Schengen Visa Photo Requirements and Dimensions

All Schengen countries use the European Commission's ICAO photograph guidelines, so the core rules are the same whether you apply to France, Germany, Italy, Spain or another member state. Individual consulates add small details, such as France-Visas giving the face size in millimeters.

The table lists the Schengen visa photo specifications with their sources. Where a consulate's own checklist is stricter, follow the checklist.

Many readers are surprised to learn they may not need this photo at all. US citizens can visit the Schengen area for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa.

You will need a Schengen visa photo if you live in the US but travel on a passport from a country that needs a visa, such as India, China, Nigeria, the Philippines or Pakistan. Green card holders fall into this group, because the visa rule depends on your passport, not your US residence.

US citizens planning to study, work or live in a European country for longer than 90 days apply for a national long-stay visa from that country. Those applications usually use the same 35 x 45 mm ICAO photo, but check the consulate's checklist, since national visas set their own rules.

You apply to the consulate of the country that is your main destination, either directly or through its visa center. Depending on the country, the visa center is run by VFS Global, BLS International or TLScontact.

Printed photo and live biometrics

Most Schengen applications still ask for 1 or 2 printed photos attached to the application form. At your appointment, the consulate or visa center also takes your fingerprints and a live photo for the Visa Information System. The printed photo still has to meet the rules, because a non-compliant photo can hold up your file before the appointment.

Online portals

Some countries run their own online application portals, and a few ask for a photo upload with their own file rules. Follow the instructions on the portal for the country you are applying to. Our digital file is 35 x 45 mm at 300 dpi, but most applicants only need the print sheet.

Consulates reject photos for the same handful of reasons again and again. Check these before you print.

• Wrong size. A 2 x 2 inch US photo, or a photo trimmed by hand to roughly 35 x 45 mm.
• Face too small or too large. The face must fill 70 to 80% of the photo, which is larger than in a US passport photo.
• Smiling or open mouth. The expression must be neutral with the mouth closed.
• Glare or tinted glasses. Reflections in the lenses or frames over the eyes. Remove glasses if you are unsure.
• Busy or dark background. Patterns, furniture or a colored wall behind you.
• Shadows. On the face, behind the head, or under the eyes from overhead light.
• Old photo. A photo older than 6 months, or one that no longer looks like you.
• Poor print. Plain paper, ink streaks, or a photo glued crooked onto the form.

PhotoForPass makes 35 x 45 mm Schengen visa photos from one phone photo and lays them out for printing. Checks run in your browser before you pay, so your photo stays on your device until then.

We check face position, eyes, glasses glare, lighting, shadows and background against the EU ICAO rules. Then we fix the lighting, replace the background with plain white, and size and crop the photo so your face fills 70 to 80% of the frame.

• Photo + print sheet ($18.95): the best choice for most Schengen applications. You get a print-ready 4 x 6 inch sheet (JPG and PDF) with 8 photos at 35 x 45 mm, plus the digital file. Print it at CVS, Walgreens or Walmart and cut along the guides.
• Digital photo ($16.95): a 35 x 45 mm digital file, useful for the few portals that ask for an upload or for printing elsewhere.

Each order includes up to 5 photo checks and 3 free redos per person, and files are ready about 30 to 60 seconds after payment. Final acceptance is up to the consulate. If your photo is rejected, our 14-day money-back guarantee gives you a full refund.