Germany photo specifications
Photo sizes and rules for 4 documents issued in Germany, taken from the issuing authorities and linked to their official pages.
At a glance
All four German documents use the 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in) biometric format with the face filling 70 to 80% of the height. Passports and identity cards applied for in Germany need a digital photo, sent by a registered photographer or taken at the citizens' office; missions abroad may still take prints. Driving licence offices mostly still want a paper print, and visa applicants bring a print or are photographed at the mission.
Overview
A German passport photo shows the face filling 70 to 80% of the image height, 32 to 36 mm on a 35 x 45 mm print, against a plain, shadow-free background that contrasts with face and hair; for an application in Germany it must be a digital image of 1244 x 1600 pixels sent by a registered photographer or taken by the office, while missions abroad still accept prints.
Germany's main photo documents are issued by different bodies. Citizens' offices issue passports and identity cards in Germany, German embassies and consulates issue them abroad, and the Bundesdruckerei produces both. Driving licences come from the driving licence authority of your district or city, and visas from German missions abroad, often through a service provider such as VFS Global or TLScontact.
The biometric standard is shared, but the way the photo is handed over is not. Since 1 May 2025, passport and ID card photos in Germany must be uploaded by a commercial photo provider or taken by the office itself, and paper prints are refused. Licence offices were left out of that change, so most still take prints, and missions abroad accept prints for passports, ID cards and visas where they cannot capture the photo themselves.
Photo specifications by document
Passports
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passport | 35 × 45 mm | 1244 × 1600 px | One plain colour, shadow-free, contrasting… |
Visas and travel authorisations
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa | 35 × 45 mm | — | White or off-white |
Identity cards
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| ID card | 35 × 45 mm | 1244 × 1600 px | Single colour, no shadows, clear contrast to… |
Driving licences
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driving licence | 35 × 45 mm | — | Plain single colour without shadows… |
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The Passport Regulation and the Identity Card Regulation set the same requirements, word for word: face 70 to 80% of the height, neutral expression, eyes visible, plain contrasting background. In Germany both must be delivered digitally.
Most driving licence offices, such as Berlin's, still ask for a paper print. German missions abroad accept prints for passports and ID cards when they cannot take the photo themselves, and visa applicants usually bring prints unless the mission photographs them.
35 mm wide and 45 mm high; German rules often write it height first, as 45 x 35 mm. On that print the face measures 32 to 36 mm from chin to crown.
A single colour without shadows that stands out clearly from your face and hair. For capture the BSI recommends a uniform grey, and missions abroad ask for a light or white background; visa checklists such as London's want white or off-white.
Nearby countries
Other countries in Western Europe:
Official sources
- Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de). Passverordnung, Anlage 8: Anforderungen an das Lichtbild gesetze-im-internet.de. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Land Berlin, Service-Portal. Reisepass beantragen service.berlin.de. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart. Digitales Lichtbild für Personalausweise und Reisepässe stuttgart.de. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Land Berlin, Service-Portal. Fahrerlaubnis - Ersterteilung beantragen service.berlin.de. Checked 3 November 2026.
- German Embassy Vienna. Reisepass/Personalausweis wien.diplo.de. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Federal Foreign Office. Visas for Germany auswaertiges-amt.de. Checked 3 November 2026.
Cite this page
"Germany photo specifications". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/germany