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A week after submitting your My Number Card application, an email arrives: "Your application has a defect. Please resubmit." Many people in Japan have lived this moment.
According to the official My Number Card site, nearly 80% of online resubmissions are caused by photo defects. Getting the photo right the first time saves more than a month of delay.
This article organizes the official rejection reasons into clear categories, explains how to avoid each, and walks through the resubmission process if you do get rejected.
The official "Photo guidelines" page lists many defect examples. They organize into 5 clear categories.
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| ① Composition / position | Face off-center, tilted, or wrong size |
| ② Background | Furniture or wall patterns visible, shadows present |
| ③ Face obstruction | Glasses reflections, hair over eyes, hats, masks, large accessories |
| ④ Image quality | Out of focus, motion blur, red-eye, noise, over/underexposure |
| ⑤ File specs | Non-JPEG, pixel dimensions outside 480-6000px, file size out of range |
Let's go through each.
The official composition rules are surprisingly precise:
(These are based on the 4.5cm × 3.5cm postal size.)
Miss these and the photo is rejected — even if everything else is perfect.
Common mistakes:
How to avoid:
"Plain background" means literally that — no patterns, no furniture, no shadows.
Common mistakes:
How to avoid:
Background editing is officially allowed
Per the official rules, replacing the original background with a solid color is acceptable. A confirmation with MIAC also states that removing the background and lightening shadows are both acceptable edits.
Anything that blocks part of your face is a rejection reason — identity verification has to be possible from the photo.
Glasses issues:
Hair and accessory issues:
Mask and headwear issues:
How to avoid:
Religious or medical exceptions: use the special application
If religious or medical reasons require a head covering (turban, hijab, medical wig), special application provisions apply. Consult your municipal counter.
Smartphone photos can fail on image-quality grounds more often than expected.
Common mistakes:
How to avoid:
Online submission has strict file-level requirements.
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| File format | JPEG |
| Color mode | RGB (CMYK is not accepted) |
| File size | 20KB-7MB |
| Pixel dimensions | 480-6000px for both width and height |
Common mistakes:
How to avoid:
If your application is rejected for a photo defect, the recovery flow is:
There's no fee, but issuance is delayed by at least a month. If you need your My Number Card for upcoming procedures (residence certificates, e-Tax, opening a bank account, etc.), passing on the first try is the fastest path.
Source: My Number Card site — Defect notifications
"Photo editing" covers a wide range. Here's what's allowed and what's not.
| Edit type | Allowed? |
|---|---|
| Background replaced with solid color | ✅ Allowed |
| Size / aspect-ratio adjustment | ✅ Allowed |
| Brightness / contrast adjustment | ✅ Allowed in moderation |
| Light skin smoothing | △ Natural range only |
| Face-contour edits (slimming) | ❌ Not allowed |
| Eye-enlargement | ❌ Not allowed |
| Nose-reshaping | ❌ Not allowed |
| Heavy smoothing that makes you unrecognizable | ❌ Not allowed |
The test is whether staff at the pickup counter can confirm the photo is you. The card must be picked up in person, so if you're unrecognizable, the pickup itself may be refused.
Handling all this manually — file format, background swap, sizing, spec checks — is more work than it sounds.
mynaphoto.jp automates the most common rejection causes
Upload your phone photo to mynaphoto.jp and we handle:
We never edit your facial features or contour, so there's no risk of failing the pickup-counter identity check. The same upload covers 19 specs including passport, resume, and visa.
Pass on the first try — from your phone
Take the photo and upload it. Automatic background removal, sizing, and official spec verification.
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This article is based on requirements current as of May 2026. Specifications may change. Please verify the latest information on the My Number Card site.
The six causes officially listed are: selfie distance too close, indoor backgrounds with furniture visible, shadows on the background from lighting, glasses-lens reflections, tilted face, and file format/size out of spec.
You'll receive a defect notification about a week after submission. Online applicants get a resubmission URL by email; postal applicants receive the original application back with a return envelope. There's no fee, but card issuance is delayed by at least a month.
Yes. Replacing the background with a solid color is officially permitted. Per a confirmation with MIAC, removing the background and lightening shadows are both acceptable. Editing the face shape or features is not.
mynaphoto.jp requires you to remove glasses for the photo. Lens reflections and frames covering the eyes are among the officially-listed rejection causes, so removing them is the safest path to acceptance.
No. Resubmission itself is free, but the additional 3-4 weeks of processing time means passing on the first try is the fastest path to your card.
Editing that changes your facial features or contour will be rejected. If staff at the pickup counter can't verify your identity, you may not be able to receive the card. Keep any retouching natural enough to remain recognizable.