France ID card photo requirements
The 35 × 45 mm photo rules set by Service-Public.gouv.fr (DILA) for the France ID card, with the official wording and sources.
Quick answer
What size is the France ID card photo?
The French identity card (CNI) uses the same photo norm as the passport: 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in), face 32 to 36 mm from chin to crown, plain light background with white forbidden, bare head and neutral expression, taken less than 6 months ago by a professional or an approved booth. One print is enough, even when you apply for a card and a passport at the same appointment. The card is valid for 10 years for adults and children.
The carte nationale d'identité (CNI) is the French identity card. The current electronic version, often called CNIe, is the size of a bank card and is valid for 10 years whether the holder is an adult or a child. Like the passport, it is processed through France Titres (ANTS) for the Ministry of the Interior: in France you apply at any mairie with a registration station, wherever you live, and abroad at a French embassy or consulate. Renewal is free when you hand back the old card, and you collect the new one in person where you applied, within three months.
There is no separate photo norm for the card. The Interior Ministry applies the passport photo decree of 5 February 2009 to identity card applications by analogy, under article 4-3 of the 1955 decree that created the card. So the questions people ask about the CNI photo are mostly practical: whether one print covers both documents, who may take it, what to do with a baby, and what happens after a rejection. This page answers those; the full technical norm is explained on the French passport page.
France ID card photo size and specifications
The requirements as published by Service-Public.gouv.fr (DILA):[1]
| Print size | 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in), the same print as for the passport |
|---|---|
| Digital size | No upload: one paper print; e-photo for identity cards was under study in September 2026 |
| Head height | Face 32 to 36 mm, chin to top of the skull without hair |
| Background | Uniform light colour such as light blue or light grey; a white background is forbidden |
| Colour | Colour strongly recommended, not mandatory |
| Photo age | Less than 6 months old |
| Print quality | Clear and clean, with no folds or traces |
| 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:
Photographs must be taken by a professional or in a photo booth using a system approved by the Ministry of the Interior. (translated from French)
Key requirements
- Passport norm, applied by analogy
The identity card has no photo decree of its own. In its June 2025 answer to Parliament, the Ministry of the Interior said the passport photo decree of 5 February 2009 applies by analogy to card applications, through article 4-3 of the decree of 22 October 1955. A print that suits one document therefore suits the other.
- One print for two documents
Service-public asks for a single photo for an identity card. If you lodge a card and a passport application at the same appointment, consulates such as Tel Aviv confirm that one photo is enough for both.
- Made with an approved system
The decree of 10 April 2007 accepts photographs on French identity documents only if they are produced with a photographic system approved by the Ministry of the Interior. In practice that means a professional photographer or an approved booth; the France Titres map lists them.
- Light backdrop, white excluded
The background must be a single light colour, such as light blue or light grey, and white is forbidden. Avoid shadows on the face and on the backdrop, and do not let the print come out too dark or too pale.
- Open, neutral face
Look straight into the lens with the mouth closed and the expression neutral. The face must be clear, the eyes open and visible, the ears uncovered and the hair off the face. Earrings and piercings are allowed if the facial features stay visible.
- Collect within three months
The card is not made on the spot. You must collect it in person where you applied, within three months, and France Titres asks that the photo still resemble you at collection as well as on the day you apply.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Order one set of prints if you are renewing the card and the passport together.
- Ask the photographer or booth for a light grey or light blue backdrop.
- Leave your ears and forehead visible.
- Bring your old card, which keeps the renewal free.
- Book a mairie appointment, which need not be in your home town.
- Collect the new card yourself within three months.
Don't
- Do not hand in a print with a white backdrop.
- Do not photograph yourself with a phone for the card.
- Do not cover your hair with a scarf, cap or headband.
- Do not fold or mark the print.
- Do not let a fringe fall over your eyes.
- Do not use a print taken more than six months ago.
Sample photos
How a France ID card 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 optional. Service-public says you are not obliged to wear them for the photo. If you prefer to keep them, choose a pair with a thin frame that stays clear of the eyes, and make sure the lenses are not tinted or coloured and do not reflect the light. Taking them off removes the risk for a card you will carry for ten years.
Headwear and religious dress
The rule for the card is the same as for the passport: the head must be uncovered, so hats, scarves and headbands are not accepted, and the French identity-document norm sets out no religious or medical exception. Hair must not hide the face, and the ears must show.
Jewellery is treated more leniently than headwear. Service-public allows earrings and piercings, provided the features of the face remain clearly visible.
Babies and children
A French minor can have an identity card at any age, even a baby, and the card is valid for 10 years, the same as an adult's. The child goes to the counter with the parent or guardian. Fingerprints are taken from age 12. For a younger child, the legal representative signs the photo stub, and from 13 the child may sign it if the representative agrees.
No separate photo rule exists for babies: the same norm applies, including the neutral expression, the closed mouth and open eyes. Have the picture taken by a photographer used to young children, and photograph the child alone, with no hand, toy or parent in the frame.
Printed and digital photos
The identity card takes a paper print, handed in at the appointment. The e-photo code that driving licence applicants type into the online form is not part of the card process yet; in September 2026 France Titres said its extension to identity card and passport applications was under study.
Because the photo must be made with a system approved by the Ministry of the Interior, a home print does not qualify, even on photo paper. A booth or studio sheet of identical prints is useful: one goes with the card application, and a second can serve for a passport application made within six months.
Where to submit the photo
In France, go to any mairie with a registration station, by appointment where required; the place does not depend on your home address. You can prepare an online pre-application on the France Titres site. Bring the photo, proof of address and your current card. Abroad, apply in person at the French embassy or consulate, which may also require an appointment.
You must be present so that your fingerprints can be recorded, and you collect the card in person at the same office. Holders of the electronic card can also link it to the France Identité app to prove their identity online.
How to get your France ID card photo
- Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the France ID card: 35 × 45 mm print, uniform light colour such as light blue or… background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
- Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: passport norm, applied by analogy; one print for two documents; made with an approved system; light backdrop, white excluded.
- Prepare a print or digital file. The identity card takes a paper print, handed in at the appointment.
- Submit the photo with your application. In France, go to any mairie with a registration station, by appointment where required; the place does not depend on your home address. You can prepare an online pre-application on the France Titres site.
France ID card photo FAQ
Yes. The Ministry of the Interior applies the passport photo decree of 5 February 2009 to identity cards by analogy, so the size, face height, background and pose rules are identical: 35 x 45 mm, face 32 to 36 mm, plain light background without white, bare head and neutral expression.
No. One photo is enough for a combined passport and identity card application, as French consulates such as Tel Aviv state, and service-public asks for a single photo for each document. Bring a spare in case the counter clerk sees a problem.
No. Photographs on French identity documents are accepted only if they are produced with a photographic system approved by the Ministry of the Interior, which means a professional photographer or an approved booth. France Titres has a map to find one near you.
The Ministry of the Interior says non-compliant photos cause about 2 to 3% of identity document applications to be rejected. Since spring 2025, you can complete the existing application with a new photo instead of lodging a new one. You may also go back to the photographer who supplied the rejected print.
Yes. A card can be issued to a child of any age, even a baby, with a photo that meets the same norm as an adult's. The card is valid for 10 years. Fingerprints are not taken before the age of 12.
Yes. Service-public allows earrings and piercings as long as the features of the face remain clearly visible. Hats, scarves and headbands are not allowed, and the ears must not be hidden by hair.
Ten years, for adults and for children alike. The passport differs here: a minor's passport lasts only five years. Renewing the card is free when you hand in the old one.
Related photo specifications
Other France documents
- Passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Visa photo 35 × 45 mm
- Driving licence photo 35 × 45 mm
Identity cards nearby
- Austria civil engineer ID card photo 35 × 45 mm
- Austria ID card photo 35 × 45 mm
- Belgium ID card photo 35 × 45 mm
- Belgium Kids-ID photo 35 × 45 mm
- Germany ID card photo 35 × 45 mm
- Netherlands ID card photo 35 × 45 mm
- Switzerland ID card 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 France photo specifications
- Identity cards: photo rules by country
- Every document that uses a 35 × 45 mm photo
- Photo specifications in Europe
Official sources
- Service-Public.gouv.fr (DILA). Quelle photo fournir pour un titre d'identité (passeport, carte d'identité...) ? service-public.gouv.fr. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Service-Public.gouv.fr (DILA). Carte d'identité d'un majeur : première demande service-public.gouv.fr. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Service-Public.gouv.fr (DILA). Renouvellement de la carte d'identité d'un majeur service-public.gouv.fr. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Service-Public.gouv.fr (DILA). Carte d'identité d'un mineur : première demande service-public.gouv.fr. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Ministry of the Interior (hosted by the French Embassy in Suriname). Nouvelle norme relative à l'apposition des photographies d'identité (leaflet) sr.diplomatie.gouv.fr. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Légifrance. Arrêté du 10 avril 2007 relatif à l'apposition de photographies d'identité sur les documents d'identité et de voyage, les permis de conduire et les titres de séjour legifrance.gouv.fr. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Assemblée nationale (answer by the Ministry of the Interior). Question écrite n° 3334 : conformité des photographies d'identité (answer of 10 June 2025) questions.assemblee-nationale.fr. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Services Publics+ (reply from France Titres - ANTS). Coût financier injustifié et gaspillage imposé pour les photos de passeport (reply of 23 September 2026) plus.transformation.gouv.fr. Checked 2 November 2026.
- France Titres (ANTS). La photographie d'identité passeport.ants.gouv.fr. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Consulate General of France in Tel Aviv. Carte d'identité il.diplomatie.gouv.fr. Checked 2 November 2026.
Requirements can change, so always confirm with Service-Public.gouv.fr (DILA) before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.
Cite this page
"France ID card photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/france/id-card-photo