So, I needed a new ID card, and I heard you could do the whole thing online now for Mauritania. Sounds pretty convenient, right? I decided to give it a shot and document my little adventure here.
First off, I started looking around the internet, trying to find a good, reliable place to get this done. I found some different tools that claim they can help make a compliant ID photo. There were a few websites that popped up, but I was a bit cautious. You never know with these online tools.
I found this one tool called “IDPhotoDIY.” It seemed straightforward enough. The instructions were simple, it said, “Find someone to take the photo for you.” Okay, no selfies allowed, got it. I had to grab my wife to help me take a decent picture. We used my phone since it has a pretty good camera.

Once we got a good enough photo, I uploaded it to the IDPhotoDIY website. Then, it wanted me to adjust my head inside a green box on the screen. That was a bit tricky, trying to get my head aligned just right. After a few tries, I finally got it within the guidelines.
After that, the website did its thing. It resized and adjusted the photo to meet some “international standards,” whatever that means. I just followed the instructions and hoped for the best. They had this “photo generator” thing that supposedly makes sure your photo is up to the standard for an ID card.
Once the photo was ready, I downloaded it. I needed it to apply for the actual ID card. They made a point to tell me to use this photo for the official application. I did, and sent it through the official channels to submit my ID card application.
- Step 1: Find a tool online. I used IDPhotoDIY.
- Step 2: Get someone to take a photo of you. No selfies.
- Step 3: Upload and adjust the photo on the website.
- Step 4: Download the adjusted photo.
- Step 5: Submit the photo with your ID card application.
I have to say, the whole photo part was way easier than I expected. I am still waiting to hear back about the ID card application, but at least the photo process was a breeze. Hopefully, the rest of the application is just as smooth. I will keep you guys updated on how that goes. Fingers crossed!
Alright, that’s my experience with trying to get a Mauritania ID card photo online. It was a bit of a process, but definitely doable. If any of you are trying to do the same, maybe this will help you out a bit.