A multi pass type color image forming apparatus and control method are provided. The apparatus advances an exposure time point of forming electrostatic latent images of second and subsequent colors more than that of a first color of a page during consecutive printing or reduces the velocity of a motor to rotate an intermediate transfer belt to minimize a color registration error between a developing agent image of the first color and developing agent images of the subsequent colors of the page caused by cleaning of the intermediate transfer belt and a control method thereof.