Guadeloupe passport photo requirements
The 35 × 45 mm photo rules set by Service-Public.gouv.fr (DILA) for the Guadeloupe passport, with the official wording and sources.
Quick answer
What size is the Guadeloupe passport photo?
Guadeloupe residents use the French passport photo: 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in), face 3.2 to 3.6 cm, plain light background, and no white. The picture must be under 6 months old and taken by an authorised professional or in an approved booth. Unlike French Guiana, a Guadeloupe town hall does not take the photo for you: service-public says you must supply it. File at any equipped town hall of the archipelago.
Guadeloupe is a French overseas department, so residents hold the ordinary French passport. It is requested at a town hall (mairie) equipped with a collection device, not at the prefecture. A prefecture page last updated in January 2019 counted 30 communes with such a device, and explained that Terre-de-Bas and La Désirade, which have none, are served by a mobile device whose dates the town halls announce. Service-public (checked on 8 April 2026) adds that you may use any equipped town hall wherever you live, that many require an appointment, and that your presence is needed for the fingerprints.
On the photo, Guadeloupe sits on the strict side of the overseas list. Service-public's page on counter photography says that in Guadeloupe you must supply the photo, so there is no fallback if yours is refused at the desk. The prefecture's own pages publish no local photo specification. What applies is therefore the national norm set by the 2009 decree and summarised on service-public: a 35 x 45 mm print, a plain light background, a bare head and a neutral face.
Guadeloupe passport 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) |
|---|---|
| Digital size | No file upload: bring one printed photo to the town hall |
| Head height | 32 to 36 mm (3.2 to 3.6 cm, 70 to 80% of the photo), hair excluded |
| Background | Uniform and light-coloured (light blue or light grey); white is banned |
| Colour | Colour photo strongly recommended |
| Photo age | Less than 6 months old and a good likeness |
| Print quality | Clean and sharp, no folds or marks, correctly exposed |
| 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 photo must be taken by an authorised professional or in a booth using a system approved by the Ministry of the Interior. (translated from French)
Key requirements
- You supply the photo
Service-public lists Guadeloupe among the departments where the photo cannot be taken at the counter: "No, you must supply the photo" (translated from French). Arrive with a print that already meets the norm.
- Professional or approved booth
The same service says the photo must be taken by an authorised professional or in a booth that uses a system approved by the Ministry of the Interior. A photo taken on your own phone does not fit that description.
- Face measured 3.2 to 3.6 cm
On a print 3.5 cm wide and 4.5 cm high, the face runs from chin to top of skull, hair left out, and must come to 3.2 to 3.6 cm. Service-public equates that with 70 to 80% of the photo.
- One light colour behind you
The backdrop has to be plain and light. Light blue and light grey are the colours named, and white is stated to be forbidden.
- Eyes on the lens, mouth shut
Look at the camera, keep a neutral expression with the mouth closed, and keep your eyes open and fully visible. The head must be bare.
- Book from six months before expiry
A prefecture notice (page updated 9 December 2022) says you can start a renewal and book a town hall appointment from six months before the expiry date printed on the document, in the town hall of your choice. Since the photo itself must be under six months old, have it taken just before the appointment.
- Emergency passport is exceptional
The prefecture's page (updated 16 January 2018) asks for two identical, recent photos that meet the official standards, says the prefect decides, and warns that very few requests are accepted; the normal biometric procedure is preferred. It adds that the passport does not allow entry to the United States.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Have the photo made by an authorised professional or in an approved booth.
- Ask for a plain light blue or light grey backdrop.
- Check the finished print for a 3.2 to 3.6 cm face.
- Look straight into the camera with a closed mouth.
- Search for an appointment in any equipped town hall, not only your own.
- Do the online pre-application first if you want a shorter visit.
Don't
- Do not expect the town hall to photograph you: in Guadeloupe it does not.
- Do not use a white backdrop.
- Do not cover your head with a hat, scarf or headband.
- Do not wear tinted lenses or frames that hide the eyes.
- Do not use a photo that is more than six months old.
Sample photos
How a Guadeloupe 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
You do not have to wear glasses for the picture, and service-public says so directly. If you keep them on, the lenses must be neither tinted nor coloured and must show no reflection. The 2009 decree annex also bans thick frames and any frame that hides the eyes, so a thin rim and clear glass are the safest combination, and taking them off removes the risk altogether.
Headwear and religious dress
No head covering is allowed: service-public lists hats, scarves and headbands as examples, and the decree annex states that head coverings are forbidden. Neither text lists an exception for any kind of covering. Earrings and piercings are permitted, provided the features of the face stay clearly distinguishable.
Babies and children
A child's passport needs one photo that is less than six months old and meets the same norms, according to service-public. The minor and the legal representative must go to the counter together, and the passport is valid for 5 years. The page's legal references cite an exemption from fingerprinting for children under 12.
Because a Guadeloupe town hall cannot take the photo, arrange the child's picture in advance with a photographer who works with small children. For an emergency passport, the prefecture page says to contact its services about a minor.
Printed and digital photos
The passport takes a printed photo, not a file. France Titres (ANTS) said in September 2026 that the e-photo code is a paid alternative to the paper photograph and that extending it to passports is only under study, so do not expect to type a code. Pre-applications made from home since 23 March 2017 cover your civil-status details; the photo still goes to the counter on paper.
A phone picture printed at home cannot meet the rule that the photo comes from an authorised professional or an approved booth. A booth or studio normally gives you several prints; the passport needs one.
Where to submit the photo
Use an equipped town hall. The prefecture says you can book in the commune of your choice, not necessarily where you live, and that an appointment search engine on the ANTS site covers first applications and renewals. The online pre-application is not compulsory but is strongly recommended because it speeds up the registration at the desk. A paper pre-application form can still be collected at the counter of your commune.
Residents of Terre-de-Bas and La Désirade should ask their town hall for the dates of the mobile device. Collection of the finished passport must also be done within three months, and the holder must attend.
Travel plans shape the timing. In its December 2022 notice the prefecture singled out people about to travel, children leaving on a school trip and students sitting an exam. If you plan to visit Dominica, the French foreign ministry (page dated 15 September 2026) says an identity card works there only for travellers coming from Martinique or Guadeloupe and advises a valid passport rather than a card showing an expired date.
How to get your Guadeloupe passport photo
- Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Guadeloupe passport: 35 × 45 mm print, uniform and light-coloured background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
- Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: you supply the photo; professional or approved booth; face measured 3.2 to 3.6 cm; one light colour behind you.
- Prepare a print or digital file. The passport takes a printed photo, not a file. France Titres (ANTS) said in September 2026 that the e-photo code is a paid alternative to the paper photograph and that extending it to passports is only under study, so do not expect to type a code.
- Submit the photo with your application. Use an equipped town hall. The prefecture says you can book in the commune of your choice, not necessarily where you live, and that an appointment search engine on the ANTS site covers first applications and renewals.
Guadeloupe passport photo FAQ
It is the French size of 35 mm wide by 45 mm high (1.38 x 1.77 in). The face, from chin to top of skull without hair, must be 3.2 to 3.6 cm, which service-public equates with 70 to 80% of the picture.
No. Service-public says that in Guadeloupe you must supply the photo. The passport decree allows counter capture only to embassies and consulates and, where no professional photographer can do it, to the communes of Guyane, Mayotte, New Caledonia, French Polynesia and Wallis and Futuna.
Those equipped with a collection device. A prefecture page last updated in January 2019 counted 30 communes, and Terre-de-Bas and La Désirade are covered by a mobile device. Service-public says you may go to any equipped town hall.
Probably. Service-public says many town halls accept files only by appointment. The prefecture says an appointment search engine is available on the ANTS site and that you can book from six months before your document expires. The online pre-application is optional but recommended.
The prefect decides. The prefecture page, updated in January 2018, says the request is exceptional, that very few are accepted, and that the standard biometric passport procedure is preferable. You need two identical, recent photos that meet the official standards.
In limited cases. The French foreign ministry, in a page dated 15 September 2026, says the identity card allows travel to Dominica only for people coming from Martinique or Guadeloupe. It recommends carrying a valid passport instead of a card whose end date has passed.
You may, but you are not obliged to. The lenses must be neither tinted nor coloured, and there must be no reflection. Frames must not be thick or hide the eyes, according to the decree annex that sets the norm.
Related photo specifications
Passports nearby
- Anguilla passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Antigua and Barbuda passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Aruba passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Bahamas passport photo 2 × 2 in
- Barbados passport photo 50 × 50 mm
- British Virgin Islands passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Cayman Islands passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Cuba passport photo 45 × 45 mm
- Dominica passport photo 38 × 45 mm
- Dominican Republic passport photo 50 × 50 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 Guadeloupe photo specifications
- Passports: photo rules by country
- Every document that uses a 35 × 45 mm photo
- Photo specifications in North America
Official sources
- Service-Public.gouv.fr (DILA). Quelle photo fournir pour un titre d'identité (passeport, carte d'identité...) ? service-public.gouv.fr. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Service-Public.gouv.fr (DILA). Carte d'identité / Passeport : la photo peut-elle être prise au guichet ? service-public.gouv.fr. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Service-Public.gouv.fr (DILA). Passeport d'un majeur : première demande service-public.gouv.fr. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Service-Public.gouv.fr (DILA). Passeport d'un mineur : première demande service-public.gouv.fr. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Prefecture of Guadeloupe (services de l'État en Guadeloupe). Demander sa carte d'identité / son passeport en ligne : mode d'emploi guadeloupe.gouv.fr. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Prefecture of Guadeloupe (services de l'État en Guadeloupe). Communiqué de presse : Renouvellement de vos titres d'identité guadeloupe.gouv.fr. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Prefecture of Guadeloupe (services de l'État en Guadeloupe). Le passeport temporaire ou passeport d'urgence guadeloupe.gouv.fr. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Légifrance. Arrêté du 5 février 2009 relatif à la production de photographies d'identité dans le cadre de la délivrance du passeport legifrance.gouv.fr. Checked 3 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 3 November 2026.
- Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. Dominique : entrée et séjour diplomatie.gouv.fr. Checked 3 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
"Guadeloupe passport photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/guadeloupe/passport-photo