Qatar Visa Photo from India (30x40mm, White)

Qatar visa photos are 30x40 mm (3 x 4 cm) with a plain white background, following the ICAO biometric standard used by Qatar's Ministry of Interior (MOI) and the Metrash2 app. The same 30x40 mm white-background spec covers work, visit, tourist, and family visas applied for through the Qatar eVisa portal. Indian passport photos are 51x51 mm (square) and are NOT the right size for Qatar applications.

The two most common reasons for Indian applicants are size and background. Qatar needs 30x40 mm, not the 51x51 mm square Indian passport photo, and the background must be pure white, not the off-white or grey a normal studio uses. For online submission the file should be a colour JPEG, at least about 600 x 720 px, and under 2 MB. A phone photo against a tinted wall, or a low-resolution scan, gets bounced at the portal.

Plain pure white only, with no shadow behind the head, no pattern, and no object in frame. The face should fill roughly 80 percent of the photo from chin to crown, with a neutral expression, mouth closed, both eyes open and visible, and no glasses. A head covering worn for religious reasons is allowed as long as the full face from chin to forehead stays visible. The photo must be taken within the last 6 months.

Qatar is one of the 18 ECR (Emigration Check Required) countries, so ECR passport holders taking up employment must complete eMigrate / Protector of Emigrants clearance through a registered recruitment agent before leaving India. The same 30x40 mm white-background photo is reused across the visa application, the medical fitness test (GAMCA / Wafid), and the Qatar ID enrolment after arrival. Carry several printed copies plus a clean digital JPEG under 2 MB, so you are not re-shooting at each step.

Three options: (1) the recruitment agency photo service, convenient but priced at a premium and not always white-background correct. (2) A local studio at INR 80 to 200, but you must say "Qatar visa, 30x40 mm, plain white background, digital copy too" because most studios default to the 51x51 mm Indian size. (3) Free at home with a smartphone using IDPhotoSnap, which outputs a print-ready 30x40 mm sheet plus a clean digital JPEG under 2 MB for the Qatar eVisa upload, no upload to any server and no signup.

The GCC Grand Tours Visa, a single Schengen-style visa covering Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman, is set for a pilot launch in late 2026. The photo standard across all six states is the same ICAO biometric base: a recent colour photo on a plain white background with the face clearly visible. A 30x40 mm white-background photo that passes Qatar today is a safe format to prepare for the unified system as it rolls out. See our guide on the unified GCC visa photo for the full picture.