My Number Card Photo Size and How to Take It: By Mail, by Smartphone and for Renewal
Applying for Japan's My Number Card, and renewing it every 10 years, requires a face photo. Should you use a photo booth, shoot on your phone and send it straight away, or print it and attach it to the application form? The form the photo takes depends on how you apply, which confuses many people. This article covers the photo requirements, what you need for mail, smartphone, computer and photo booth applications, the pixel and file sizes that keep online applications from being rejected, and examples of photos that won't be accepted.
My Number Card photo requirements
The face photo on a My Number Card is printed on the front and used as proof of identity for years. So besides size, there are several conditions for how you appear.
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Size (paper photo) | 4.5 cm tall × 3.5 cm wide (no border) |
| When taken | Within 6 months before applying |
| How you appear | Front-facing, no hat, no background, only you |
| Image quality | Sharp and in focus, no shadows on your face |
| Expression | Natural, eyes open, mouth closed |
| Clothing | No rules (avoid clothes the same color as the background, which blur your outline) |
It's the same 4.5 × 3.5 cm as a passport, but the My Number Card has no numeric rule for face size, such as a set number of mm from the top of your head to your chin. A good guide is for your face to take up about 70% of the photo's height, with a little space above your head. A photo made to passport standards (34 mm ± 2 mm from the top of the head to the chin) can be used as is.
The photo you need depends on how you apply
You can apply for a My Number Card by mail, smartphone or computer, at a photo booth around town, or at a municipal office. Whether you need a paper photo or photo data depends on the method.
| Method | Preparing the photo | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| Print a 4.5 × 3.5 cm photo and attach it to the application form | Write your name and birth date on the back of the photo | |
| Smartphone | Take one with your phone's camera on the spot, or choose one you've taken, and send it | Open the application site from the QR code on the form |
| Computer | Upload the photo data (JPEG) | See "photo data for online applications" below for conditions |
| Photo booth | Take it in a compatible booth and apply on the spot | You need the QR code on the form |
| Municipal office | Whether you bring a photo or can be photographed for free varies by municipality | Check your municipality's guidance first |
Photo data for online applications, and how to avoid rejection
When you apply by smartphone or computer, you send the photo as an image file. If it doesn't meet the conditions, you may get an error at upload or have it returned as incomplete later.
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| File format | JPEG |
| File size | 20 KB to 7 MB |
| Pixels | 480 to 6000 pixels in both width and height |
| Color | Color (RGB) |
A photo straight from your phone usually fits within these limits. The thing to watch is cropping it small to position your face. An image cropped to 4.5 × 3.5 proportions is narrower than it is tall, so its width easily falls below 480 pixels.
| Export resolution for 4.5 × 3.5 cm | Pixels (width × height) | 480 px condition |
|---|---|---|
| 300 dpi | 413 × 531 px | Width too small |
| 350 dpi | 482 × 620 px | Meets it |
| 600 dpi | 827 × 1063 px | Comfortably meets it |
- When exporting a cropped photo, save at 350 dpi or more (600 dpi if possible) so the width is at least 480 pixels.
- Convert iPhone HEIC photos to JPEG before sending. See how to convert HEIC to JPEG.
- If it's over 7 MB, shrink it with how to reduce image file size. Take care not to go below 480 pixels.
- App retouching, such as smoothing skin or enlarging eyes, can get a photo returned as unusable for identification.
Examples of photos that aren't accepted
- Furniture, a door or a patterned wall in the background, or shadows on the background
- Dark shadows on one side of your face or under your eyes, or a face that's too dark or blown out
- Your face turned sideways, tilted, or off-center in the photo
- Wearing a hat, sunglasses or a mask, or bangs covering your eyes
- Glare on glasses hiding your eyes, or frames over your eyes
- Out of focus, camera shake or low image quality
- Other people or objects in the frame (such as a hand holding a child)
- Photos taken more than 6 months ago, or cropped from something else
You can keep glasses on as long as glare or tinted lenses don't hide your eyes. But it's hard to remove glare completely, so if in doubt, take them off. There's no clear numeric standard for shadows, so if you can clearly see one when you zoom in, retake the photo.
You also need a photo to renew your card
A My Number Card has an expiry date, and to renew you reapply with a new photo. The card's expiry date is separate from that of the electronic certificates on the card, so don't confuse them.
| Type | Valid until | Photo |
|---|---|---|
| Card (18 and over) | Your 10th birthday after issue | New photo needed at renewal |
| Card (under 18) | Your 5th birthday after issue | Shorter because faces change more quickly |
| Electronic certificate | Your 5th birthday after issue | Renewed at an office, no photo needed |
As the expiry approaches, a notice and application form arrive. Apply by smartphone from the QR code on the form, or attach a photo and mail it. For working out your age and days to your birthday, see also how full age is counted.
Make a My Number Card photo to print or save as data
In the ID Photo L-Size Print Maker, choosing "My Number Card (4.5 cm tall × 3.5 cm wide)" shows a guide band for your face to take up about 70% of the photo's height. For mail applications, arrange 4 on an L-size sheet and print with a convenience store photo print. For online applications, use "Save a single photo only" to export a JPEG in 4.5:3.5 proportions.
- When saving a single photo for an online application, set the resolution to 350 dpi or 600 dpi. At the standard 300 dpi, the width is 413 pixels and doesn't meet the 480-pixel condition.
- You can also mix 2 résumé photos (4 cm tall × 3 cm wide) and 2 My Number Card photos on one L-size sheet.
- There's no background removal or automatic face detection, so use a photo taken in front of a plain wall.
Passport photo standards are covered in passport photo standards and rejected examples, and convenience store printing steps in how to print ID photos at a convenience store.
FAQ
- What size is a My Number Card photo?
- A paper photo is 4.5 cm tall × 3.5 cm wide. Use a photo taken within 6 months before applying, front-facing, with no hat and no background. Photo data for online applications must be a JPEG of 20 KB to 7 MB, with width and height of 480 to 6000 pixels.
- Can I use a photo taken on my phone for a My Number Card?
- Yes. With a smartphone application you can take it and send it on the spot, and for a mail application you can print a phone photo at 4.5 × 3.5 cm and attach it. Shoot against a plain background with no shadows on your face.
- Why does my photo cause an error in the online application?
- Usually it's one of three things: the cropped photo is under 480 pixels wide, the file is over 7 MB, or it's not a JPEG (HEIC or PNG). A 4.5 × 3.5 cm photo exported at 300 dpi is only 413 pixels wide, so save at 350 dpi or more.
- Can I wear glasses in a My Number Card photo?
- Yes, as long as glare or tinted lenses don't hide your eyes. Frames over your eyes and sunglasses aren't allowed. If you're worried about glare, taking them off is the sure way.
- Do I need a photo to renew my My Number Card?
- To renew the card itself (expiring on your 10th birthday after issue if 18 or over, or your 5th if under 18), you reapply with a new photo. Renewing only the electronic certificate (on your 5th birthday after issue) is done at an office and needs no photo.
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