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Requirements established for photos upon application for issue of documents

Issuer:Government
Type:regulation
In force from:01.01.2011
In force until:31.12.2015
Translation published:24.09.2014

Requirements established for photos upon application for issue of documents
[RT I 2010, 45, 272 - entry into force 01.10.2010]

Passed 22.09.2006 No. 209
RT I 2006, 41, 316
Entry into force 02.10.2006

Amended by the following legal instruments (show)

PassedPublishedEntry into force
23.07.2009RT I 2009, 41, 27730.07.2009
17.06.2010RT I 2010, 45, 27201.10.2010
19.08.2010RT I 2010, 60, 40601.10.2010
14.12.2010RT I, 22.12.2010, 201.01.2011

This Regulation is established on the basis of subsection 15(7) of the Identity Documents Act.
[RT I 2010, 45, 272 - entry into force 01.10.2010]

Chapter 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS 

§ 1.  Scope of application

  This Regulation stipulates the requirements established for photos upon application for the issue of identity card, residence permit card, digital identity certificate, passport of Estonian citizen, diplomatic passport, seaman’s service book, alien’s passport, temporary travel document, refugee’s travel document and certificate of record of service on Estonian ships (hereinafter personal identity document).
[RT I, 22.12.2010, 2 – entry into force 01.01.2011]

§ 2.  General requirements

 (1) A photo to be submitted upon application for the issue of a personal identity document shall, as a minimum, meet the requirements stipulated in this Regulation.

 (2) The photo shall be a colour photo with the dimensions of 40×50 mm.

 (3) The photo shall allow the unambiguous verification of identity. The photo must allow the transfer of the facial image to a personal identity document and the processing of the facial image.
[RT I 2009, 41, 277 – entry into force 30.07.2009]

 (4) The photo annexed to an application shall not be taken more than six months before the submission of the application.

Chapter 2 QUALITY OF PHOTO AND DEPICTION OF PERSON ON PHOTO 

§ 3.  Quality

 (1) The photo shall have a print resolution of at least 300 dots per inch.

 (2) The photo shall be printed on high-quality paper.

§ 4.  Non-conforming photos

 (1) The photo shall not be damaged, defected or processed for beautification or artistic purposes.

 (2) The photo shall not contain other persons and objects.

 (3) The submission of a scanned photo is not allowed.

 (4) The photo may not be taken with a radial distortion lens.

§ 5.  Facial image

 (1) Upon photographing, the camera shall be at level with the face of the person. The shoulders of the person depicted on the photo shall be parallel with the lens. The head of the person may be tilted by up to 5 degrees to the left, right, forward or back or turned to the left or right.

 (2) The head and shoulders of the person shall be visible on the photo.

 (3) The person shall be depicted on the photo in frontal view and in a natural state – with neutral expression, open eyes, closed mouth, without headwear and looking at the lens.

 (4) The face of the person on the photo shall be in focus from the top of the head to the chin and from the nose to the ears and be of detailed clarity.

 (5) The centre of the mouth and nose of the person on the photo shall be on the virtual vertical axis of the photo, located in the horizontal centre of the photo.

 (6) The area between the chin and the top of the head shall form 70–80% of the vertical height of the photo.

 (7) The virtual horizontal line through the centre of the eyes shall be located at the height of 50–70% of the total vertical length of the photo from the bottom edge of the photo. On a photo of a person of less than 11 years of age, the relevant minimum value may be 40%.

 (8) The photo may be taken so that the hair of the person is not fully visible.

 (9) Hair or facial decorations may not hide or create shadows on the face of the person on the photo. Nose and eyebrow piercing may be visible on the photo, provided that these do not prevent the unambiguous identification of the person.

§ 6.  Eyes

 (1) The iris and the pupil of the eye of the person shall be clearly visible on the photo. Eyebrows shall not cast shadows in eye sockets and hair shall not be in front of the eyes.

 (2) The virtual horizontal line between the centres of the eyes of the person on the photo shall be parallel to the top and bottom edges of the photo.

§ 7.  Glasses

  If the person wears glasses, the facial image on the photo shall meet the following requirements:
 1) the pupil and the retina of the person shall be clearly visible;
 2) the lenses of the glasses shall not reflect light;
 3) wearing glasses with toned lenses on the photo is allowed in the event of justified medical indication;
 4) the unambiguous identification of the person shall be possible and the facial image of the person shall not be hidden by the frames of the glasses.

§ 8.  Headwear

 (1) For religious reasons, the person may wear headwear on the photo, provided that the facial image of the person from the lower chin to the upper part of the forehead is clearly visible and without shadows cast by headwear.
[RT I 2009, 41, 277 – entry into force 30.07.2009]

 (2) A person wearing headwear for religious reasons shall submit the photo together with the written assessment issued by the Ministry of the Interior concerning the mandatory nature of wearing the headwear due to the religious beliefs of the applicant.

Chapter 3 Background, lighting and colours of photos 

§ 9.  Background of photos

 (1) The background of the photo shall be flat, monotone, of light colour and in contract with the tone of the face and hair.

 (2) The recommended colours of the photo background are light blue, beige, light brown, light grey or white.

§ 10.  Lighting, exposure and balance of colour of photo

 (1) The lighting on the photo shall be even, of normal luminosity and contract, with minimum shadows and without reflection on the face and background. The sources of lighting shall be of natural spectre.
[RT I 2009, 41, 277 – entry into force 30.07.2009]

 (2) The face of the person depicted in the photo may have minimum shadows. The face shall not have bright areas and the texture gradation of every part of the face shall be clearly visible.
[RT I 2009, 41, 277 – entry into force 30.07.2009]

 (3) The skin tone of the person on the photo shall be of natural colour and shall not be saturated with colour or over-exposed or under-exposed.

 (4) No red-eye is allowed on photos. The removal of red-eye from photos using software is also not allowed.

Chapter 4 IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS 

§ 11.  Specifications of introduction of photo meeting requirements established in this Regulation

  Until 1 February 2007, an applicant may submit an application for the issue of a personal identity document together with a photo meeting at least the following requirements:
 1) the photo shall be a colour photo with the dimensions of 40×50 mm;
 2) the person on the photo shall be depicted in frontal view, without headwear and on a light background;
 3) the photo shall allow the transfer of the image of the person to the personal identity document. The photo shall allow the unambiguous identification of the person;
 4) for religious reasons, the person may wear headwear on the photo, provided that the facial image of the person from the lower chin to the upper part of the forehead is clearly visible. A person wearing headwear for religious reasons shall submit the photo together with the written assessment issued by the Ministry of the Interior concerning the mandatory nature of wearing the headwear due to the religious beliefs of the applicant.

Chapter 5 AMENDMENT OF GOVERNMENT OF REPUBLIC REGULATIONS 

§ 12.  [Omitted from this text.]

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