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Austria visa photo requirements

The 35 × 45 mm photo rules set by Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA) for the Austria visa, with the official wording and sources.

Based on 11 official sources · last checked Official sources Page history

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Quick answer

What size is the Austria visa photo?

Austrian embassies ask for a colour passport photo of 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in) meeting ICAO criteria, for both the national D visa and the Schengen C visa. Most want it no older than six months, but the London embassy wants Schengen visa photos under three months old. Some missions ask for two photos, and the embassy in Bangkok specifies a white background and forbids any editing.

Austrian visas are issued by the embassies and consulates of the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA). The national visa D covers stays in Austria of 91 days up to six months, falls under national law and can only be applied for at the competent Austrian consulate. The Schengen visa C, for tourism, business or visits, is received in some countries by an external service provider, which forwards the file to the consulate and plays no part in the decision. The common Schengen photo standard is explained on the Schengen visa page; this page covers what Austrian missions themselves ask for.

The ministry's general visa page asks for a passport photo following ICAO criteria, in colour, 35 x 45 mm. Each mission then publishes its own checklist, and the details differ from post to post: how many photos, how recent, whether to attach them to the form, and in one case the background colour. The checklist of the embassy or consulate that will receive your application is the one to follow.

Fingerprints are part of the process too. For a Schengen visa, ten fingerprints are recorded digitally unless they were collected within the last 59 months. The London embassy takes fingerprints from every D visa applicant aged 12 and over, and the embassy in Muscat asks every applicant over 12 to give them with the application.

Austria visa photo size and specifications

The requirements as published by Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA):[1]

Print size35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in), colour, ICAO criteria
Digital sizeNo digital upload: hand in the printed photo with your application
Head heightEmbassy sheets: 2/3 of the photo, no more than 36 mm (about 30 to 36 mm)
Eye lineEyes in the upper half; Bangkok: pupils 8 to 10 mm apart, in the upper middle of the photo
BackgroundLight and plain; the Bangkok embassy asks for white
ColourColour
Photo ageUsually no older than 6 months; London embassy, Schengen visas: no older than 3 months
Print qualitySharp, clear and printed professionally (London and Addis Ababa criteria sheets)
Pixels when printed413 × 531 px at 300 dpi · 827 × 1063 px at 600 dpi (calculated)
35 mm45 mm30–36 mm
35 × 45 mm photo drawn to scale, with the 30–36 mm head height from chin to crown. Background: light and plain.

In the official words

Exact wording from the official sources, quoted because the details matter:

Any alterations (like Photoshop etc.) are strictly forbidden

Checklist for Tourist Application[7]

The photo must be in sharp focus and clear, have a strong definition between the face and background, be printed professionally

Visa and Passport Photographs Criteria[6]

Key requirements

  • Follow your mission's checklist

    The BMEIA sets the baseline, an ICAO-compliant colour photo of 35 x 45 mm, and each embassy adds its own details. Download the checklist for your visa type from the embassy or consulate that handles your country before you have the photo taken.

  • How many photos

    Most posts ask for one. The London embassy wants one photo for a D visa, and Bogota and Tbilisi list one colour photo. Bangkok asks for two recent pictures with a tourist application, and Muscat asks for two with a D visa application.

  • Recency depends on visa and post

    For a D visa the London embassy accepts a photo up to six months old, but for a Schengen visa it wants one no older than three months. Bogota and Muscat set six months. If you apply for both kinds of visa, use the stricter limit.

  • Keep the photo loose in London

    The London embassy's Schengen checklist says not to staple or glue the photo to the application form, and to make sure it is not damaged. Photos that are not up to standard are rejected.

  • White background and no editing in Bangkok

    The Bangkok checklist is the most detailed: a white background, the head two-thirds of the photo but no taller than 36 mm, pupils 8 to 10 mm apart, mouth closed, head straight. It adds that alterations made with software such as Photoshop are strictly forbidden.

  • Professional print

    The criteria sheets used by the embassies in London and Addis Ababa say the photo must be sharp and clear, with a strong definition between face and background, and printed professionally.

Do's and don'ts

Do

  • Download the checklist for your visa type from the embassy that handles your country.
  • Bring two photos if your post asks for them.
  • Use a photo under three months old for a Schengen visa in London.
  • Choose a light, plain background, or white for Bangkok.
  • Keep your mouth closed and look straight ahead.
  • Book your appointment through the channel your post names.

Don't

  • Do not staple or glue the photo to a London Schengen form.
  • Do not retouch or edit the photo in software.
  • Do not wear sunglasses or heavily tinted glasses.
  • Do not let hair cover your face.
  • Do not send someone else to submit for you where the embassy requires personal appearance.

Sample photos

How a Austria visa 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.

Correct
Open-mouth smile
Head tilted
Too close: head too big
Too far: head too small
Busy background
Shadows on face or background
Glare on glasses

Illustrations, not real photos. The official rules above always take priority; some documents do not allow glasses at all.

Glasses

Austrian embassies accept glasses as long as your eyes are open and clearly visible. Their criteria sheets rule out sunglasses, heavily tinted glasses, reflections or glare on the lenses, and frames that cover the eyes. The London and Addis Ababa sheets add that you may find it easier to take your glasses off.

The Bangkok checklist adds that the colour of your eyes must be clearly recognisable, which tinted or reflective lenses would prevent.

Headwear and religious dress

The embassy criteria sheets ask for your full head with no covering, unless it is worn for religious beliefs or medical reasons. The ministry's general visa page relies on the ICAO criteria and does not list further exceptions.

If you cover your head for religious or medical reasons, make sure your whole face shows clearly and the covering casts no shadow, so that the photo still meets the sharpness and contrast rules.

Babies and children

Each child needs their own application and photo; Muscat notes that children registered in a parent's passport still need a separate application. A child's photo must be a clear, true likeness with the eyes open, and if you support a baby's head, your hand must not be visible.

Fingerprints are taken from age 12: the London embassy takes them from every D visa applicant aged 12 and over. For minors, Muscat asks both parents to sign an authorisation letter, and Bangkok has the application form signed by the parents or legal guardian.

Austrian visa applications take printed photos. The D visa form used by the London embassy has a photo box on its first page, and the London Schengen checklist asks for a loose print that is neither stapled nor glued. Neither the ministry's visa page nor the mission checklists mention an online photo upload. A digital photo can be cropped to 35 x 45 mm and printed on a 4 x 6 inch sheet at a photo counter, which also meets the embassies' request for a professional print.

Where a visa centre receives applications, it forwards your file to the consulate, which alone decides. The photo you bring is what the consulate assesses, so check it against your post's checklist rather than relying on the centre to fix problems.

Where to submit the photo

D visas are always applied for at the competent Austrian embassy or consulate. In the UK, the London embassy takes D visa applications by appointment only, booked by email, and they can be submitted no earlier than three months before departure. Schengen tourist and business visas in the UK are lodged at VFS Global centres in London, Edinburgh and Manchester.

Other posts work differently. The embassy in Bogota books appointments only through its online system, requires personal appearance and has you sign the form in front of staff. The territorial rules also differ: Schengen visas are handled according to your lawful residence and main destination, while D visas must go to the competent Austrian representation.

How to get your Austria visa photo

  1. Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Austria visa: 35 × 45 mm print, light and plain background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
  2. Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: follow your mission's checklist; how many photos; recency depends on visa and post; keep the photo loose in London.
  3. Prepare a print or digital file. Austrian visa applications take printed photos. The D visa form used by the London embassy has a photo box on its first page, and the London Schengen checklist asks for a loose print that is neither stapled nor glued.
  4. Submit the photo with your application. D visas are always applied for at the competent Austrian embassy or consulate. In the UK, the London embassy takes D visa applications by appointment only, booked by email, and they can be submitted no earlier than three months before departure.

Make this photo online

Austria visa photo FAQ

35 x 45 mm, in colour, following ICAO criteria. The ministry's visa page and embassy checklists in London, Bogota, Tbilisi, Belgrade and Bangkok all give that size, for both the national D visa and the Schengen C visa.

It depends on the embassy. The London embassy asks for one photograph meeting international standards, no older than six months. The embassy in Muscat asks for two recent pictures, no older than six months. Check your post's checklist.

The size and criteria are the same, but recency can differ. At the London embassy a D visa photo may be up to six months old, while a Schengen visa photo must be no older than three months.

Yes. Embassy criteria sheets ask for a light, plain background, and the Bangkok embassy specifically asks for white. For Austrian passports and ID cards the BMI calls grey ideal, but that guidance does not appear on the visa checklists.

No. The Bangkok embassy's checklist says any alterations, such as with Photoshop, are strictly forbidden, and the criteria sheets require a true, sharp likeness. Use an unedited photo that meets the rules as taken.

Yes. Every applicant, including babies, needs a photo, and children in a parent's passport still need their own application. The child's eyes should be open, and any hand supporting a baby must stay out of the frame.

Not at the London embassy: its Schengen checklist says not to staple or glue the photo to the application form. Other posts may differ, so follow the instructions of the mission handling your application.

Related photo specifications

Other Austria documents

Visas and travel authorisations nearby

Also 35 × 45 mm

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Official sources

  1. Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA). Visa bmeia.gv.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
  2. oesterreich.gv.at (Bundeskanzleramt). Antrag auf Visum oesterreich.gv.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
  3. Austrian Embassy London (BMEIA). How to apply? bmeia.gv.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
  4. Austrian Embassy London (BMEIA). Visa D bmeia.gv.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
  5. Austrian Embassy London (BMEIA). Schengen Visa Application Requirements bmeia.gv.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
  6. Austrian Embassy Addis Ababa (BMEIA). Visa and Passport Photographs Criteria bmeia.gv.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
  7. Austrian Embassy Bangkok (BMEIA). Checklist for Tourist Application bmeia.gv.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
  8. Austrian Embassy Muscat (BMEIA). Checklist for "D" Visa bmeia.gv.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
  9. Austrian Embassy Bogota (BMEIA). Application for a Visa C or D: required documents (13.01.2026) bmeia.gv.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
  10. Austrian Embassy Tbilisi (BMEIA). List of required documents to apply for a tourist visa bmeia.gv.at. Checked 1 November 2026.
  11. Austrian Embassy Belgrade (BMEIA). Visa information: Tourist (03/2026) bmeia.gv.at. Checked 1 November 2026.

Requirements can change, so always confirm with Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA) before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.

Cite this page

"Austria visa photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/austria/visa-photo

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