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The My Number Card photo is 35 × 45 mm (4.5 cm tall × 3.5 cm wide) for postal applications, or 480–6000 pixels per side for online submission — on a plain, light background, taken within the last 6 months.
If you are a foreign resident in Japan, that specification applies to you exactly as it does to Japanese nationals. The trap is not the rule itself — it is that the photo you already have from home is probably the wrong shape.
This is where most people coming to this page in English go wrong.
| Standard | Size | Shape | Works for My Number? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan (My Number, passport) | 35 × 45 mm | Portrait | Yes |
| EU / UK / Schengen | 35 × 45 mm | Portrait | Same dimensions |
| United States | 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm) | Square | No — wrong ratio |
| India | 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm) | Square | No — wrong ratio |
| China | 33 × 48 mm | Portrait | No — wrong ratio |
If you have had a passport photo taken in Europe or the UK, the dimensions match. If you are used to the American 2 × 2 inch square, it does not — a square photo cannot be cropped to 35 × 45 mm without either cutting off the top of your head or leaving your face too small.
Postal and online applications have different requirements.
| Item | Postal | Online |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 4.5 cm (H) × 3.5 cm (W) | 480-6000 pixels (W and H) |
| File format | — | JPEG (RGB) |
| File size | — | 20KB to 7MB |
| Recency | Within 6 months | Within 6 months |
| Background | Plain, light color (white or light blue) | Plain, light color (white or light blue) |
For online submission, the pixel range is minimum 480, maximum 6000 for each dimension. To match the official postal aspect ratio (4.5:3.5), aim for at least 480 × 617 pixels.
Source: My Number Card site — Photo guidelines
According to the official My Number Card site (J-LIS), nearly 80% of online resubmissions are caused by photo defects (verbatim: 「再申請の8割弱が顔写真不備によるもの」). Each resubmission adds roughly another month to the process — a real cost if you are waiting on the card to open a bank account or start a job.
The official site lists these common causes:
The pattern is clear: most defects come from shooting environment and file specs, not from anything about you. Both are fixable.
The rear camera has higher resolution and avoids the wide-angle distortion that selfies introduce. Ask someone else to take it if you can. Shooting alone, prop the phone on a stable surface and use the timer.
Avoid the front (selfie) camera
The front camera has fewer pixels than the rear camera and tends to be held closer, distorting the face. This is one of the most common rejection causes.
Mid-morning to early afternoon, with soft daylight (ideally through a white curtain) hitting your face from the front. Fluorescent light alone tends to give skin a sickly cast. Face the window — don't stand with your back to it.
Hold the phone at eye level, about an arm's length away. Too close distorts your face; too far loses resolution.
Face straight ahead, mouth closed, relaxed. Smiling or showing teeth is a rejection reason — a point that surprises many applicants from countries where a slight smile is normal on ID.
mynaphoto.jp requires you to shoot without glasses. The My Number regulation itself permits them, but lens reflections and frames covering the eyes are listed by the official site as common rejection causes. Removing them is the safest route to passing first time.
A raw phone photo does not yet meet the specification. Two things still have to happen:
Doing both by hand is where most people lose time.
mynaphoto.jp handles the post-processing automatically
Upload your phone photo to mynaphoto.jp and the background is removed, the size adjusted, and compliance with the official specification verified — automatically. The same upload covers 19 supported document types, including passport, resume, and visa. One photo, every size you need.
Source: My Number Card site
My Number Cards are valid for 10 years for holders aged 18 and over, and 5 years for those under 18. Since the programme launched in 2016, the first wave of 10-year renewals begins in 2026 — and renewal requires a new photo.
If your residence status changes or you leave Japan, the card follows the rules for your residence record; the photo specification itself does not change.
If religious or medical circumstances make it impossible to meet the standard requirements (no hat, no head covering, front-facing), a special application is available. Contact your municipal office or see the My Number Card site.
For shooting technique, see good vs bad ID photos. If you also hold a residence card, see Tokutei Zairyu Card photo specs.
Pass on the first try
Upload your smartphone photo. Automatic background removal, size adjustment, and official spec verification. Natural skin retouching; facial features never altered.
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This article is based on requirements current as of August 2026. Specifications may change. Please verify the latest requirements on the My Number Card site.
35 × 45 mm (4.5 cm tall × 3.5 cm wide) for postal applications. For online submission, 480–6000 pixels per side, JPEG (RGB), file size 20KB to 7MB, taken within the last 6 months.
No. The US passport photo is 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm) and square. The My Number Card photo is 35 × 45 mm and portrait. A US-format photo will not be accepted — you need to reshoot or recrop to the Japanese specification.
Every resident registered in Japan, including foreign nationals with a residence card, is assigned a My Number. The card itself is applied for, and the photo specification is identical regardless of nationality.
Yes. If your photo meets the official specifications, a smartphone photo is valid for online submission. The official My Number Card site explicitly allows smartphone photos.
JPEG format, RGB color, file size between 20KB and 7MB, and pixel dimensions of 480-6000 pixels for both width and height. CMYK files are not accepted.
Photo defects. According to the official My Number Card site, nearly 80% of online resubmissions are caused by issues with the facial photo.
No — mynaphoto.jp requires that you remove glasses. The My Number regulation itself permits glasses, but lens reflections and frames hiding the eyes are official rejection causes. Removing them ensures the photo passes.
Upload your photo to mynaphoto.jp. Our AI automatically removes the background and replaces it with a compliant solid color. You can shoot anywhere — the background no longer matters.
Yes. Adults (18 and over) renew every 10 years; under-18 holders renew every 5 years. The first wave of 10-year renewals begins in 2026.