Netherlands photo specifications
Photo sizes and rules for 4 documents issued in Netherlands, taken from the issuing authorities and linked to their official pages.
At a glance
All Dutch identity documents use one 35 x 45 mm colour photo standard from RvIG: head 26 to 30 mm from chin to crown, light grey, light blue or white background, no more than six months old. Passports and ID cards take a print at the municipality or embassy. Driving licences take a print at the municipality, or a digital photo from an RDW photographer for online renewal. Visa centres photograph you; embassies take a print.
Overview
A Dutch passport photo is a 35 x 45 mm colour print with the head 26 to 30 mm from chin to crown on a plain light grey, light blue or white background, unaltered by software and printed at 400 dpi or more; there is no digital file to upload. Several bodies use the same Dutch photo rules. Municipalities, embassies and border municipalities issue passports and identity cards under rules from the National Office for Identity Data (RvIG), which publishes the photo matrix. The RDW issues driving licences, through the municipality or online, and applies that matrix too. Visas are decided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with VFS Global and TLScontact handling many applications, while the IND deals with long-stay MVV visas and residence permits.
The measurements barely change between documents; what changes is how the photo reaches the authority. Most channels still take a paper print, but online driving licence renewal, visa centres and IND desks capture or receive the photo digitally, and none of them takes a file you upload yourself.
Photo specifications by document
Passports
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passport | 35 × 45 mm | — | Light grey, light blue or white |
Visas and travel authorisations
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa | 35 × 45 mm | — | Schengen visa: white or light-coloured |
Identity cards
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| ID card | 35 × 45 mm | — | Light grey, light blue or white, plain and… |
Driving licences
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driving licence | 35 × 45 mm | 901 × 1158 px | Light grey, light blue or white |
Frequently asked questions
Yes, 35 x 45 mm. The government publishes one set of requirements for passports, identity cards and driving licences, and the IND applies the passport rules to MVV photos. Schengen visa checklists also ask for 3.5 x 4.5 cm.
No document lets you upload your own file. Online driving licence renewal uses a digital photo sent by an RDW photographer or approved booth; VFS Global, TLScontact and the IND take the photo at your appointment; all other channels take a printed photo.
Not as standard: you bring a printed photo and staff check it. Some town halls have a self-service photo booth. RvIG is preparing digital capture at the counter, but says the law must change first.
Light grey, light blue or white for passports, ID cards, driving licences and MVV photos. Schengen visa checklists ask for white or light-coloured. The IND photographs residence permit applicants against light grey.
The Dutch rules do not say who must take the picture, but they do say it must be unaltered by computer software. So shoot it against a real light grey, light blue or white wall with your shoulders straight, crop it to 35 x 45 mm with the head 26 to 30 mm tall, and print it on smooth, high-quality photo paper at 400 dpi or more. Staff check the print when you hand it in.
From chin to crown, 26 to 30 mm for anyone aged 11 or over and 19 to 30 mm for children aged 10 or younger. That is smaller than the 32 to 36 mm used for French and German passport photos, so a print made to another country's template may be refused.
Nearby countries
Other countries in Western Europe:
Official sources
- Government of the Netherlands. Requirements for photos government.nl. Checked 3 November 2026.
- RDW. Renewing your driving licence online rdw.nl. Checked 3 November 2026.
- NetherlandsWorldwide, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Checklist: tourism (Schengen visa) netherlandsworldwide.nl. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Rijksdienst voor Identiteitsgegevens (RvIG). Introductie digitale pasfoto rvig.nl. Checked 3 November 2026.
Cite this page
"Netherlands photo specifications". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/netherlands