Netherlands passport photo size & requirements
Dutch passport photos are 35 x 45 mm with a plain light-grey background and a head height of about 26–35 mm.
The Netherlands issues biometric passports (paspoort) and national identity cards (identiteitskaart) through the municipality (gemeente) of the applicant's place of residence. Dutch passport photos follow the EU biometric standard — 35 x 45 mm — but the Dutch government specifies a slightly wider head height range than most EU countries: 26–35 mm from chin to crown, which is roughly 58–78% of the frame. This wider range accommodates a broader range of face shapes and head sizes while still meeting ICAO biometric requirements.
The Netherlands has one of the most stringent expression requirements in Europe: a fully neutral expression is required — no smile, no raised eyebrows, and mouth fully closed. The Dutch Rijksdienst voor Identiteitsgegevens (RvIG) explicitly warns against any smile, even a very slight one, as the facial recognition comparison used in the Dutch system is calibrated for neutral expressions. Additionally, the Netherlands strongly recommends removing glasses for passport photos, and the photo booth machines at Dutch municipal offices will refuse to process a photo with visible glare on glasses.
- Photo size
- 35 x 45 mm
- Resolution
- 300 DPI
- Head height
- Head height (chin to crown) of about 26–35 mm
- Background
- Plain light grey
Netherlands passport photo requirements
- Photo must be 35 x 45 mm following the Dutch biometric rules.
- Plain light-grey background is preferred for the best facial contrast.
- Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open and looking at the camera.
- Hair must not cover the eyes; both edges of the face should be visible.
- No glare on glasses; ideally remove them.
- Recent photo with even, shadow-free lighting.
Common reasons Netherlands passport photos get rejected
Even a technically correct photo can be turned away for these issues. They come up repeatedly in official rejection notices.
- Any smile or non-neutral expression — the Dutch biometric system is specifically calibrated for neutral expressions, and even a slight upward turn of the mouth corners will fail.
- Glasses with glare — the Netherlands strongly discourages glasses and will reject any photo where glare obscures part of the eye area.
- Background not plain light grey — Netherlands officially specifies light grey (not white) for optimal biometric contrast, and a white background may be flagged.
- Head height outside the 26–35 mm range — the Dutch range is wider than most countries but photos where the face is too small (under 26 mm) are a common issue.
- Uneven lighting that creates shadows on one side of the face — Dutch municipality photo checks are thorough about uniform lighting.
- Photo taken more than six months ago.
Make your Netherlands passport photo
Use our free passport size photo maker — select Netherlands from the country list and it will automatically apply the correct size (35 x 45 mm) and background settings for you.
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Select Netherlands in the tool to get the exact 35 x 45 mm preset.
Other countries
United States 2 x 2 in (51 x 51 mm) 
Albania 35 x 45 mm 
Australia 35 x 45 mm 
Brazil 3 x 4 cm (30 x 40 mm); US visa applications use 2 x 2 in 
Canada 50 x 70 mm 
China 33 x 48 mm 
France 35 x 45 mm 
Germany 35 x 45 mm 
Iceland 35 x 45 mm 
India 35 x 45 mm (Indian visa & many applications use 51 x 51 mm / 2 x 2 in) 
Ireland 35 x 45 mm 
Italy 35 x 45 mm 
Japan 35 x 45 mm 
Luxembourg 35 x 45 mm 
Malaysia 35 x 50 mm 
New Zealand 35 x 45 mm 
Nigeria 35 x 45 mm 
Norway 35 x 45 mm 
Pakistan 35 x 45 mm 
Philippines 35 x 45 mm (Philippine visa applications often use 2 x 2 in) 
Russia 35 x 45 mm 
Saudi Arabia 2 x 2 in (51 x 51 mm) 
Schengen / EU 35 x 45 mm 
Singapore 35 x 45 mm 
South Africa 35 x 45 mm 
South Korea 35 x 45 mm 
Spain 32 x 26 mm (Spanish ID/passport); EU visas use 35 x 45 mm 
Switzerland 35 x 45 mm 
Thailand 35 x 45 mm 
Turkey 50 x 60 mm 
United Arab Emirates 43 x 55 mm 
United Kingdom 35 x 45 mm 
Vietnam 4 x 6 cm (40 x 60 mm)