🇪🇺 Schengen Area visa photo requirements 2026
Last verified against European Commission (Schengen Visa Code) — applied by member-state consulates on 2026-05-27. Source: home-affairs.ec.europa.eu.
We approximate the published rules. The consulate makes the final call. Details
Check your photo
Upload a photo and we will verify it against the Schengen Area rules below. First check is free.
Check my photo →At a glance
- Size
- 35 × 45 mm
- Head height
- 32–36 mm (chin to crown)
- Background
- Light grey, light blue, or white — uniform light single color
- Glasses
- Strongly discouraged
- Expression
- Neutral, mouth closed
- Maximum age of photo
- 6 months
Top reasons Schengen Area photos get rejected
- 1
Head too small (less than 70% of image height)
Fix: Crop closer so head fills 70–80% of frame
- 2
Smiling or open mouth
Fix: Neutral expression, mouth fully closed
- 3
Background has shadows or is not uniform
Fix: Use plain light grey/white wall with diffused front lighting
- 4
Glasses with reflections obscuring eyes
Fix: Remove glasses for the photo
- 5
Image quality too low (pixelation, compression)
Fix: Use higher-resolution source; do not save at low JPEG quality
- 6
Photo printed on regular paper, not photo paper
Fix: Print on professional photo paper or have a photo studio print
What is specific to Schengen Area
- Head must be 70–80% of frame — significantly larger than U.S. (50–69%). A U.S. visa photo will be rejected for Schengen because the head is too small.
- Background color preference varies by consulate (Germany prefers light grey; Spain and Italy accept white). When in doubt, use light grey.
- Many EU consulates now accept digital submission, but the digital spec mirrors the printed 35x45 mm proportion exactly.
- ICAO 9303 biometric standard applies — this is the same standard used for biometric passports.