Schengen Visa Photo Size and Maker
A Schengen visa photo is 35 x 45 mm, in colour, with your head 32 to 36 mm tall on a plain light background. Make one for the embassy or visa centre in a minute.
Schengen Visa · Step 1 of 4 · Add your photo
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Visa Photo
Visa photo by country
How to
How to make a Schengen visa photo
- 01
Add a recent photo
Facing the camera, in soft even light, with a neutral face and both eyes open.
- 02
Check the crop
The tool sizes your head to 32 to 36 mm of the 45 mm height. Move the frame if your eyes sit off the guide line.
- 03
Clean up the background
Replace a busy room with plain light grey or white in one tap.
- 04
Print or save
A 4x6 sheet with eight 35 x 45 mm photos for the visa centre, or a JPG if your form takes an upload.
Why this size
What the Schengen visa photo rules say
All Schengen countries follow one rule. The EU Visa Code, Article 10, asks every applicant to present a photograph that meets the standard of the uniform Schengen visa, which follows ICAO, the UN agency that sets the rules for passport photos. In practice that is a colour photo 35 mm wide and 45 mm tall, with the head 32 to 36 mm from chin to crown, about 70 to 80 percent of the height.
The background is plain and light, with no pattern and no shadow behind you. Look straight at the camera with a neutral expression, mouth closed and both eyes open. Glasses are best left off: glare or a thick frame across the eyes is a common reason a visa centre asks for a new photo.
The embassy of the country you apply to, or its visa centre such as VFS Global, TLScontact or BLS, sets the practical details: how many prints to bring and how recent the photo must be. Check its checklist before you print.
| Rule | Value |
|---|---|
| Size | 35 x 45 mm |
| Pixels at 300 DPI | 413 x 531 px |
| Head, chin to crown | 32 to 36 mm |
| Background | Plain and light |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth closed |
| Glasses | Best removed |
| Standard | EU Visa Code and ICAO |
Tips
Tips that make a difference
- 1.
One photo for every Schengen country. Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and the other Schengen countries all use 35 x 45 mm, so the same photo works whichever embassy you apply to.
- 2.
Print a full sheet. Visa centres often ask for one or two prints attached to the form. The 4x6 sheet gives you eight, enough for a second try.
- 3.
Print at actual size. Set the printer to 100% or Actual size, not Fit to page. Otherwise the photo shrinks and no longer measures 35 x 45 mm.
Avoid
Why Schengen visa photos get refused
- Head too smallA selfie from arm's length leaves too much room around you. The tool crops so the head fills 70 to 80 percent.
- Glare on glassesTake them off. A reflection over the eyes is the most common problem.
- A shadow behind youStep away from the wall and face the light, then make the background plain here.
- Printed at the wrong scalePrint at 100%. Fit to page shrinks the photo below 35 x 45 mm.
FAQ
Schengen Visa: questions
- What is the Schengen visa photo size?
- 35 x 45 mm (3.5 x 4.5 cm), with the head 32 to 36 mm from the chin to the top of the head.
- Is the Schengen visa photo the same for every country?
- Yes. All Schengen countries follow the EU Visa Code and ICAO, so the size and layout are the same. The embassy's checklist only adds how many prints to bring. Visas outside Schengen often differ: a Dubai visa photo is 4.3 x 5.5 cm and a China visa photo 33 x 48 mm.
- What background does a Schengen visa photo need?
- Plain and light, such as light grey or white, with no pattern and no shadow.
- Can I wear glasses in a Schengen visa photo?
- It is safer not to. Glare or a frame across your eyes can get the photo refused at the visa centre.
- How many pixels is a Schengen visa photo?
- 413 x 531 pixels at 300 DPI for a 35 x 45 mm print. If an online form sets its own pixel size, it shows it on the upload screen.
- Can I use my passport photo for a Schengen visa?
- Usually yes, if it is 35 x 45 mm, recent and on a light background: India, Pakistan and the UK use the same size.
- Is my photo uploaded to your site?
- No. Every step runs in your browser.
Checked
How we checked this page
Checked by the SizePort team on .
We compare every size and rule on this page with the official sources below, and test the tool with sample photos before it goes live. Rules and platforms change, so if something here is out of date, tell us and we will correct it.
How the tool works
A small face detection model (YuNet, about 230 KB) runs in your browser, finds your eyes and chin, and places the frame so the head fills the share of the height the country asks for. You can move the frame. The tool then crops to the country's shape, can replace the background with the on-device AI model, and resizes to the official size at 300 DPI. Where the country sets a file size range, it keeps the JPG inside it. Everything happens in your browser; your images are never uploaded.