Switzerland passport photo size
A Swiss passport or ID card photo is 35 × 45 mm with the head 29–34 mm from chin to crown and about 5 mm free above it. Where the canton allows a brought digital photo, the file is exactly 1440 × 1980 px JPEG of about 700 kB with the eyes within 50–60% of the height from the bottom. Export either.
- Document
- Passport and ID card
- Photo size
- 35 × 45 mm
- Chin to crown
- 29–34 mm
- Background
- Neutral and plain with contrast; a too-light background lacking contrast is rejected
- Photo age
- Not stated
- Online upload
- 1440 × 1980 px, JPEG, colour 8 bit/pixel, baseline, up to 700 KB
- Print export
- 413 × 531 px at 300 ppi, 8 copies per 4 × 6 in sheet
Passport photos are normally captured at the cantonal passport office; some cantons let you bring a digital photo, which is verified against an on-site capture with no fee reduction.
A paper photo brought for an ID card at the commune must match the Fotomustertafel; rounded corners, dirt, an uneven surface and visible pixels are rejected.
Exactly 1980 × 1440 px (height × width), about 700 kB, not retouched; pupil-to-pupil distance 15–20% of the width and the eyes within 50–60% of the height from the bottom edge. Only where the canton allows a brought digital photo, through an upload link e-mailed by the authority.
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.
Swiss passport photo dimensions
The fedpol Fotomustertafel shows a 35 × 45 mm frame with the chin-to-crown height between 29 and 34 mm and about 5 mm free above the head, on a neutral, plain background with contrast; a background that is too light is rejected. Colour for the passport; colour or greyscale for the ID card.
The 1440 × 1980 pixel file
Article 12 of the EJPD ordinance sets 1980 × 1440 px (height by width), a JPEG in colour, 8 bit per pixel, baseline, with the pupil-to-pupil distance at 15–20% of the image width, the eyes within 50–60% of the height from the bottom edge, about 700 kB, not retouched. The preview shows the eye band for this export.
Where the digital photo is allowed
Passport photos are normally captured at the cantonal passport office. Some cantons let you bring a digital photo, declared when applying and sent through an upload link e-mailed by the authority; it is verified against an on-site capture and reprocessed, with no fee reduction.
Print defects and other rejections
A paper photo brought for an ID card at the commune must match the Fotomustertafel: rounded corners, dirt, an uneven surface and visible pixel structure are rejected, as are over-exposure, a face too small, hair or a hand in the face, another person or object, blur, and shadows or reflections 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 are allowed if the frame does not cover the eyes and the lenses do not reflect.
- Head coverings and headbands are rejected; a religious covering is accepted when the face is fully visible and unshadowed.
- Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open, frontal, looking at the camera.
- Colour image for the passport (colour or greyscale for the ID card); no over-exposure, hair or hands in the face, blur, shadows or reflections.
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 toolTaiwan passport photo sizeTaiwan passport photos are 35 × 45 mm with the head 32–36 mm on white, two prints at the counter, or at least 413 × 531 px JPG under 5 MB for online renewal. Crop either.
- Free toolThailand passport and visa photo sizeThai passports are captured in person with biometrics, so there is nothing to crop; Thai visa photos are 35 × 45 mm, and the e-Visa takes a JPG up to 3 MB. Crop the visa photo here.
- Free toolTurkey passport photo sizeTurkish passport and ID photos are biometric 50 × 60 mm prints on a white, pattern-free background, taken within 6 months, not cut down to 35 × 45 mm. Crop a print or a sheet here.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a Swiss passport photo?
35 × 45 mm with the head 29–34 mm; 1440 × 1980 px for the digital photo where allowed.
Can I bring my own digital photo?
Only where your canton allows it, through an upload link e-mailed by the authority. It is checked against an on-site capture.
Where should the eyes be in the digital photo?
Within 50–60% of the image height from the bottom edge, with the pupils 15–20% of the width apart.
Is a white background acceptable?
The Fotomustertafel asks for a neutral, plain background with contrast and rejects a too-light background lacking contrast.