Schengen visa photo requirements
One photo spec covers all 27 Schengen countries — France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and 22 others. Same biometric standard (ICAO Doc 9303), same dimensions, same background. If you've been to a passport office in any EU country, you've seen this format: a tall 35 × 45 mm photo on a light grey background.
The exact spec
The Schengen photo requirement is harmonized across all member states under ICAO 9303 biometric guidelines. The numbers below match what consulates and VFS / TLScontact submission centers will actually check.
- Dimensions: 35 × 45 mm (taller than wide — not square)
- Head height: 32 to 36 mm chin to top of hair
- Eye position: 18 to 22 mm from the top edge
- Background: light grey or cream (most consulates accept off-white as well; pure white is occasionally rejected because the face doesn't separate cleanly from the background in scanning)
- Expression: neutral, mouth closed, both ears visible if possible
- No glasses (some consulates allow non-tinted prescription, but the safer move is to remove them)
- Recent: taken within the last six months
- Print quality: high-resolution, no pixelation, no Photoshop retouching beyond background
Which countries does this cover?
All 27 Schengen Area members use this spec for short-stay visa applications:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
A handful of consulates have minor variations (some prefer off-white over grey, some allow neutral facial expressions to lean further toward "no smile at all"), but a photo that meets the standard ICAO spec is accepted by all of them.
Setup at home
The hard parts: getting the background right and getting head height right. The studio handles both — but the better the source photo, the cleaner the output.
- Wall. A light-grey wall is ideal. If yours is white or cream, the studio will replace it with the Schengen-compliant grey (#E8E8E8) automatically.
- Light. Even, diffuse light. Shadows on the face or wall are the most common rejection cause.
- Distance. Stand 3+ feet from the wall, with the camera 4–6 feet away. Use the rear camera. No selfies — Schengen biometric checks pick up selfie distortion immediately.
Take the shot
Frame head-and-shoulders, looking straight at the lens. Neutral expression, mouth closed, ears visible if your hair allows. Eyes wide open. Three takes; pick the best.
The studio measures head height, eye-line position, and expression automatically once you pick "Schengen / EU Visa" from the country list. You'll see a green "Meets Schengen / EU Visa requirements" before you pay.
What gets rejected at submission
- Background too white or too dark — the spec wants light grey
- Hard shadow on the wall behind the applicant
- Smiling or any open-mouth expression
- Glasses (varies by consulate; safest to remove)
- Head height outside 32–36 mm (cropped too tight or too loose)
- Photo older than six months
Run yours through the studio
Open the studio, drop your photo in, and select "Schengen / EU Visa" from the country picker. The system handles cropping, background replacement, and compliance checks. For the spec page, see Schengen / EU visa photo requirements.
Cost
$7.90 for the digital JPEG. Add a print-ready 4×6 sheet for +$1 if your consulate or submission center requires printed photos (most VFS appointments do).