Karta Pobytu photo requirements (MOS)

For the MOS portal to accept your Karta Pobytu CUKR photo, the file must match Poland’s technical and biometric requirements exactly. These are set by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration (MSWiA) and the international ICAO 9303 standard.

Below, the full requirements list as of May 2026.

Digital file parameters

Parameter	Value
Resolution	684 × 883 pixels
Format	JPG (JPEG)
File size	up to 2.5 MB
Color space	sRGB
Color depth	24-bit (8 bits per channel)
DPI	300 (for print)

These are the exact values the MOS portal validator checks. A 685×883 file, rejected. A 2.6 MB file, rejected.

Physical format (for print)

Parameter	Value
Photo size	35 × 45 mm
Print resolution	300 DPI
Sheet	10 × 15 cm (standard)
Photos per sheet	6

A physical print is only needed at card collection at the Voivodeship Office (Urząd Wojewódzki). For the online CUKR application via MOS, only the digital file is required.

Framing and pose

Parameter	Value
Face in frame	70–80% of frame height
Head position	Front-facing, no tilt
Eyes	Open, pupils visible
Eye line	At 60–70% from the bottom
Expression	Neutral, mouth closed
Lighting	Even, no shadows on the face

Background

Color, white (#FFFFFF) or very light gray
No patterns, shadows, or objects
No blur (bokeh), phone portrait mode is not acceptable

Clothing and accessories

Plain clothing that contrasts with the white background (dark T-shirt, sweater)
No headwear (exception: religious reasons, with supporting document)
Glasses: allowed if no glare and frames don’t cover the face. Easier to take off.
No masks (medical or cosmetic)
No earphones, scarves, or anything around the face

Biometric requirements (ICAO 9303 standard)

This is the international biometric passport-photo standard that MOS relies on:

One face in frame: no other people, hands, objects
Face uncovered: by hair, glasses, mask, or clothing
Head straight: no tilt greater than 5°
Even lighting: no shadows from nose, chin, or overhead light
Natural skin tones: no yellow, blue, or green cast
Sharp: no blur, noise, or grain

Most common reasons MOS rejects the photo

Reason	How to avoid
Wrong size (not 684×883)	Use a validator, FotoDoKartyBot always outputs the correct size
Gray, yellow, colored background	Shoot near a white wall in daylight
Shadow on the face	Turn your face toward the main light source
Head tilted or rotated	Look straight into the camera, shoulders level
Eyes covered by hair	Tuck hair behind ears or pin it back
Smile with teeth	Close your mouth, neutral expression
Glasses glare	Take glasses off, or tilt them slightly down
Portrait-mode blur	Disable “Portrait” / “bokeh” on the phone
File over 2.5 MB	Lower JPG quality to 85–90%
Grainy, dark photo	Don’t shoot at night or in a dark room

Why these requirements are so strict

Polish migration services use automated facial recognition to verify applications and later identify the cardholder. If the photo doesn’t meet the biometric requirements, the system can’t match it against your face during further checks. That’s why MOS rejects non-compliant photos at the upload stage.

How to guarantee passing validation

Fastest path, send a selfie to the @FotoDoKartyBot bot. The bot:

Automatically validates the selfie against every requirement above
Resizes to exactly 684×883 px
Sets JPG quality to fit (under 2.5 MB)
Outputs 4 lighting variants, pick the best
Outputs a 10×15 cm print sheet, in case you need a physical copy

Price: 250 XTR (Telegram Stars) in the bot today, or 16.99 PLN gross by card or Przelewy24 once that goes live. Time: about 20 seconds.

Sources

Act of 12 December 2013 on Foreigners (Ustawa o cudzoziemcach), Dz.U. 2013 item 1650
MSWiA Regulation of 28 January 2022 (as amended) on photo requirements
ICAO 9303 standard (Machine Readable Travel Documents)
MOS portal technical documentation: mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl

Ready to take the photo? See the step-by-step shooting guide or the MOS upload walkthrough.