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Schengen visa photo requirements

Schengen visa photo: size and rules

As of October 25, 2026, a Schengen visa photo measures 35 x 45 mm; Germany’s U.S. missions want the face, chin to crown, at 32 to 36 mm, or 70% to 80% of the height (per germany.info, checked on Oct 25, 2026).

For a Schengen visa photo, the German missions want one bright background color, ideally neutral gray, contrasting with the face and hair: medium gray for light hair, light gray for dark hair, and no pattern.

Germany’s U.S. missions want the photo printed on high-quality paper at a print resolution of at least 600 dpi, especially when it comes from a digital camera.

Updated Rules checked against germany.infoHow we check

Measured drawing: Schengen visa photo35 mm45 mm36 mm32 mmchin34 mm, our target
Schengen visa photo. Printed size 35 x 45 mm. Head 32 to 36 mm, measured from the chin to the top of the head. The coral dot is where our tool places the top of the head (76% of the height).

Schengen visa photo at a glance

Printed size
35 x 45 mmgermany.info
Head height
32–36 mmgermany.info
Head, digital
70%–80% of image heightgermany.info
Background
One bright color, ideally neutral graygermany.info
Glasses
Allowed if the eyes are clearly visible; no tinted lensesgermany.info
Taken within
The last 6 monthshome-affairs.ec.europa.eu

Questions people ask

What size is a Schengen visa photo?

The print is 35 mm wide and 45 mm tall, a portrait rectangle rather than a square. Both the German missions in the U.S. and the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs list that size.

Germany measures the face from the bottom of the chin to the crown, the top of the skull, not the top of the hair. The target is 32 to 36 mm, or 70% to 80% of the height, and a photo is refused for face size only below 27 mm or above 40 mm. The Czech page adds a floor of 13 mm between the eyes and the chin.

At the EU level, the European Commission points applicants to ICAO photo guidelines that allow a width of 35 to 40 mm and the same 70% to 80% face share.

Sources: germany.info (pages 1, 2) · mzv.gov.cz · home-affairs.ec.europa.eu

What background does a Schengen visa photo need?

One plain, bright color that stands out from the face and hair. Germany’s sample sheet names neutral gray as the ideal: medium gray behind light hair, light gray behind dark hair. The ICAO guidelines linked by the European Commission ask simply for a plain, light-colored background.

Patterns, objects, other people and shadows behind the head all lead to a refusal under the German rules.

Sources: germany.info · home-affairs.ec.europa.eu

Can you wear glasses or a head covering in a Schengen visa photo?

Glasses can stay on for the German missions when the eyes are fully visible: no tinted lenses, no sunglasses, no flash glare and no frame crossing the eyes. The Czech ministry allows sunglasses only for blind applicants.

Hats and head coverings come off unless an exception applies, mainly for religious reasons in Germany, or religious and health reasons in the Czech Republic. The face must stay visible from the chin to the forehead.

Sources: germany.info · mzv.gov.cz

How should a Schengen visa photo be printed?

On high-quality paper at 600 dpi or more, clean and without creases. The German sample sheet accepts both color and black-and-white prints, as long as color prints show natural skin tones.

The German missions’ April 2025 checklist asks for one photo with the application.

Sources: germany.info (pages 1, 2)

Common reasons a photo is turned down

  1. Germany’s sample sheet asks for a photo in sharp focus, clear and with proper contrast. germany.info
  2. Even lighting is required, and shadows, reflections and red eye should be avoided, per the German missions. germany.info

Every rule, with its source

Size and head position

  • The German missions in the United States ask Schengen visa applicants for one recent biometric passport photo measuring 35 x 45 mm. germany.info
  • Germany’s visa sample sheet says the face, measured from the bottom of the chin to the crown rather than the top of the hair, must fill 70% to 80% of the photo, which is 32 to 36 mm. germany.info
  • Because the crown is hard to locate under hair, the German missions turn down a photo for face size only when the face is under 27 mm or over 40 mm. germany.info
  • A voluminous hairstyle should appear in full without shrinking the face, and the face must sit in the center of the photo, according to the German missions. germany.info
  • The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs also lists 35 x 45 mm for a visa photo, in full-face view, with at least 13 mm from the eyes to the bottom of the chin. mzv.gov.cz
  • The ICAO photo guidelines that the European Commission links for Schengen visas describe a print 35 to 40 mm wide, a close-up of the head and top of the shoulders in which the face takes up 70% to 80% of the photograph. home-affairs.ec.europa.eu

Background

  • For a Schengen visa photo, the German missions want one bright background color, ideally neutral gray, contrasting with the face and hair: medium gray for light hair, light gray for dark hair, and no pattern. germany.info
  • Nobody and nothing else may appear behind the applicant, and shadows on the background are not accepted by the German missions. germany.info
  • The European Commission’s linked ICAO guidelines ask for a plain, light-colored background and uniform lighting, with no shadows, flash reflections or red eye on the face. home-affairs.ec.europa.eu

Glasses, head coverings and clothing

  • Glasses may stay on in a photo for the German missions if the eyes are clearly visible: no flash glare on the lenses, no tinted lenses or sunglasses, and no frame edge over the eyes. germany.info
  • The German missions do not allow hats or head coverings, with exceptions mainly for religious reasons; an allowed covering must leave the face visible from the bottom of the chin to the forehead. germany.info
  • The German missions ask for a straight, untilted head, a neutral expression with the mouth closed and a direct look into the camera. germany.info
  • No part of a uniform should show in a photo for the German missions. germany.info
  • The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs asks for civil attire, rules out sunglasses except for blind applicants, and accepts a head cover only for religious or health reasons when it does not prevent identification. mzv.gov.cz
  • Applicants who wear glasses are advised by the ICAO guidelines on the European Commission’s site to wear lighter-framed glasses if they have them. home-affairs.ec.europa.eu

How recent

  • Under the ICAO photo guidelines the European Commission links from its Schengen visa page, the photo must be no more than 6 months old. home-affairs.ec.europa.eu
  • The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs requires the visa photo to show the applicant’s current appearance. mzv.gov.cz

Printed photo

  • Germany’s U.S. missions want the photo printed on high-quality paper at a print resolution of at least 600 dpi, especially when it comes from a digital camera. germany.info
  • Black-and-white and color prints are both accepted by the German missions, provided the print is clean, undamaged and free of creases. germany.info

Babies and children

  • For children aged 9 and under, the German missions accept a face filling 50% to 80% of the photo, or 22 to 36 mm from chin to crown. germany.info
  • Children 5 and under need neither a neutral expression, nor a direct look, nor a centered head, and babies under one year do not have to keep their eyes open. germany.info

Where photos come from

  • Schengen visa applicants of the German missions in the U.S. book an appointment with the service provider BLS International, except in the Atlanta consular district, where the consulate takes applications directly. germany.info
  • Without a photo, a Schengen visa application is not admissible, according to the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs. mzv.gov.cz
  • The European Commission lists a photo in compliance with ICAO standards among the documents for a Schengen visa application, and fingerprints are taken when the application is submitted, with exemptions for some applicants. home-affairs.ec.europa.eu
  • According to the European Commission, a Schengen visa application is lodged at the consulate of the country to be visited or, on a trip to several Schengen countries, of the one where the traveler will spend the longest time. home-affairs.ec.europa.eu

Who reviews the photo

  • BLS International only facilitates the application; the competent German mission alone makes the final decision on a Schengen visa. germany.info
  • The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs cites Article 13 of the EU Visa Code, Regulation (EC) No 810/2009, as the legal source of its visa photo rules. mzv.gov.cz

FAQ

Which Schengen country’s photo rules apply to my application?

Those of the country you apply to. Under the Schengen Visa Code you apply to the sole destination, or the main destination by length or purpose of stay, or else the country whose external border you cross first. This page uses what the European Commission, the German missions in the U.S. and the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs publish. Source: official pages "Schengen Visa — Short-stay Schengen visas for 90 days and less", "Applying for a Schengen visa — European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs" and "Photo — Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic", checked on Oct 25, 2026.

How old can a Schengen visa photo be?

Six months at most, under the ICAO photo guidelines the European Commission links from its Schengen visa page. The German missions in the U.S. ask for a recent photo, and the Czech ministry for one that matches your current appearance. Source: official pages "ICAO photograph guidelines (the “ICAO standards” link on Applying for a Schengen visa), European Commission", "Schengen visa — Visa application checklist (April 2025), German Missions in the United States" and "Photo — Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic", checked on Oct 25, 2026.

How many photos do German missions in the U.S. want for a Schengen visa?

One recent biometric photo, 35 x 45 mm, according to the Schengen visa checklist of the German missions in the United States (April 2025). Source: official page "Schengen visa — Visa application checklist (April 2025), German Missions in the United States", checked on Oct 25, 2026.

Who decides whether my Schengen visa photo is good enough?

The consulate that handles the application. For Germany, BLS International only takes in the paperwork and the competent German mission makes the final decision. No photo service, SelfieToPassport included, can promise acceptance. Source: official page "Schengen Visa — Short-stay Schengen visas for 90 days and less", checked on Oct 25, 2026.

Is SelfieToPassport the Federal Foreign Office of Germany (German Missions in the United States)?

No. SelfieToPassport is not affiliated with the Federal Foreign Office of Germany (German Missions in the United States) or any other government agency. The Federal Foreign Office of Germany (German Missions in the United States) publishes the photo rules for free at germany.info; this page links to each one.

Does SelfieToPassport replace the background of a Schengen visa photo?

We crop and resize your original photo and never replace or repaint the background. If the wall does not pass the check, the tool asks for a new photo and tells you how to fix the light or the wall.

Ready? Free preview with the measurements drawn on your photo; $6.95 for the digital file and both print sheets.

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Where this information comes from

Every rule on this page comes from a page published by the Federal Foreign Office of Germany (German Missions in the United States), read on the date shown. We rewrite each rule in plain words and link to the page it came from. Each rule has a review deadline; one that passes it without a new check comes off the page.

Something here out of date? Tell us and we will check it against the official page.