Schengen visa photo
35 × 45 mm

Each country publishes its own rules

There’s no single Schengen photo page. Each country’s foreign ministry, embassy or visa application center lists its own requirements, and they can differ in details such as how recent the photo must be.

As an example, the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists a 35 × 45 mm photo showing your current appearance, a full-face view, at least 13 mm from the eyes to the bottom of the chin, no sunglasses, and no head covering except for religious or health reasons, as long as you can still be identified. Check the page of the country you’re applying to before you print.

Good practice that most centers expect

• A plain, light background with no shadows.
• Face straight to the camera, eyes open, mouth closed, neutral expression.
• Your whole face visible, with hair away from the eyes.
• No sunglasses or tinted lenses, and no glare on regular glasses.
• A recent photo that looks like you do now.
• Printed in color on photo paper, not plain paper.

How to make it

1. Stand in front of a plain, light wall in even daylight. Have someone take the photo at eye level.
2. Add the photo above. The size is already set to Schengen / EU visa (35 × 45 mm).
3. Drag and zoom so your face fills the guide, with the top of your head and your chin inside the marked area.
4. Download the photo and the print sheet. The 4 × 6 inch sheet works at photo counters; switch Print sheet to A4 if you’ll print at home.

Printing

The sheet is laid out at 300 DPI with thin cutting lines. Print it at 100% scale, with no “fit to page”, so each photo stays exactly 35 × 45 mm. Glossy or matte photo paper both work; plain office paper usually doesn’t look sharp enough.

Most visa applications need one or two photos, so a single sheet usually covers the application plus spares.

Photos taken at the visa center

Depending on the country and the center, a photo may also be taken during your appointment. Check the appointment instructions and the document checklist, and bring prints if the checklist asks for them.

If you also need a digital file

Some countries let you apply online and upload a photo instead of handing in prints. Switch Download to “Just the photo” to get the 35 × 45 mm picture on its own, saved at 300 DPI (413 × 531 pixels). If the upload form sets a file limit, choose it under File size limit, for example under 200 KB.

Online forms sometimes give their own pixel size instead. In that case, follow the form: our Resize image tool can set any exact width and height.

Also works for other 35 × 45 mm photos

The same 35 × 45 mm size is used for many other passports and visas, including Pakistan’s passport. Change Photo size in the settings if you need a different country.