Finnish Residence Permit Card Photo

Finnish Residence Permit Card Photo Guidelines

Finland is known as the happiest country in the world with the cleanest air and the best education system. To be able to live in the happy land of a thousand lakes you might need a permanent residence permit card to work and reside there. 

However, there are a lot of requirements you have to meet regarding the process application as well as the photographs. In this article, you will find out both photo specifications and how to apply for the Finnish Residence Permit Card!

Finnish residence permit card picture rules

When you apply for a residence permit or a residence permit card, you have to attach a passport photo to your application. The passport photo must comply with the photo guidelines issued by the police. In Finland, the same instructions apply to all facial photographs used on the passports, identity cards and permits granted by the police. 

It is important to know that the applicant’s face should not be too small in the photo, and the photo must be taken directly from the front. The facial expression must be neutral and the background has to be monochromatic and flat. To know more, like what is the required photo size, as well as attire, quality and lighting, common mistakes and general requirements for babies and children, read on!

General specifications regarding the Finnish residence permit photos:

• The photographs can be black and white or in colour.
• Cannot be older than six months.
• Must not be manipulated in any way – even the smallest details can’t be changed in the subject’s appearance or in a way that could raise suspicions about the photographer's authenticity, like beautifying, retouching, adding filters, etc. Use a Passport Photo Online service instead which edits photos under the Finland authorities conditions.
• Must be sharp and in focus over the entire face. 
• It may not be blurry or grainy. 
• The depth of field must reach from the ears to the tip of the nose.

Finnish residence permit card photo dimensions

The dimensions of Finnish photographs submitted electronically must be exactly 500 x 653

pixels. As small as one-pixel deviations are not accepted. Electronically submitted photographs must be saved in JPEG format (not JPEG2000). The file extension can be either .jpg or .jpeg. The maximum size of an electronically submitted photograph is 250 kilobytes. 

Regarding the official photographs instructions by the Finland police:

• The distance between the crown of the head and the chin must be at least 445–500 px (32–36 mm). 
• There must be at least 56 px (4 mm) and no more than 84 px (6 mm) above the crown of the head. 
• There must be at least 96 px (7 mm) and no more than 124 px (9 mm) below the chin. 
• The head must be positioned in the centre of the image so that the centre line of the face differs a maximum of 21 px (1.5 mm) from the centre line of the photo. 

There are no specific measurements for the width of the face. If the length of the face complies with the requirements, you do not need to pay attention to the width of the face. 

Head position

The head should be straight in the photograph so as not tilt on any side, forward or backwards. The position of the head is considered based on the outer edges of the head when seen from the front, not from the position of the eyes, for instance. Your shoulders must be in the same line with your face or facing straight at the camera. Portrait style photographs are not allowed. Your posture does not need to comply with these requirements if you have a medical condition.

Eyes & Ears

Your face and eyes must point directly at the camera. If any medical problems, a photograph that can be best used to identify you will be taken. If you cannot hold your head straight, the camera angle can be adjusted so that your head is positioned correctly. Both ears do not need to be visible in the photograph, as one ear can be further back, smaller or different in shape than the other naturally.

Background

The best background colour is light grey. However, the key is to make sure that your face,

hair and clothes can be clearly distinguished from the background. To make the subject stand out from the background, the photographer can adjust the lighting or change the background to a lighter or darker colour. The background must not be lit so strongly that the reflected light reduces the contrast in the face and makes the outline of the subject glow. 

The background for a Finnish residence permit card should:

• be light and neutral.
• be monochromatic and flat.
• have no shadows in the background.
• show no other people or objects in the photograph. 
• show the candidate’s face, hair and clothes standing out clearly from the background.

If you can’t obtain the right background colour, use our background remover on the Passport Photo Online website which changes the background colour for the right light-grey one and make it uniform as required by Finnish police.

Lighting 

The lighting over the entire face must be smooth; there must be no shadows on your face or

behind you and there must be no overexposed areas that are completely white, caused

by light that is too strong and has not been softened. The photograph must not have the red-eye effect. The lighting must be natural in colour, meaning that it cannot have for example blue or red hues. The photograph must not be over or underexposed.

Facial Expression

Your face and especially your eyes must be completely and clearly visible. Your facial expression must be neutral and your mouth must be closed. Eyes must be open with no squinting. Your face must be completely visible. Your face must not be covered by accessories or hair.

Glasses

Your eyes have to be seen clearly in the photograph. For best results, make sure that no part of the frames of your glasses is near your eyes. The frames of your glasses should also not be so thick that it would make it difficult to see your facial structure clearly. You can always take your glasses off when you have your documents photograph taken. Tinted glasses or an eyepatch can only be worn for medical reasons.

Head coverings

You may only wear a scarf or other head covering if it is required by religious reasons or due to an established tradition, or if it is necessary for health or medical reasons. However, the head covering must not cover the face too much and it must not cause shadows over the face. You may wear a wig if you wear one daily for medical reasons, for example, but it must not cover your face as well as your eyes.

Make-up

You may wear makeup in photos for a residence permit card but only if it does not make it more difficult to identify you. It is impossible to provide a comprehensive list of rules concerning make-up, which is why the effects of make-up are always evaluated on a case-by-case basis. 

Finnish residence permit card photos for children and babies

Regarding photos for children, they must follow the same rules indicated above. This means that the photos for the baby residence permit card must show the child's head and shoulders only. You may support a small child, but there must not be any part of you visible in the photograph. This means that any other objects, people or items that cannot be visible in the frame such as parent’s hands, pacifiers or toys are not allowed. The facial expression rules are flexible when it comes to very young babies, but even their mouth can only be slightly open and even small children must keep their eyes open. 

Common mistakes on Finland resident cards photos

If this is your first time taking photos for documents, it might not be a piece of cake. This is why we are to help you with the process! Take a look at the common mistakes while taking photos for Finnish residence permit card to know what to not repeat:

• Wrong photo size - be sure that you are submitting a photograph regarding the digital or paper version and that you pay attention to the required dimensions for Finland, e.g. for electronic application must be exactly 500 x 653 pixels.
• An old photo - the image for the permanent resident card should be taken within the last 6 months, not later. 
• Smiling - the facial expression has to be neutral so smile, frown or show teeth is not allowed.
• Poor quality - the quality is really important for any photos to documents, you cannot submit a scratched, damaged or even blurred, overexposed or underexposed image – it will cause rejection.
• Look sideways or have your eyes closed - the applicant's eyes must be directed straight at the camera and no matter child or adult, their eyes have to be open.
• Wearing sunglasses - any kind of tinted glasses are not allowed unless for medical reasons.

Finnish residence permit card Photo Tool

Finlanders often choose to have their photos on residence permit cards or passports taken at professional photography studios, however, they don’t say that it is not possible to take a permanent resident card photo by yourself! However, keep in mind that often the photographer sends the passport photograph directly to the police electronically, and it is linked to the application with a photograph retrieval code assigned to the photograph. You can also use a paper photograph if you submit your application at a police service point. 

So you can still take a photo by yourself, just make sure you attach it well to the application or send it straight away to the police. Therefore, how to use a Finnish Residence Permit Card Photo Tool?

1. Download an app on your iPhone or any other smartphone from AppStore or GooglePlay as it works for iOS and Android or uses a Passport Photo Online site.
2. Prepare the background, wear decent clothes and ask your friend to take a photo of you when you are ready or put a tripod approximately 3 metres from the place you are going to stand and set it up for a self-timer.
3. Upload your ready photograph to our online photo maker and it will resize it, edit and verify for you! Everything under the official Finland requirements. 
4. Download your perfectly edited picture and print it at any photo stores or choose to be shipped to your address! 

Last update: 24/09/2023