Schengen Visa Photo Requirements 2026: 35x45mm Standard

The Schengen visa is the most-applied-for travel document in the world, and the photo is a top reason applications get rejected at the counter. Every Schengen state uses the same 35 x 45 mm photo and ICAO biometric rules, but consulates interpret background, glasses, and digital file rules differently. This guide covers the universal Schengen visa photo specifications for 2026 and the country-specific quirks that matter.

The Universal Schengen Visa Photo Standard: 35x45mm

Every Schengen member uses the same passport-style photo for short-stay (Type C) visas, long-stay (Type D) national visas, and residence permits. The standard is set out in EU Council recommendations and aligned with ICAO Doc 9303.

Core specifications:

Photo size: 35 mm wide by 45 mm tall (1.38 x 1.77 in)
Head height: 32 to 36 mm from chin to crown (~70-80% of photo height)
Eye position: 28 to 32 mm above the bottom edge
Background: light grey or white (country preferences below)
Recency: within the last 6 months
Quantity (printed): 2 identical colour photos for in-person submission
Finish: photo-grade paper, no creases or pixelation

According to schengenvisainfo.com, the same dimensions apply whether you apply in Mumbai, Manila, Lagos, or New York.

The 27 Schengen Countries in 2026

After the 2024 expansion that lifted internal land-border checks for Bulgaria and Romania (following Croatia in 2023), the Schengen Area now contains 27 states. The photo standard is identical in all of them.

Country	ISO	Country	ISO
Austria	AT	Latvia	LV
Belgium	BE	Liechtenstein	LI
Bulgaria	BG	Lithuania	LT
Croatia	HR	Luxembourg	LU
Czech Republic	CZ	Malta	MT
Denmark	DK	Netherlands	NL
Estonia	EE	Norway	NO
Finland	FI	Poland	PL
France	FR	Portugal	PT
Germany	DE	Romania	RO
Greece	GR	Slovakia	SK
Hungary	HU	Slovenia	SI
Iceland	IS	Spain	ES
Italy	IT	Sweden	SE
		Switzerland	CH

Cyprus and Ireland are EU members but not Schengen members. The United Kingdom is neither EU nor Schengen. Their visa photo rules are covered separately later in this guide.

Background Color: Light Grey, White, or Both?

The EU Council recommendation calls for “a uniform light-coloured background” without naming a single colour. Each member state has narrowed that down:

Light grey only: France, Switzerland
Light grey, white tolerated: Germany, Netherlands
White or light grey: Italy, Spain, Belgium, Austria, Portugal, the Nordics
Light blue is occasionally seen for passports but is not accepted for Schengen visas

The safest single colour for any Schengen visa is plain light grey (RGB ~200,200,200 to 220,220,220): accepted everywhere, with no risk of the strict France/Switzerland rejection that pure white sometimes triggers.

Facial Expression and Head Position (ICAO Standards)

Schengen photos follow the ICAO biometric pose used by e-Gates across Europe.

Face the camera directly with shoulders square. No tilt, no turn, no profile shots.
Neutral expression, mouth closed. No smiling or raised eyebrows.
Both eyes open and visible, looking straight at the lens.
The full face from the top of the head to below the chin must be visible.
Hair must not cover the eyes or eyebrows. The outline of the face must be visible on both sides.
No hats or head coverings except for daily-worn religious garments; even then, the full face from chin to forehead must be uncovered.

For applicants under 6 years old, slight movement is tolerated, but the eyes must be open and the face centred.

Glasses Policy Across Schengen Countries

Since 2016, glasses have been progressively banned from EU passport and Schengen visa photos. As of 2026:

No glasses is the default and safest choice for every Schengen application.
Clear prescription glasses without glare are still tolerated by Italy, Spain, and a few others on medical grounds, but rejection rates are higher.
No tinted lenses, sunglasses, transition lenses, or thick frames that obscure the eyes.
France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland recommend removing glasses entirely.

If glasses are medically necessary, attach a short note from your optometrist.

Photo Quantity: Why 2 Identical Photos

Schengen consulates ask for two identical printed photos even when biometrics are captured at the counter. One is attached to the application form; the second is scanned into the Visa Information System (VIS) and stored in the EU biometric database.

Some VFS Global centres accept a single photo because they capture biometrics on-site, but the EU Council recommendation remains two identical photos from the same session. Submitting photos from different sittings is a common rejection cause.

Digital Photo Specs for Online Schengen Applications

Most consulates now use online pre-application portals (France-Visas, Italy iVisa, Germany VIDEX, Netherlands IND, and the EU Council’s Schengen Visa Application Platform pilot). Specs vary, but the most common requirements are:

Format: JPEG (some portals accept PNG)
File size: 50 KB to 10 MB; most accept up to 500 KB
Resolution: min. 600 x 750 px at 300 dpi; recommended 826 x 1062 at 600 dpi
Aspect ratio: 35:45 portrait, never square
Color: 24-bit, sRGB, minimal JPEG compression

Avoid screenshots, heavy “Save for Web” exports, and smartphone beauty-mode captures. The VIS system runs facial-recognition checks on every uploaded image.

Country-Specific Quirks That Trip People Up

The 35 x 45 mm format is universal, but member states have narrowed the EU recommendation differently. The differences that matter most:

Italy accepts both white and light grey; Esteri and Polizia di Stato use the same spec for passports and Schengen visas. See our Italy Schengen visa photo guide or the Italy visa photo tool.

Netherlands publishes a strict spec via the IND. Background must be light grey or off-white; light blue is accepted only for passport photos at municipal counters. Glasses not permitted. See the Netherlands visa photo guide or the Netherlands visa photo tool.

France is the strictest on background. France-Visas and French embassies require plain light grey only — pure white is frequently rejected. The France passport photo guide covers the same spec used for French Schengen visas. Use the France visa photo tool.

Switzerland (Schengen, not EU). The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) requires light grey only and is the most aggressive enforcer. Use the Switzerland visa photo tool.

Germany asks for a light grey biometric background (“biometrisches Passbild”). White is technically allowed but flagged as non-preferred. Glasses not permitted. Use the Germany visa photo tool.

Spain accepts light grey or off-white for Schengen visas at 35 x 45 mm. Quirk: the Spanish passport uses a non-standard 26 x 32 mm (DNI format), but the Schengen visa is still 35 x 45 mm. Use the Spain visa photo tool.

The remaining 21 Schengen states default to 35 x 45 mm with light grey or white. When in doubt, light grey is universally accepted.

How to Take Your Schengen Visa Photo at Home

You can produce a compliant Schengen photo with a smartphone if you set the scene correctly.

Hang a light grey sheet, foam board, or painted wall at least 50 cm behind you. Light grey satisfies France and Switzerland and is accepted everywhere else.
Use even, diffused light from two sources at 45-degree angles in front. Avoid overhead lighting.
Position the camera at eye level, 1.5 to 2 metres away. Selfie distance distorts facial proportions.
Look straight at the lens, neutral expression, mouth closed.
Take several shots and review on a large screen.
Crop to 35 x 45 mm with the head 32 to 36 mm vertically and 4 to 8 mm of space above.
Print two copies on photo paper at 600 dpi, or upload the JPEG to the consular portal.

Our free Schengen photo tools (one per country) auto-detect the face and verify head height before download.

Where to Get a Schengen Visa Photo

If you would rather pay a professional:

VFS Global booths at VFS centres worldwide: USD 4-10, acceptance guaranteed for the destination country.
Pharmacy photo counters (Boots, Apotheke, FNAC, Foto Klein): EUR 8-15.
Self-service booths in train stations and shopping centres: EUR 5-10. Pick “biometric” or “Schengen” mode, not generic “ID.”
Photo studios: EUR 15-30, highest acceptance rate.

Ask the operator to confirm “Schengen visa, 35 by 45, light grey.” If they do not recognise “Schengen,” walk to the next booth.

Schengen Photo Requirements for Indian and Other VFS Global Applicants

VFS Global processes the majority of Schengen visa applications outside Europe. Every VFS portal lists the same Schengen spec: 35 x 45 mm, 70-80% face coverage, light grey or white background (per destination), recent (within 6 months), two identical copies.

Indian applicants in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, or Hyderabad routinely use the VFS-affiliated booths inside the centres, which print 35 x 45 mm with the destination’s background pre-loaded. A common mistake: submitting a 51 x 51 mm Indian passport-format photo instead of the 35 x 45 mm Schengen portrait. The two are not interchangeable.

Common Reasons Schengen Visa Photos Get Rejected

Wrong background colour (white submitted to a French consulate, or light blue submitted anywhere)
Head outside the 32 to 36 mm range
Glasses with glare or thick frames
Smiling or open mouth
Photo older than 6 months
Hair covering eyebrows or part of an eye
Heavy beauty-mode filter (skin smoothing, jaw narrowing, eye enlargement)
Plain paper instead of photo paper
Two non-identical photos from different sessions
Cropping that distorts the aspect ratio (square instead of 35:45)
Shadow on the background behind the head, ears, or shoulders

A flagged photo pauses the application until a replacement is provided in person; delays of 7 to 14 days are typical.

Visa Type Coverage: Same Photo, Every Visa

The 35 x 45 mm Schengen format applies to every visa type at a Schengen consulate or VFS centre: Type C short-stay (tourist, business, family visit, transit, conference), Type D long-stay national (study, work, family reunification, au pair, researcher), residence permits issued after arrival, airport transit visas (ATV), EU Blue Card, ICT permits, and seasonal worker visas. There is no separate “tourist” or “business” size; the spec is set by the issuing country, not the visa purpose.

Cyprus, Ireland, UK Note: Not Schengen, Different Rules

Three commonly-confused European destinations are not Schengen and use different photo rules:

Cyprus: 35 x 45 mm, white background only.
Ireland: 35 x 45 mm, white background, head 70 to 80 percent. Different glasses policy than Schengen.
United Kingdom: 35 x 45 mm with stricter pixel rules (600 x 750 minimum, light grey or cream) and a 600 KB digital cap.

If you are applying for a UK Standard Visitor or Irish short-stay visa as part of the same trip, prepare a separate photo set.

Next Steps and Country-Specific Guides

The 35 x 45 mm Schengen format is the same everywhere, but the consulate that processes your application has the final say on background, glasses, and digital file rules. Pick the country you are applying to:

Or jump straight to a free browser-based photo maker with the correct light grey background pre-loaded for your destination: Italy, Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Spain, Germany. Every photo is processed entirely in your browser, never uploaded to a server, and ready to print as a two-up sheet or upload to the country’s online visa portal.