Schengen visa photo size
A Schengen visa photo is 35 × 45 mm in colour with the face 32–36 mm tall, 70–80% of the height, on a white or light-coloured background, no more than 6 months old. Each member state’s consulates publish the practical rules; the German and Dutch pages agree. Export a print or a 4 × 6 in sheet.
- Document
- Schengen visa (EU)
- Photo size
- 35 × 45 mm
- Chin to crown
- 32–36 mm
- Background
- White or off-white (German embassies); white or light-coloured (Dutch checklist)
- Photo age
- No more than 6 months old (3 months at the German Embassy London)
- Print export
- 413 × 531 px at 300 ppi, 8 copies per 4 × 6 in sheet
There is no single EU-wide page: each member state’s consulates publish the practical rules, and the German and Dutch pages agree on 35 × 45 mm with the face at 70–80%. Visa centres such as VFS usually take a digital photo at the appointment, so check whether a print is needed.
Printed on photo-quality paper in colour; photos copied or scanned from other documents are rejected.
Official requirements — German Federal Foreign Office (Embassy London)
Place the crown and chin at the guide lines and the eyes in the band when one is shown. The oval is an approximate placement guide, not a face measurement or approval check.
This authority publishes no head height: keep the face centred with space above the head and the shoulders visible.
Schengen visa photo dimensions
The Visa Code requires an ICAO-compliant photo and the consulates set the practical rules: 35 × 45 mm with the face at 70–80% of the photo, which the German Embassy London expresses as 32–36 mm. Printed on photo-quality paper; photos copied or scanned from other documents are rejected.
Recency differs by consulate
The Dutch checklist and the German Embassy Dublin ask for a photo no more than 6 months old; the German Embassy London asks for no older than three months. Check the consulate handling your application.
Do you need a print at all?
Applicants using an external service provider such as VFS usually do not need a print: a digital photo is taken at the appointment. Bring the print when the consulate or the provider’s checklist lists it.
Expression, glasses and head coverings
A neutral facial expression with both eyes open, full-face view, directly facing the camera. Glasses only if the frames do not cover any part of the eyes. No hat or head covering that obscures the hair or hairline; religious coverings are acceptable and must not cast shadows on the face.
How to take a valid photo
The shared ICAO points first, then what this authority adds.
- Have someone else take the photo at eye level from a few steps away; most authorities reject selfies.
- Face the camera straight on with your head level, both eyes open, mouth closed and a neutral expression.
- Light the face evenly: no shadows on the face or the background, no flash reflections, no red-eye.
- Keep the photo as taken: no filters, retouching, background replacement or AI edits.
- Only you in the frame, nothing covering the face, hair away from the eyes, no uniform.
- Leave space around the head and shoulders so the crop can follow the guide.
- Glasses only if the frames cover no part of the eyes.
- No hat or covering that hides the hair or hairline; religious coverings are acceptable and must not cast shadows on the face.
- Neutral expression, both eyes open, full-face view, directly facing the camera.
- Colour photo on photo-quality paper.
Official sources
Requirements checked on 27 October 2026 against the official pages below. The issuing authority makes the acceptance decision; nothing on this page certifies a photo.
To compare formats, see passport photo sizes by country.
Related free photo tools
- Free toolPassport photo size by countryCompare passport photo sizes and official application rules for 40 countries. Align a private head guide; export prints, 4 × 6 in sheets and upload files where the authority allows it.
- Free toolSingapore passport photo sizeSingapore passport photos are 35 × 45 mm with the face 25–35 mm, or exactly 400 × 514 px up to 8 MB for ICA e-Services, taken within 3 months. Crop the upload or a print.
- Free toolSouth Africa passport photo sizeSouth African passport and ID photos are 35 × 45 mm with the face 29–34 mm, not more than a month old, on light grey or cream. Crop a print or a 4 × 6 in sheet with a head guide.
- Free toolSouth Korea passport photo sizeKorean passport photos are 35 × 45 mm with the head 32–36 mm on uniform white, or 413 × 531 px JPG under 500 KB for online renewal. Crop a print or the upload with a head guide.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a Schengen visa photo?
35 × 45 mm with the face 32–36 mm, 70–80% of the height.
Is there one EU rule for the photo?
No. The Visa Code requires an ICAO-compliant photo and each member state’s consulates publish the practical rules; the German and Dutch pages agree on the size.
How recent must the photo be?
No more than 6 months old on the Dutch and German Dublin pages; the German Embassy London asks for three months.
Do I need a print if I apply through VFS?
Usually not: a digital photo is taken at the appointment. Check the provider’s checklist.