Make Ireland Employment Permit Photo Online

Ireland Employment Permit Photo Requirements

The photograph is uploaded separately from the copy of the employee’s passport details page. Do not upload a scan or photograph of the passport itself in the passport-photo field.

How to Create an Ireland Employment Permit PhotoSelect the Ireland employment permit format.

1. Select your country and photo size specifiaction
2. Upload a recent, clear photograph to our passport photo editor
3. Download your 100% compliant photo

Who Uploads the Employment Permit Photo?

The prospective employee completes the personal-information section of the online application and uploads their passport photograph.

The employer completes the parts of the application concerning the employment, remuneration and employment contract. The relevant parties must complete and electronically sign their sections before the application can proceed.

Passport-Style Photo Guidelines

The employment-permit system asks for a passport-sized photograph of the employee. For a clear passport-style result:

• Face the camera directly.
• Keep your head straight.
• Keep both eyes open and visible.
• Use a neutral facial expression.
• Keep your mouth closed.
• Ensure the image is sharp and correctly exposed.
• Use even lighting across the face.
• Keep hair away from the eyes.
• Use a plain, light-coloured background.
• Make sure no other person or object appears in the image.

Avoid filters, facial retouching and effects that significantly change your appearance.

Photo Background

Use a plain, evenly lit background. Suitable background colours include:

• White
• Cream
• Light grey

There should be clear contrast between the background and the employee’s hair, face and clothing.

Avoid:

• Patterned walls
• Furniture
• Doors and decorations
• Strong shadows
• Other people
• Dark backgrounds
• Backgrounds similar in colour to the applicant’s clothing

Facial Expression and Position

The employee should:

• Look directly into the camera.
• Keep their head upright.
• Keep their shoulders level.
• Maintain a neutral expression.
• Keep their mouth closed.
• Keep both eyes clearly visible.
• Avoid tilting or turning their head.

Do not crop off the top of the head, chin or sides of the face.

Glasses

It is safer to remove glasses before taking the photograph.

When glasses are worn:

• The eyes must be clearly visible.
• The lenses should be clear.
• There must be no glare or reflections.
• The frames must not cover the eyes.
• Dark or tinted lenses should not be worn.

Head Coverings

Religious or medical head coverings may be worn when the full face remains visible.

The covering should not:

• Cover the eyes, nose, mouth or chin
• Cast a shadow across the face
• Hide the facial outline
• Blend into the background

Fashion hats, caps and decorative headwear should be removed.

Clothing

Wear normal clothing that contrasts with the background.

Avoid:

• White clothing against a white background
• Uniforms
• Clothing with official insignia
• Large hoods
• Scarves covering the chin
• Clothing that hides the facial outline

A plain, darker top normally provides good contrast against a light background.

Lighting and Image Quality

Use soft, even lighting. The photograph must be clear enough for the employee to be identified easily.

Avoid:

• Shadows across the face
• Shadows on the background
• Red-eye
• Motion blur
• Pixelation
• Overexposure
• Underexposure
• Flash reflections
• Strong colour filters
• Excessive compression

The image must remain clear after it has been resized to the permitted dimensions.

Do Not Scan a Printed Photograph

A scanned copy of a printed passport photograph should not be used. The Department advises prospective employees to obtain an original digital file that meets the published pixel and resolution specifications.

The following are not suitable:

• A scan of a printed photograph
• A photograph of a printed photograph
• A screenshot of a social-media profile
• A screenshot from a passport
• A crop taken from the passport details page
• An image copied from another identity document

Can You Take the Photo With a Phone?

A phone may produce a suitable original image when it is used carefully, although the Department’s troubleshooting guidance advises applicants who experience upload problems to obtain a compliant digital file from a professional photo shop.

When using a phone:

1. Ask another person to take the photograph.
2. Position the camera at eye level.
3. Use the rear camera where possible.
4. Turn off portrait mode and beauty filters.
5. Do not use digital zoom.
6. Use even daylight.
7. Keep the phone steady.
8. Save the full-resolution original.
9. Resize a copy rather than repeatedly editing the original.

Common Reasons the Photo Will Not Upload

An employment permit photograph may fail to upload when:

• It is narrower than 413 pixels.
• It is shorter than 531 pixels.
• It is wider than 448 pixels.
• It is taller than 590 pixels.
• Its resolution is below 240 dpi.
• Its resolution is above 300 dpi.
• It is not saved as a JPEG.
• The file is 5 MB or larger.
• It is a scanned photograph.
• The filename has an unsupported extension.
• The image is damaged or corrupted.
• The photograph was uploaded from a mobile device in an unsupported format.

When a compliant photograph still does not upload, save it to a desktop or laptop computer and try uploading it from there. This is also recommended in the Department’s current troubleshooting guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What resolution is required?

The image resolution must be between 240 and 300 dpi.

Which file format should I use?

Save the photograph as a JPEG file.

What is the maximum file size?

Each individual uploaded document must be smaller than 5 MB.

Can I scan a printed passport photograph?

No. The Department states that the employment permit photo should not be scanned. Use an original digital JPEG.

Can I upload a copy of my passport photo page?

No. The passport photograph and the passport details-page copy are separate documents.

Can I use a PNG or HEIC file?

The published requirements specify JPEG. Convert PNG, HEIC or other formats to JPEG before uploading.

Can I take the photograph with my phone?

A phone can create an original digital image, but the finished file must meet all dimension, resolution, format and file-size limits. The Department advises using a professional photo shop when applicants have difficulty producing a compliant file.

Who uploads the photograph?

The prospective employee uploads their passport photograph while completing their section of the Employment Permits Online application.

Does the image need to be printed on matte paper?

No printed paper is submitted through the online photograph field. The required upload is a digital JPEG.

Are the requirements the same for a General and Critical Skills Employment Permit?

Current permit checklists require a passport-type photograph of the employee, and the Employment Permits Online upload screen provides the technical digital specifications. Applicants should also consult the checklist for their particular permit type.

What should I do when the photograph meets the requirements but still will not upload?

Save the file to a desktop or laptop, verify its properties and upload it again from the computer. Also confirm that the file is a genuine JPEG and is smaller than 5 MB.

Sources:
https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/what-we-do/workplace-and-skills/employment-permits/