Official requirements
| Print size | 35 × 45 mm; two identical photos are normally required |
|---|---|
| Digital size | Our export is 413 × 531 px at 300 DPI (some consulates ask for up to ~1000 × 1200 px uploads — the print proportions are what is checked) |
| Head height | 32–36 mm from the bottom of the chin to the crown — 70–80% of the photo height |
| Background | Plain, uniform and light-coloured; many consulates specify light grey. No patterns, shadows or gradients |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth closed, head straight, eyes open and looking directly at the camera |
| Glasses | Tinted lenses and sunglasses never; frames must not cover the eyes and there must be no reflections — removing glasses is safest |
| Head coverings | Only for religious reasons, and the face from chin to forehead must stay fully visible |
| Recency | Taken within the last 6 months |
| Other rules | Colour only, sharp and in focus, even lighting with no shadows on the face |
How to take a compliant Schengen Visa photo at home
- Use a plain wall in the required background colour if you can — replacing a background digitally is a fallback, not the first choice, and a couple of authorities (Australia, and Canada for digital uploads) require an unaltered photo.
- Stand roughly half a metre in front of the wall so your shadow does not fall on it, and face a window or another even light source so both sides of your face are lit the same.
- Have someone else take the photo from about 1.5 metres away, holding the phone at your eye level. Arm’s-length selfies widen the face and tilt it, and are a quiet cause of rejections.
- Shoot head and shoulders with clear space on every side of your head. The maker scales and centres you; a tight original crop leaves it nothing to work with.
- Look straight at the lens, keep your head level, close your mouth unless your spec allows a natural smile, and take several shots — then use the sharpest one with no shadow on the face or the wall.
Then open the passport photo maker with the Schengen Visa preset selected, drag your photo until the top of your head sits between the dashed crown lines, your chin rests on the lower line and your eyes fall inside the shaded band, and download the photo at exactly 413 × 531 pixels — or a print sheet with the copies laid out at 35 × 45 mm each.
Common reasons Schengen Visa photos are rejected
- Head too small: at 32–36 mm in a 45 mm frame the face must fill most of the photo — a “normal” portrait crop usually fails.
- A dark, coloured or textured background, or a studio gradient.
- Shadows on the face or behind the head.
- Smiling, a tilted head, or eyes partly closed or looking away.
- Sunglasses, reflections in lenses, or fashion headwear.
- The wrong physical size — a US 51 × 51 mm square is not interchangeable with 35 × 45 mm.
The specification is identical across all Schengen consulates because it comes from the EU Visa Code (Regulation (EC) No 810/2009, Annex II) and ICAO Doc 9303 — a photo that passes in France passes in Germany.
Open the maker with the Schengen Visa preset
Frequently asked questions
Is the Schengen visa photo the same as a French or German visa photo?
Yes. France, Germany, Spain, Italy and every other Schengen state apply the one Visa Code specification: 35 × 45 mm, head 32–36 mm, plain light background, taken within six months.
Does the background have to be grey or white?
The Visa Code says plain light-coloured. Several consulates and VFS centres describe light grey, and white is widely accepted in practice — the preset offers light grey first, then white, so you can match your consulate’s wording.
How is this different from the UK 35 × 45 mm photo?
Same outer size, different head band: Schengen wants the head at 32–36 mm, the UK at 29–34 mm, and the backgrounds differ (UK prints: cream or light grey). Use the preset for the document you are actually applying for.
Can I reuse my passport photo for a Schengen visa?
Only if it is 35 × 45 mm, your head measures 32–36 mm in it, the background is plain and light, and it is under six months old. A US-format square photo never qualifies.