EU / Schengen Visa Photo Requirements 2026
Written and fact-checked by the PassportLayout team · Last verified:
Based on EU Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 (the Visa Code) and ICAO Doc 9303 biometric standards, checked against the sources on the date above. Individual member-state consulates may add stricter rules — always confirm with the specific embassy handling your application.
Quick Summary
35×45 mm, plain white or light grey background, neutral expression, glasses best removed. Face height 32–36 mm (70–80% of frame). Taken within 6 months.
What Is the Schengen Area?
The Schengen Area comprises 29 European countries that have eliminated passport controls at their mutual borders. While most are EU member states, some non-EU countries (Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein) are also part of Schengen. A Schengen visa allows travel throughout all member countries.
All EU passports and Schengen visas follow the same photo standard, which is defined by EU Regulation (EC) No 2252/2004 for passports and No 810/2009 for visas. Both reference ICAO Doc 9303 for biometric photo specifications, which also requires the photo to have been captured within the six months before the application.
Photo Dimensions
Both Schengen visa photos and EU passport photos must be 35 mm wide and 45 mm tall — ICAO Doc 9303 specifies that submitted portraits should be 45.0 × 35.0 mm to provide adequate resolution for facial recognition. This is the same format used by the UK, Australia, and many other countries that follow ICAO biometric standards. The photo must be in colour, printed on photo-quality paper, and must not be digitally altered or enhanced in any way.
Most Schengen visa applications require 2 identical photos submitted with the application. Some embassies or visa application centres (such as VFS Global or BLS International) may accept 1 or 2 photos depending on the nationality and application type.
Face and Head Size
The face must occupy 70–80% of the photo height — the ICAO standard requires the crown-to-chin portion of the facial image to be 70 to 80 per cent of the portrait's longest dimension, which may mean cropping so that not all the hair is visible. In practical terms, the head (chin to crown) must measure between 32 mm and 36 mm within the 45 mm frame. The face must be centred horizontally and positioned in the upper two-thirds of the photo.
The entire face including forehead, chin, and both cheeks must be fully visible and not cut off. Both eyes must be open, clearly visible, and at the same height in the frame (no head tilt).
Background
The background must be plain white or very light grey. It must be uniform without shadows, patterns, or other objects. There must be clear contrast between the background and the applicant's face and hair — pale-skinned applicants with light hair should use a light grey background to ensure sufficient contrast.
Expression, Eyes and Glasses
A neutral expression with mouth closed is required. Both eyes must be open with the gaze directed straight at the camera. The ICAO framework, which all EU countries follow, requires that eyes be free of reflections, tints, or obstructions for accurate biometric comparison.
For glasses, the safest choice is to remove them. Where member states tolerate glasses — the Dutch government, for example, allows them for its national documents — the lenses must be fully transparent with no glare or shadow, and the eyes must be fully visible with nothing obscuring them. Tinted lenses and heavy frames are not accepted anywhere, and some consulates require glasses to be removed entirely for visa photos, so check the instructions of the embassy handling your application.
Country-Specific Variations
While the base 35 × 45 mm format is uniform across the Schengen area, member states define their own detailed measurements and tolerances for national documents, and individual consulates may add stricter rules for visa photos. The Dutch government's photo requirements are a good illustration of how detailed national rules can get: for Dutch passports and ID cards the face must measure 16–20 mm ear to ear and 26–30 mm chin to crown, the background may be light grey, light blue, or white, and prints must be at least 400 dpi on high-quality smooth photo paper.
Because of these variations, always check with the specific embassy or consulate where you are submitting your application for the most current requirements — a photo accepted by one member state's consulate can occasionally be rejected by another's.
Complete Specifications Table
| Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| Photo size | 35 × 45 mm |
| Face height | 32–36 mm (70–80% of frame) |
| Background | Plain white or light grey |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth closed |
| Glasses | Best removed; if tolerated, clear lenses, no glare, eyes fully visible |
| Recency | Within 6 months |
| Colour | Colour only (sRGB) |
| Copies needed | 2 identical photos (typically) |
| Standard | ICAO Doc 9303 / EU Reg 810/2009 |
Common Rejection Reasons
- Photo older than 6 months
- Background not plain white or light grey
- Face proportion outside 70–80% of frame
- Glasses with glare, tinted lenses, or frames obscuring the eyes
- Shadows on background or face
- Non-neutral expression
- Head not facing directly forward
- Photo digitally retouched or altered
- Printed on standard paper (not photographic paper)
Create your EU/Schengen visa photo for free
The same 35×45 mm format works for all EU passports and Schengen visa applications. No upload, complete privacy.
Create your Schengen visa photo — freeFrequently Asked Questions
What size photo is needed for a Schengen visa?
Schengen visa photos must be 35 mm wide and 45 mm tall. The face must occupy 70–80% of the frame, measuring 32–36 mm from chin to crown.
What background is required for a Schengen visa photo?
The background must be plain white or very light grey, uniform, and free of shadows, patterns, or objects. It should contrast clearly with your face and hair — light grey is the better choice if you have very light hair.
How many photos do I need for a Schengen visa application?
Most Schengen visa applications require 2 recent identical photos. Some consulates may require only 1. Check with the specific embassy or visa application centre.
Can I wear glasses in a Schengen visa photo?
It is safest to remove glasses. Where glasses are tolerated, the lenses must be fully transparent with no glare, and the eyes must be fully visible with nothing obscuring them. Tinted lenses and heavy frames are not accepted, and some consulates require glasses to be removed entirely.
Sources
- ICAO Doc 9303 — Machine Readable Travel Documents — official photo specifications, Part 3 portrait standard (verified 7 July 2026)
- Government of the Netherlands — Photo requirements for Dutch passports and identity cards — example of a member state's detailed national photo rules (verified 7 July 2026)