Austria passport photo requirements
The 35 × 45 mm photo rules set by Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI) for the Austria passport, with the official wording and sources.
Quick answer
What size is the Austria passport photo?
An Austrian passport photo must be 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in), in colour and no older than six months. Your head, from chin to crown, should fill about two-thirds of the height and must not exceed 36 mm. Use a plain light background, ideally grey, keep a neutral face with your mouth closed, and avoid tinted lenses or glare. Hand it in as a print on smooth glossy paper, or as an eBild code from a registered photographer.
The Austrian passport (Reisepass) is issued by the passport authorities: the district authority (Bezirkshauptmannschaft), the Magistrat in cities with their own statute and, in Vienna, the municipal district offices. You can apply at any of them, wherever you live, and some municipalities accept applications from their residents and forward them. Austrians abroad apply at an Austrian embassy or consulate, and a few honorary consulates also take applications. The application is always made in person, and fingerprints are scanned electronically from the 12th birthday.
Two official texts set the photo rules. Section 4 of the Passport Act implementing regulation (PassG-DV) gives the legal minimum: a colour photo in portrait format, 45 x 35 mm (Austrian texts write the height first), no older than six months, showing only the applicant against a plain light background. The Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) turns this into its "Passbild-Kriterien" and a sample board with good and bad examples, which apply to the passport, the identity card and the residence title alike. The board adds the practical limits, such as a head no taller than 36 mm and a background that is ideally grey.
The photo reaches the authority in one of two ways. You can bring a print. Alternatively, a professional photographer registered with the eBild system can upload the picture and give you an image identification code, which the authority uses to retrieve the file. No official page describes a way to upload a photo you took yourself.
Austria passport photo size and specifications
The requirements as published by Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI):[1]
| Print size | 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in), portrait format |
|---|---|
| Digital size | No upload by applicants; eBild photographers send a 413 x 531 pixel JPEG |
| Head height | About 2/3 of the photo, at most 36 mm chin to crown (about 30 to 36 mm) |
| Eye line | Eyes open, looking into the camera; eye centres at least 8 mm apart (10 mm is optimal) |
| Background | Plain light colour, ideally grey, no pattern or shadows, contrasting with face and hair |
| Colour | Colour only; black-and-white photos cannot be used |
| Photo age | No older than 6 months |
| Print quality | High-quality glossy, smooth paper without surface texture, high print resolution; no scratches, stains, stamps or creases |
| Pixels when printed | 413 × 531 px at 300 dpi · 827 × 1063 px at 600 dpi (calculated) |
In the official words
Exact wording from the official sources, quoted because the details matter:
The photograph must be in sharp focus and clear, have a strong definition between the face and background, be printed professionally
Key requirements
- Head size and position
Measure from the tip of the chin to the top of the head. That distance should be about two-thirds of the 45 mm height and must not exceed 36 mm, although tall hairstyles may run out of the frame. Keep the head centred, with the centres of the eyes at least 8 mm apart; the BMI calls 10 mm optimal.
- Square-on and neutral
Look straight into the lens with both eyes open. The classic portrait pose, a half profile with the shoulders turned towards the camera, is not allowed, and neither is a tilted or turned head. Keep your mouth closed and your expression neutral, and keep hair away from your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Light, even background
The background must be one light colour, ideally grey, with no pattern and no shadows on it. The BMI suggests medium grey for fair hair and light grey for dark hair, so that the head stands out. Nobody else and no objects may appear in the picture.
- Even lighting and natural colour
Light the face evenly so that every detail shows, without shadows on the face or reflections. The image must be sharp and high in contrast, with natural skin tones, no red eye and no colour cast.
- No distortion or mirroring
The photo must not show the head distorted or changed in any other way. The BMI gives mirror-image photos and altered proportions, such as making the head look narrower, as examples of what is refused.
- Print quality
A print must be on smooth, glossy photo paper without a surface texture such as a honeycomb pattern, printed at a high resolution. Scratches, stains, stamp marks and creases make it unusable, and so does visible pixelation.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Check with a ruler that the head is no more than 36 mm from chin to crown.
- Use a plain light grey background if you can.
- Look straight into the lens with your mouth closed.
- Print on smooth, glossy photo paper at high resolution.
- Ask your photographer for an eBild code if you would rather not carry a print.
- Keep proof of the date the photo was taken in case your authority asks.
Don't
- Do not hand in a black-and-white photo.
- Do not turn your shoulders into a portrait pose or tilt your head.
- Do not wear sunglasses, tinted lenses or frames that cover your eyes.
- Do not use a mirrored or digitally reshaped image.
- Do not print on paper with a textured surface.
- Do not use a photo taken more than six months ago.
Sample photos
How a Austria passport photo should look, and the mistakes that most often get photos rejected. Each example is drawn to this document's 35 × 45 mm, head height and background colour.
Illustrations, not real photos. The official rules above always take priority; some documents do not allow glasses at all.
Glasses
Glasses are allowed in an Austrian passport photo if your eyes stay clearly recognisable. The BMI rules out reflections on the lenses, tinted lenses and sunglasses, and the rim of the lenses or the frame must not cover the eyes. PassG-DV section 4 puts it in legal terms: for people who wear glasses, the eyes must be clearly and distinctly visible.
The criteria sheet that the Austrian Embassy in London gives passport applicants adds that heavily tinted glasses are refused and that you may find it easier to remove your glasses altogether.
Headwear and religious dress
Head coverings are not allowed, except for religious or medical reasons. Both exceptions appear in PassG-DV section 4 and on the BMI's current web page; the 2022 sample board mentions only religious reasons, so the newer web page is the better guide. Any other hat or cap has to come off.
If you wear a covering for one of those reasons, your face must be recognisable from the lower edge of the chin to the forehead, and the covering must not cast shadows on the face.
Babies and children
Every child needs a passport of their own, and the child must be present when the application is made, babies included. The photo rules are the same as for adults: the child must be alone in the picture, with the whole face visible and eyes open. The BMI sample board shows a crying child and a child with a dummy as examples of refused photos, and the London embassy's sheet reminds parents that a hand supporting a baby's head must not be visible.
PassG-DV allows departures from the background, head size and pose rules where a person's stage of development or physical condition makes them impossible to meet, which matters for newborns. A passport issued before the second birthday is valid for two years, one issued between the second and 12th birthdays for five years, and one issued from the 12th birthday for ten years, so young children need new photos more often.
Printed and digital photos
There is no applicant upload for Austrian passport photos. The standard route is a single print, handed in at the appointment. The alternative is eBild: a professional photographer registered with the system uploads the picture, receives an image identification code and passes it on to you, and the authority retrieves the file with that code. Photographers send a JPEG of 413 x 531 pixels, which is 35 x 45 mm at 300 dpi. According to the operator's information sheet, published by the City of Linz, eBild went live at Austrian authorities on 1 January 2020.
eBild is open only to qualified photographers and photo retailers who are members of the Austrian Economic Chamber, so it is not a route for a photo taken at home. The chamber in Tyrol says all Tyrolean passport authorities accept it, including the district authorities, the Innsbruck city authority and the municipalities that take passport applications. The domestic rules describe how the photo must look, not who takes it, but the London embassy's sheet says the photograph must be printed professionally. A digital photo can be printed at exactly 35 x 45 mm on a 4 x 6 inch sheet at a photo counter.
Where to submit the photo
In Austria, apply in person at any passport authority: a district authority, a city Magistrat or, in Vienna, a municipal district office. In Leoben and Schwechat the municipality itself is the passport authority. Some municipalities in Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol and Vorarlberg accept applications from people registered there and pass them on. Bring the print or the eBild code with your documents; the Wels-Land district authority, for example, asks to see proof of the photo's date.
Austrians living abroad apply at the responsible embassy or consulate, and selected honorary consulates also take applications. Book an appointment first, online, by phone or by email. Missions can ask for extra documents, so read their page before you go.
How to get your Austria passport photo
- Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Austria passport: 35 × 45 mm print, 413 × 531 px digital file, plain light colour background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
- Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: head size and position; square-on and neutral; light, even background; even lighting and natural colour.
- Prepare a print or digital file. There is no applicant upload for Austrian passport photos. The standard route is a single print, handed in at the appointment.
- Submit the photo with your application. In Austria, apply in person at any passport authority: a district authority, a city Magistrat or, in Vienna, a municipal district office. In Leoben and Schwechat the municipality itself is the passport authority.
Austria passport photo FAQ
35 mm wide and 45 mm high, in portrait format. Austrian regulations and forms often write it height first, as 45 x 35 mm, which is the same size. The head should take up about two-thirds of the height and must not measure more than 36 mm from chin to crown.
Neither the regulation nor the BMI lists white as refused; both ask for one light colour with no pattern. The BMI calls grey ideal because the background must contrast with your face and hair, recommending medium grey for fair hair and light grey for dark hair.
No. The photo must show a neutral expression with the mouth closed. The BMI sample board marks an open mouth as a fault, and the London embassy's sheet asks for no obvious grinning, frowning or raised eyebrows.
The domestic rules describe what the photo must look like, not who takes it, so they do not exclude a photo taken at home if it meets every criterion and is printed on smooth glossy paper at high resolution. The electronic eBild route is open only to registered professional photographers, and the London embassy's sheet says photos must be printed professionally.
eBild is a system through which a registered photographer uploads your passport photo and receives an image identification code. You take that code to the passport authority, which uses it to retrieve the file, so no print is needed. The photographer decides how long the file stays available, between 6 and 24 months, but the six-month age limit for passport photos still applies.
No older than six months, and you must be clearly recognisable in it. Some authorities check this: the Wels-Land district authority asks applicants to show proof of the photo's date when they apply.
Yes. Every child, from birth, needs their own passport and photo, and the baby must be present when the application is made. Where a young child cannot meet the pose and framing rules because of their stage of development, PassG-DV allows departures from them. The child must still be alone in the photo.
Yes, if you wear it for religious reasons; head coverings worn for medical reasons are also accepted. Your face must be visible from the bottom of the chin to the forehead, and the scarf must not throw a shadow across it.
Related photo specifications
Other Austria documents
- Visa photo 35 × 45 mm
- Civil engineer ID card photo 35 × 45 mm
- ID card photo 35 × 45 mm
- Driving licence photo 35 × 45 mm
- Residence permit photo 35 × 45 mm
- ÖBB card photo
- Weapons passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Bicycle passport photo 25 × 30 mm
- E-card photo 35 × 45 mm
Passports nearby
- Belgium passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- France passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Germany passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Luxembourg passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Monaco passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Netherlands passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Switzerland passport photo 35 × 45 mm
Also 35 × 45 mm
- Afghanistan visa photo 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria visa photo 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria ID card photo 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria residence permit photo 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria work permit photo 35 × 45 mm
- Andorra passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Anguilla passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Antigua and Barbuda passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Armenia visa photo 35 × 45 mm
- All Austria photo specifications
- Passports: photo rules by country
- Every document that uses a 35 × 45 mm photo
- Photo specifications in Europe
Official sources
- Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI). Passbild-Kriterien bmi.gv.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
- Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI). Fotomuster für Ausweisdokumente (sample board, version 14.04.2022) bmi.gv.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
- Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI). Reisepass bmi.gv.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
- Rechtsinformationssystem des Bundes (RIS). Passgesetz-Durchführungsverordnung, § 4 Lichtbild ris.bka.gv.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
- oesterreich.gv.at (Bundeskanzleramt). Reisepass oesterreich.gv.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
- oesterreich.gv.at (Bundeskanzleramt). Reisepass für Minderjährige unter 18 Jahren oesterreich.gv.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
- oesterreich.gv.at (Bundeskanzleramt). Ausstellung eines Reisepasses (im Ausland) oesterreich.gv.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
- Land Oberösterreich. Reisepass (Bezirkshauptmannschaft Wels-Land) land-oberoesterreich.gv.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
- Austrian Embassy London (BMEIA). Passport Photographs Criteria bmeia.gv.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
- Wirtschaftskammer Tirol, Berufsfotografie. Das eBild-System: die Schnittstelle zu Behörden für die Bereitstellung von Passbildern wko.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
- Magistrat Linz (sheet by the operator, Asgard Technology). Informationsblatt zum eBild System linz.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
- Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI). Passport photo criteria (Passbild-Kriterien) bmi.gv.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
- oesterreich.gv.at (Bundeskanzleramt). Passport photo criteria (lexicon) oesterreich.gv.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
- oesterreich.gv.at (Bundeskanzleramt). New ID card (Personalausweis – Neuausstellung) oesterreich.gv.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
- Land Oberösterreich. BH Urfahr-Umgebung, passport land-oberoesterreich.gv.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
Requirements can change, so always confirm with Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI) before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.
Cite this page
"Austria passport photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/austria/passport-photo