Schengen Visa Photo Size
Schengen consulates generally want a recent 35 × 45 mm biometric-style photo on a plain light background. Make one with a head guide and the right pixel size, and learn what to confirm with your consulate.
1. Position the frame
Drag the frame to move it and the round handles to resize it. Put the top of the head at the top of the dashed oval and the chin at its bottom.
2. Preview and options
Use it only where the form allows edited photos. The US, UK and Canada reject photos with a changed background.
Higher removes more background but can eat into hair or shoulders.
3. Your photo
🔒 Runs in your browser. Your files and text are not uploaded.
How to use the Schengen Visa Photo Size
- Choose “Schengen visa (35 × 45 mm)”. The output is 413 × 531 px, which is 35 × 45 mm at 300 dpi.
- Drop a portrait against a plain light wall, taken straight on in even light.
- Position the frame so the head fills the oval and press “Create photo”.
- If your consulate or visa centre sets a file-size limit, type it under Max file size before you create the photo.
What is usually required
There is no single Schengen photo page. Each member state’s consulate, or the visa centre working for it, publishes its own instructions, but they follow the same international passport-photo standard, so the figures below are the usual ones.
| Item | Typical requirement |
|---|---|
| Size | 35 × 45 mm (some consulates accept 35–40 mm wide) |
| Head size | Chin to crown about 32–36 mm, so the face fills roughly 70–80% of the photo height |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | 413 × 531 |
| Background | Plain, light (white or light grey), without shadows or patterns |
| Age of photo | Not older than six months |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open and visible, looking straight at the camera |
| Glasses and headwear | No tinted glasses, no glare, no head covering unless for religious reasons with the face fully visible |
| Online file limits | Set by the consulate or visa centre, often JPEG with a maximum in KB or MB |
Where to check: your destination country’s embassy or consulate, its visa application centre, and the EU’s own overview at home-affairs.ec.europa.eu. Last reviewed: October 2026. Photo rules change from time to time, so always confirm the current requirements on the official page before you apply.
Why consulates differ
The visa is issued by a specific country, not by “Schengen”, so you follow the rules of the country you apply to, and some of them go beyond the common standard: a different width, a stricter background colour, a required age of the photo, or an online upload with its own limits on pixels and file size. If the website of your visa centre states a pixel size or a limit in KB, use “Custom size” in the tool, enter those numbers, and keep the proportions of 35 × 45 mm.
Framing the photo
- Leave a small space above the hair and include the top of the shoulders.
- Centre the face, with the eyes on a horizontal line about 60% of the way up from the bottom edge, and the head not tilted.
- Keep the whole head and the hair on the head inside the picture, including the top of the hair.
- Use even light so that there are no shadows on the face or the wall, and no red eyes.
Avoid retouching, filters and background replacement. Consulates ask for an unaltered photo, and a mismatch with your face at the border is a bigger problem than a slightly grey wall.
Print the photo
For a paper application, print on photo paper at exactly 35 × 45 mm. The print sheet tool places eight photos on a 4 × 6 in print or thirty on an A4 sheet, with cut lines. Print at actual size, measure with a ruler, and cut accurately. Many consulates accept photos from a photo booth, which are normally the right size and quality for this purpose.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Schengen visa photo size?
Usually 35 × 45 mm, with the face filling about 70–80% of the picture height. Confirm the exact numbers with the consulate you apply to.
How many pixels is a Schengen photo?
At 300 dpi, a 35 × 45 mm photo is 413 × 531 pixels. If an online form lists other numbers, follow the form.
What background colour does a Schengen visa photo need?
A plain, light background such as white or light grey, free from shadows and patterns.
How recent should the photo be?
Consulates normally ask for a photo from the last six months that looks like you now.
Can I use the same photo for a passport?
Often yes, if it meets both sets of rules, but the UK, US and others have different sizes and edit rules. Check each application.