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Schengen / EU passport photo size & requirements

Schengen and EU visa photos are 35 x 45 mm with a plain light background and the head filling 70–80% of the frame.

A Schengen visa — officially a "uniform short-stay visa" — allows travel to 27 European countries that have abolished border controls between them under the Schengen Agreement. The visa photo requirement is standardised across all Schengen embassies and consulates worldwide: 35 x 45 mm, plain white or very light background, face filling 70–80% of the frame, taken within the last six months. This standard is set by European Commission Regulation (EC) No 1683/95 and applies uniformly regardless of which Schengen country's embassy processes your application.

In practice, most foreign nationals applying for a Schengen visa submit their application through a Visa Application Centre (VAC) such as VFS Global or TLScontact, which handles biometric data collection (fingerprinting and photo capture) on behalf of Schengen embassies. For initial applications, the VAC typically captures a digital photo on-site — you may not need to bring printed photos. However, for applications submitted directly at embassies, or for renewals of long-stay visas (Type D national visas issued by individual Schengen countries), printed photos in the correct format are still required. Always confirm with the specific embassy whether photos must be printed or will be captured on-site.

Photo size
35 x 45 mm
Resolution
300 DPI
Head height
Head height (chin to crown) of 32–36 mm
Background
Plain light grey or white
Make my Schengen photo How to print it

Schengen / EU passport photo requirements

  • Photo must be 35 x 45 mm (the EU/Schengen visa standard).
  • Head should take up 70–80% of the photo (32–36 mm chin to crown).
  • Plain light-grey or white background.
  • Neutral expression, mouth closed, looking straight at the camera.
  • Recent photo (taken within the last 6 months).
  • No glare on glasses; eyes must be clearly visible.

Common reasons Schengen / EU passport photos get rejected

Even a technically correct photo can be turned away for these issues. They come up repeatedly in official rejection notices.

  • Photo taken more than six months before the application date — Schengen visa officers explicitly check the photo date.
  • Background not plain light (grey or white) — patterned or coloured backgrounds are a leading cause of Schengen photo rejection at VACs.
  • Head height outside 70–80% of the frame — faces that are too small or that have excessive space above the head are flagged.
  • Glasses with any glare — many Schengen consulates now follow the ICAO recommendation to remove glasses entirely.
  • Photo submitted with visible fold marks, damage, or printed on paper that is not photographic grade.
  • Digital photo file that does not meet the VAC upload specifications (most require JPEG, minimum 400 x 514 pixels, maximum 5 MB).

Make your Schengen / EU passport photo

Use our free passport size photo maker — select Schengen / EU from the country list and it will automatically apply the correct size (35 x 45 mm) and background settings for you.

Crop, remove background, and download a compliant Schengen / EU passport photo — free, no signup, no watermark.

Open Passport Size Photo Maker

Select Schengen / EU in the tool to get the exact 35 x 45 mm preset.

Other countries

United States flag United States 2 x 2 in (51 x 51 mm) Albania flag Albania 35 x 45 mm Australia flag Australia 35 x 45 mm Brazil flag Brazil 3 x 4 cm (30 x 40 mm); US visa applications use 2 x 2 in Canada flag Canada 50 x 70 mm China flag China 33 x 48 mm France flag France 35 x 45 mm Germany flag Germany 35 x 45 mm Iceland flag Iceland 35 x 45 mm India flag India 35 x 45 mm (Indian visa & many applications use 51 x 51 mm / 2 x 2 in) Ireland flag Ireland 35 x 45 mm Italy flag Italy 35 x 45 mm Japan flag Japan 35 x 45 mm Luxembourg flag Luxembourg 35 x 45 mm Malaysia flag Malaysia 35 x 50 mm Netherlands flag Netherlands 35 x 45 mm New Zealand flag New Zealand 35 x 45 mm Nigeria flag Nigeria 35 x 45 mm Norway flag Norway 35 x 45 mm Pakistan flag Pakistan 35 x 45 mm Philippines flag Philippines 35 x 45 mm (Philippine visa applications often use 2 x 2 in) Russia flag Russia 35 x 45 mm Saudi Arabia flag Saudi Arabia 2 x 2 in (51 x 51 mm) Singapore flag Singapore 35 x 45 mm South Africa flag South Africa 35 x 45 mm South Korea flag South Korea 35 x 45 mm Spain flag Spain 32 x 26 mm (Spanish ID/passport); EU visas use 35 x 45 mm Switzerland flag Switzerland 35 x 45 mm Thailand flag Thailand 35 x 45 mm Turkey flag Turkey 50 x 60 mm United Arab Emirates flag United Arab Emirates 43 x 55 mm United Kingdom flag United Kingdom 35 x 45 mm Vietnam flag Vietnam 4 x 6 cm (40 x 60 mm)