): I-485 is the Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, filed with USCIS by foreign nationals already in the United States. After the 22 May 2026 USCIS memorandum, I-485 is treated as discretionary relief, not the default Green Card path; consular processing via DS-260 became the new default route.
Reisepass: Reisepass is the German passport. As of May 2025 the photo must be captured at a Bürgeramt terminal or by a certified Fotograf, not produced by an app or photo booth.
Personalausweis: Personalausweis is the German national identity card. The Bürgeramt digital-photo rule applies the same way as for the Reisepass.
Digital Nomad Visa (DNV): A Digital Nomad Visa is a residence permit category that lets remote workers live in a country while working for foreign employers or clients. As of 2026 over 50 countries offer a DNV including Portugal D7, Spain, Bulgaria, Estonia, Croatia, Colombia, Mexico, Japan, and Cyprus. Photo requirements typically follow the country passport spec.
H-1B: H-1B is a US nonimmigrant work visa category for specialty occupations requiring at least a bachelor degree. After the 22 May 2026 USCIS memorandum, H-1B holders who expected to file I-485 inside the US for a Green Card are now directed to consular processing via DS-260 in their home country.

Portals

COVA(China Online Visa Application): COVA is the China Online Visa Application portal operated by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The photo upload requires a 33x48 mm JPEG with white background, file size between 40 KB and 1 MB.
Enjaz: Enjaz is the Saudi Arabian visa application portal used for work visas, Umrah, Hajj, and tourist visas. The photo upload has a 200 KB file-size cap and requires a 35x45 mm JPEG with white background.
Sarathi: Sarathi is the Indian driving licence application portal operated by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. The photo upload window is narrow: 20-50 KB JPEG, 35x45 mm size, plain white background.
Parivahan: Parivahan is the central Indian transport portal that hosts the Sarathi driving licence services and the Vahan vehicle services. The photo standards mirror Sarathi: 20-50 KB JPEG, 35x45 mm.
K-ETA(Korean Electronic Travel Authorization): K-ETA is the Republic of Korea Electronic Travel Authorization, required for most visa-exempt visitors. The photo is digital-only at 700x700 pixels JPEG, between 100 KB and 1 MB, with white background.
ETIAS(European Travel Information and Authorisation System): ETIAS is the European travel authorization system launching in late 2026 for visitors from 60+ visa-exempt countries (US, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, and others). ETIAS does not require a separate photo upload; the existing passport biometric data is used.
UK ETA: UK ETA is the United Kingdom Electronic Travel Authorisation, enforced from 25 February 2026 for visitors from 84+ countries. Fee is GBP 20. Application is via the GOV.UK ETA app; the photo is a live selfie captured during the application, not a separate upload.
EES(EU Entry/Exit System): EES is the European Union Entry/Exit System that launched on 10 April 2026. EES captures biometric data (face plus four fingerprints) at the Schengen border kiosk on arrival. No separate photo upload is required for the application step.
ImmiAccount: ImmiAccount is the Australian government visa application portal operated by the Department of Home Affairs. Photo uploads require a minimum 900x1125 pixel JPEG with white or light grey background.

Standards

ICAO 9303: ICAO 9303 is the International Civil Aviation Organization document standard that defines biometric passport photo requirements: head size 50-69% of the frame, neutral expression, both eyes visible, no shadows, no smiles, no glasses, plain background. Most countries reference ICAO 9303 rather than restate the rules.
OH-DOIS: OH-DOIS is the German Optical Heimatlosen-Dokument-Identifikations-System, an internal German verification standard for biometric passport photos against the Reisepass database. Not commonly referenced outside German government workflows.
MRP(Machine-Readable Passport): MRP is the Machine-Readable Passport standard defined in ICAO 9303 Part 4. Photo requirements include ICAO biometric compliance plus the MRZ (Machine Readable Zone) at the bottom of the data page.
e-Passport(biometric passport, chip passport): An e-Passport is a biometric passport containing an embedded RFID chip that stores the holder identity data and a digital copy of the photo. ICAO 9303 Part 9 defines the chip data structure. As of 2026 most countries issue e-Passports as the default.

Authoritys

BMET(Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training): BMET is the Bangladeshi Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training, which clears labour migrants for overseas employment. Passport photo specifications include 45x55 mm size with white background.
VFS Global: VFS Global is a private outsourcing partner that operates visa application centers on behalf of governments worldwide. VFS handles biometric capture and document submission for many Schengen, UK, US, Canadian, and Australian visa applications, but does not adjudicate the visa itself.
TLS Contact: TLS Contact is a private visa services partner similar to VFS Global, operating visa application centers primarily for French, Swiss, Belgian, and other Schengen governments. Photo requirements match the destination country specification.
USCIS(US Citizenship and Immigration Services): USCIS is the US Citizenship and Immigration Services agency under the Department of Homeland Security. USCIS adjudicates Green Card applications, naturalization, and immigration benefits inside the United States. The 22 May 2026 memorandum reframed I-485 as discretionary.
HMPO(His Majesty Passport Office): HMPO is the United Kingdom passport-issuing authority. Photo specifications follow ICAO 9303 with the UK-specific 35x45 mm size, cream or light grey background, and the post-2018 ban on glasses.
Bürgeramt(Buergeramt): Bürgeramt is the German citizen-registration office. Since 1 May 2025 the Reisepass and Personalausweis applications require photo capture at a Bürgeramt self-service terminal or a certified Fotograf with QR-code upload; paper photos and passport photo apps are no longer accepted for German citizens.

Laws

BIPA(Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act): BIPA is the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act of 2008, the strictest US state-level biometric privacy law. BIPA requires informed written consent before any private entity collects biometric identifiers (face, fingerprint, iris). Passport-photo services that upload to a server while a user is in Illinois are within BIPA scope.
DPDP Act 2023(Digital Personal Data Protection Act): DPDP Act 2023 is the Indian Digital Personal Data Protection Act enacted in August 2023. DPDP regulates how personal data (including biometric photos) is collected, stored, and processed for residents of India, with consent and breach-notification requirements.
GDPR(General Data Protection Regulation): GDPR is the European Union General Data Protection Regulation, effective May 2018. Article 9 classifies biometric data (face geometry, fingerprint, iris) as a special category requiring explicit consent or another specific legal basis before processing. Passport-photo services that handle EU residents fall within Article 9 scope.

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Last reviewed: June 2026. Definitions are reviewed every six months and updated when issuing-authority documentation changes. Corrections: elena@idphotosnap.com.