Schengen / EU visa photo: size and requirements

Requirements at a glance

Photo size	35 × 45 mm
Pixels at 300 dpi	413 × 531 px
Head size	32–36 mm chin to crown (70–80% of the photo height)
Background	Plain, light and uniform (white, light grey or light blue — depends on the consulate)
Digital upload	Varies by country and visa centre
Glasses	Best avoided; if worn: clear lenses, no glare, eyes fully visible
Recency	Taken in the last 6 months

Official source: European Commission — applying for a Schengen visa. Rules change — always confirm on the official page before you submit.

Things people get wrong

• Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands all use 35 × 45 mm.
• Many consulates prefer a light grey or light blue background rather than pure white, so a pale face still contrasts.
• Bring a printed photo even if you apply online — many visa centres glue it to the form.
• Confirm on your specific consulate’s page; this is the most common cause of a re-take at the counter.

Make one from a photo you take at home

1. Stand about 1–1.5 m from a plain wall, facing a window so light falls evenly on your face.
2. Have someone else take the photo at eye level (selfies distort the face and are often rejected).
3. Upload it to the StageZap studio, choose the ID photo tab, this size and background.
4. Check the result against the table above, then print at 300 dpi or upload the digital file.

StageZap retouches your own photo (background, framing, lighting). It does not change your face, and we cannot guarantee acceptance by any government or embassy.

Other sizes

Compare every country in our free passport photo size lookup, or read how to take a passport photo at home and common rejection reasons.