Schengen Area visa photo requirements
The 35 × 45 mm photo rules set by European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs for the Schengen Area visa, with the official wording and sources.
Quick answer
What size is the Schengen Area visa photo?
A Schengen visa photo is normally 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in), in colour and no more than 6 months old, with your face filling 70 to 80% of the frame against a plain, light-coloured background. The standard is the ICAO photo guidance the EU links to: glasses only without glare or tinted lenses, head coverings only for religious reasons. Consulates can be stricter. German missions accept photos up to 3 months old, and Polish consulates want a white background.
A Schengen visa photo is normally one 35 x 45 mm colour print with the face filling 70 to 80% of the frame on a plain, light-coloured background, no more than six months old; no pixel size is published, because the consulate scans the print or takes a live photo. A Schengen visa covers short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen states. You apply to the consulate of the country you are going to visit, and the EU Visa Code, explained to consular staff in the European Commission's Visa Code Handbook, sets the common procedure. On the photo, the Handbook is blunt: it must meet the ICAO photograph specifications, and photos that do not comply shall not be accepted.
You normally hand over one printed photo when you lodge the application, or the consulate or visa centre takes a live photo when it scans your fingerprints. Many consulates have applications received by external service providers such as VFS Global, TLScontact and BLS International, and these centres also collect the fingerprints and the photo.
The ICAO standard is a minimum, and consulates publish their own additions. German missions accept photos no older than three months and measure the face at 32 to 36 mm, Polish consulates want a white background, the Czech foreign ministry sets a minimum distance from the eyes to the chin, and France-Visas asks for two photos rather than one. The checklist of the consulate that handles your application is the one that counts.
Schengen Area visa photo size and specifications
The requirements as published by European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs:[1]
| Print size | 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in) at most consulates; ICAO guidance allows a print 35 to 40 mm wide |
|---|---|
| Digital size | No pixel size published; the print is scanned, or a live photo is taken when you apply |
| Head height | Face 70 to 80% of the photo; German missions: 32 to 36 mm from chin to crown |
| Eye line | Czech consulates: at least 13 mm from the eyes to the bottom of the chin |
| Background | Plain and light-coloured (ICAO); Polish consulates ask for white, German missions prefer light grey |
| Colour | Colour, colour-neutral, with natural skin tones |
| Photo age | No more than 6 months old (ICAO); German missions: no older than 3 months |
| Print quality | High-quality photo paper, sharp, no ink marks or creases; German missions: printed at 600 dpi or more |
| 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:
Digitally altered passport photos cannot be accepted.
Key requirements
- Size and framing
Bring a 35 x 45 mm print. The ICAO guidance that the Commission links to allows a width of 35 to 40 mm and asks for a close-up of the head and the top of the shoulders, with the face taking up 70 to 80% of the picture. German missions turn that into a face of 32 to 36 mm from chin to crown.
- Recent photo
ICAO guidance sets a limit of 6 months. German missions in the UK and in Qatar accept nothing older than three months, so if you might apply to a German mission, use a newer print.
- Plain light background, even light
Use a plain, light-coloured background and uniform lighting, with no shadows, no flash reflections on the skin and no red eye. Polish consulates specify white. The German sample board prefers a neutral grey that contrasts with your hair, medium grey for fair hair and light grey for dark hair.
- Square-on, neutral pose
Face the camera square on, not over one shoulder and not tilted. Keep your eyes open with no hair across them, your mouth closed and your expression neutral, and show both edges of your face. Nobody else, no chair back and no toy may appear in the frame.
- One photo unless told otherwise
The Visa Code Handbook says consulates should require and collect only one photograph. Some still ask for two: France-Visas lists two recent ICAO-format ID photos, and the Polish embassy in Pretoria asks for two colour photos.
- No digital alterations
German missions state that digitally altered passport photos cannot be accepted. ICAO Doc 9303 also says a portrait must not be altered or enhanced to change the person's appearance in any way.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Read the photo checklist of the consulate that will handle your application.
- Print on high-quality photo paper, in sharp focus and free of creases.
- Use a photo no more than three months old for a German mission.
- Keep your forehead, chin and both edges of your face fully visible.
- Hand the photo in loose; do not staple or glue it to the form.
- Check whether the visa centre has a photo booth in case your print is refused.
Don't
- Do not wear sunglasses or tinted lenses.
- Do not wear a hat or cap; only religious coverings are accepted.
- Do not use a photo with flash glare, red eye or shadows behind your head.
- Do not submit a digitally altered or retouched photo.
- Do not let another person, a hand or a toy appear in the frame.
- Do not reuse a print that is more than six months old.
Sample photos
How a Schengen Area 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.
Illustrations, not real photos. The official rules above always take priority; some documents do not allow glasses at all.
Glasses
Glasses are allowed under the ICAO guidance that the European Commission points to for Schengen visas, as long as your eyes show clearly. There must be no flash reflection on the lenses and no tinted lenses, and the frames must not cover any part of your eyes. The guidance suggests lighter frames if you have them.
Several consulates are stricter. The German sample board for biometric photos refuses reflections from glasses, tinted glasses and sunglasses. The Spanish consulate in London refuses dark or reflective glasses, the Czech foreign ministry bars sunglasses except for blind applicants, and the Polish embassy in Pretoria asks for photos without glasses at all. Taking your glasses off avoids the problem at every consulate.
Headwear and religious dress
The ICAO guidance does not permit head coverings except for religious reasons. If you wear one for that reason, your face must show from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead, with both edges of the face clearly visible. German missions apply the same test and add that the covering must not cast shadows on the face.
The Czech foreign ministry also accepts a head cover worn for health reasons, provided it does not prevent identification. Polish consulate pages ask for a photo with no headwear and the embassy in Pretoria lists no exception, so contact the consulate before your appointment if you cover your head for religious reasons.
Babies and children
Every applicant needs a photo, babies included, and the child must appear alone. The ICAO guidance rules out chair backs, toys and other people in the frame, and the Spanish consulate in London adds that a photo of a minor must not show any part of the adult holding them.
Children under 12 are exempt from giving fingerprints, according to the Visa Code Handbook. The photo is not part of that exemption: the Handbook says every applicant should have a photograph scanned or taken each time an application is submitted.
Printed and digital photos
Right now a Schengen visa photo is either a print you bring or an image taken on the spot. The Handbook says the photograph is scanned or taken at the time of application, and that if you come in person to give fingerprints, a live photo taken then can meet the requirement. No EU-wide pixel size exists because there is no common upload. A digital photo can be printed at exactly 35 x 45 mm on a 4 x 6 inch sheet at a photo counter; German missions ask for a print resolution of at least 600 dpi.
The digital Schengen visa is not running yet. Regulation (EU) 2023/2667 creates an EU Visa Application Platform, where applicants will do every step online except giving biometrics, and replaces the visa sticker with a digital visa. It applies only from a start date the Commission still has to set. The work programme eu-LISA adopted on 31 July 2026 plans to start building the platform in 2026 and gives entry into operation as 2028 to 2029, still to be confirmed. After launch, each state may stay off the platform for up to 7 years. The same Regulation says applicants will then have their facial image taken live, with a printed photo only where an exemption applies.
Where to submit the photo
Apply at the consulate of the Schengen country you plan to visit. For a trip to several countries, use the consulate of the one where you will spend the most time, or the first one you enter if the stays are equal. You may need to book an appointment, and many consulates have visa centres receive applications for them: Dutch missions in India use VFS Global centres, German missions in the UK take short-stay applications only through TLScontact, and the Spanish consulate in London uses BLS International. Visa centres may charge a fee on top of the visa fee.
Bring the photo with your form and passport. At the appointment the consulate or centre collects your biometrics. If your fingerprints were taken for a Schengen visa in the previous 59 months they are normally copied rather than taken again, but a new photo is scanned or taken for every application.
How to get your Schengen Area visa photo
- Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Schengen Area visa: 35 × 45 mm print, plain and light-coloured background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
- Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: size and framing; recent photo; plain light background, even light; square-on, neutral pose.
- Prepare a print or digital file. Right now a Schengen visa photo is either a print you bring or an image taken on the spot.
- Submit the photo with your application. Apply at the consulate of the Schengen country you plan to visit. For a trip to several countries, use the consulate of the one where you will spend the most time, or the first one you enter if the stays are equal.
Schengen Area visa photo FAQ
Consulates generally ask for 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in). The ICAO guidance behind the Schengen rules allows a print 35 to 40 mm wide, with the face filling 70 to 80% of the photo. German missions put the face at 32 to 36 mm from chin to crown on a 35 x 45 mm print.
The baseline is the same: every consulate must apply the ICAO photo specifications. Many add conditions. German missions want photos no older than three months, Polish consulates want a white background, Czech consulates require at least 13 mm from the eyes to the chin, and France-Visas asks for two photos. Follow the checklist of your consulate.
The EU Visa Code Handbook says consulates should require and collect only one photograph. Some ask for more: France-Visas lists two recent ID photos in ICAO format, and the Polish embassy in Pretoria asks for two. Bring the number your consulate lists.
Under the ICAO guidance, yes, if your eyes are clearly visible, the frames do not cover them, and there is no glare or tint on the lenses. Some consulates are stricter: the Polish embassy in Pretoria wants photos without glasses, and Spanish and German missions refuse dark or reflective lenses. Removing them is the safest option.
No more than 6 months under the ICAO guidance. German missions in the UK and in Qatar set a stricter limit of three months. Whatever its age, the photo has to look like you as you are now.
Yes. Head coverings are accepted for religious reasons as long as your face shows from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead and both edges of the face are visible. Hats and caps worn for other reasons are not accepted.
It may. The Visa Code Handbook allows the photo requirement to be met by a live photo when you come in to give fingerprints, and France-Visas says the service provider collects your photo and fingerprints at the appointment. German missions in the UK have a self-service photo machine at the embassy and at the TLScontact centre. Bring a compliant print unless your consulate says otherwise.
Not through a common EU system yet. Regulation (EU) 2023/2667 sets up an EU Visa Application Platform and a digital visa, but they start only on a date the Commission has still to fix, and eu-LISA plans entry into operation for 2028 to 2029. Until then you lodge the application with a consulate or visa centre and give a photo there.
No. German missions say digitally altered passport photos cannot be accepted, and ICAO Doc 9303 forbids altering or enhancing a portrait to change your appearance. Correct problems such as shadows or a busy background by taking a new photo.
Related photo specifications
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 Schengen Area photo specifications
- Visas and travel authorisations: photo rules by country
- Every document that uses a 35 × 45 mm photo
- Photo specifications in International
Official sources
- European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs. Applying for a Schengen visa home-affairs.ec.europa.eu. Checked 3 November 2026.
- European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs. ICAO photograph guidelines (copy linked from the Schengen visa page) home-affairs.ec.europa.eu. Checked 3 November 2026.
- European Commission. Handbook for the processing of visa applications (Visa Code Handbook I), C(2024) 4319 home-affairs.ec.europa.eu. Checked 3 November 2026.
- European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs. Visa policy (digitalisation of visa procedures) home-affairs.ec.europa.eu. Checked 3 November 2026.
- EUR-Lex, Publications Office of the European Union. Regulation (EU) 2023/2667 on the digitalisation of the visa procedure eur-lex.europa.eu. Checked 3 November 2026.
- eu-LISA. Single Programming Document 2026-2028 eulisa.europa.eu. Checked 3 November 2026.
- International Civil Aviation Organization. Doc 9303 Machine Readable Travel Documents, Part 3 icao.int. Checked 3 November 2026.
- German Missions in the United Kingdom. Visa FAQ and other important information uk.diplo.de. Checked 3 November 2026.
- German Missions in the United Kingdom. Short-stay Schengen visas (C visas) uk.diplo.de. Checked 3 November 2026.
- German Embassy Doha. Schengen visa doha.diplo.de. Checked 3 November 2026.
- German Embassy Warsaw. Requirements for photos for a visa application form (sample photos) polen.diplo.de. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Embassy of the Republic of Poland in the United Kingdom. C-Type Schengen Visa gov.pl. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Embassy of the Republic of Poland in South Africa. C-Type Schengen Visa gov.pl. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. Photo (supporting documents for visa applications) mzv.gov.cz. Checked 3 November 2026.
- France-Visas, French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. The visa application process france-visas.gouv.fr. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Consulate General of Spain in London. Schengen visas exteriores.gob.es. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Netherlands Worldwide, Government of the Netherlands. Apply for a Schengen visa in India netherlandsworldwide.nl. Checked 3 November 2026.
- German Missions in India. Schengen visa checklist (visit, family and friends) india.diplo.de. Checked 3 November 2026.
- German Embassy Nairobi. Schengen visa for visitors nairobi.diplo.de. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Embassy of Belgium in Pakistan. Visa Information System (VIS) pakistan.diplomatie.belgium.be. Checked 3 November 2026.
- France-Visas, French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. Visa photograph requirements (PDF) france-visas.gouv.fr. Checked 3 November 2026.
Requirements can change, so always confirm with European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.
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"Schengen Area visa photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/schengen-area/visa-photo