If you're applying for a Schengen visa or a European student/work visa, the photo is one of the easiest things to get wrong — and one of the most common reasons applications get held up. The good news: the size is standardised across the Schengen area. The catch: the background colour rule differs by country, and that's where people slip.
The standard Schengen photo size
- Dimensions: 35 × 45 mm (the ICAO biometric standard).
- Face: 70–80% of the frame, roughly 32–36 mm chin to crown.
- Expression: neutral, mouth closed, both eyes open and visible.
- Recency: taken within the last 6 months.
- Glasses: best avoided; no glare, no tint, frames clear of the eyes.
The part that trips people up: background colour
All Schengen states follow ICAO, but they interpret the background differently. Using the wrong shade is a top rejection cause:
- Germany requires a neutral / light grey background and routinely rejects pure white. Make a Germany visa photo.
- France wants a plain light-coloured background — light grey is the safe choice. Make a France visa photo.
- Italy specifies a white background. Make an Italy visa photo.
- Netherlands accepts light grey, light blue or white. Make a Netherlands visa photo.
- Ireland (not Schengen, but the same 35×45 mm) accepts light grey, cream or white. Make an Ireland visa photo.
If you're unsure, light grey is the safest universal choice — it's accepted everywhere, including Switzerland (which rejects white).
How to make one free, without uploading your photo
Pick your country on the visa photo maker (or use a country link above), drop in a clear front-facing photo, and it crops to 35×45 mm with the correct background applied automatically and a compliance check before you download. Everything runs in your browser — your photo is never uploaded.
Need to hit a specific upload size too? Most consulate/VFS portals cap the file at a few hundred KB — use the compress-to-KB tool on the finished photo. Always confirm the exact requirement on your consulate or VFS portal before submitting.