Schengen Visa Photo Requirements 2026
Schengen visa photos follow the ICAO biometric standard: 35×45mm, with the face filling 70–80% of the frame, as the EU Visa Code requires. Each member state's mission publishes its own background and framing details, so check the sheet for the consulate handling your application.
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Schengen visa photo requirements
- Size
- 35 × 45 mm
- Head height
- 32–36 mm chin to crown
- Head fill
- 70–80% of the photo frame
- Background
- Plain and light; the shade is set by each mission
- Expression
- Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open
- Glasses
- Best removed; Germany allows them only for medical reasons
- Standard
- ICAO Doc 9303 (EU Visa Code Art. 13(4))
- Recency
- Within the last 6 months
- Min DPI (print)
- 300 DPI
Verified 4 Jun 2026eur-lex.europa.eu
Report outdated informationWhere member states differ
Germany's sample sheet sets a contrast rule: one bright colour, ideally neutral grey, that stands out from your face and hair. It does not rule out white. France asks for a plain light-coloured background and allows a width from 35 to 40 mm. The Netherlands applies its own national rules to visa applications: for anyone aged 11 or over the head is 26–30 mm from chin to crown, smaller than the 32–36 mm used elsewhere, on light grey, light blue or white. Italy's visa centre operator asks for a white background and accepts 30×40 or 35×45 mm.
The maker's Schengen setting starts with light grey and sizes the head to 32–36 mm. Change the background if your mission's sheet asks for another shade; for a Dutch application the head size is too large, so follow the Dutch rules instead.
How to take a Schengen visa photo at home
Find a plain light-coloured wall (or use a white or grey sheet) in good, even light. Natural daylight from a window works well — avoid harsh direct flash that creates a shadow behind your head. Stand a few feet from the wall, take the photo at eye level with a neutral expression, and remove glasses. Then use the maker to set the background, crop to 35×45mm and size your head.
The 29 Schengen countries in 2026
As of January 2025, the Schengen area has 29 member states: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Bulgaria and Romania joined in January 2025.
Privacy — nothing is uploaded
All processing runs in your browser. Your photo is never sent to any server, never stored, and never shared, which matters for a visa photo of your face.
Frequently asked questions
Does the same photo work for every Schengen country?
Not always. The 35×45mm frame is shared, but the Netherlands asks for a smaller head and missions differ on the background shade, so a photo made for one country can need redoing for another. Check the sheet for the mission handling your application.
Is a Schengen visa photo the same as a passport photo?
Many EU countries also use 35×45mm for national passports, but each sets its own passport rules. Check them separately rather than reusing a visa photo.