Effortless Germany Visa Photo Service: Passport and Visa Photos

Visa photos for Germany must meet the biometric photo requirements:

• Neutral facial expression with a closed mouth
• Fully visible face from the chin to the top of the head
• Clear, high contrast image of high quality
• The eyes need to be clearly visible and looking directly into the camera
• Printed on high-quality paper with a resolution of at least 600 DPI
• Colour-neutral photo depicting natural skin tones
• Colour and black & white photos are accepted
• Centred face that is not tilted to one side

The German visa photo should not be older than 6 months and must comply with all the official requirements. 

Germany visa photo size requirement and format

The size requirement for German visa photos is 35×45 mm, with the head measuring between 70 to 80% of the photo's height. 

The optimum face height lies between 32 and 36 mm. As the upper end of the head is often not clearly determinable, visa photos are only to be rejected if the height of the face is less than 27 mm or more than 40 mm. 

Voluminous hair should be depicted as fully as possible on the visa photo without reducing the size of the applicant's face, which must always remain centred and true to natural size. 

Clothing requirements for a German visa photo

There are no specific clothing requirements for German visa photos, but it is recommended to avoid wearing white or light-coloured clothing so that you do not blend into the background.

It is also recommended not to wear off-the-shoulder tops like tank tops, tube tops and halter tops. Uniforms and military clothing are not permitted on visa photos.

Head coverings in German visa photos 

Head coverings like hats, scarves, caps, and headbands are not allowed in German visa photos, except for religious or medical reasons. 

If you do wear a head covering for religious reasons, your face must be fully visible from your chin to the top of your forehead. There should not be any shadows on your face.

Glasses in the visa photo for Germany

Glasses are allowed in German visa photos, as long as the eyes are visible and there is no reflection or glare and the frame does not obscure the eyes. Sunglasses and tinted or coloured glasses are only allowed to be worn for medical reasons.

German visa photo facial expression

A neutral facial expression is required in German visa photos, so you should avoid smiling and showing your teeth. The facial expression can be friendly, as long as the mouth remains closed, and the applicant does not smile widely. 

How recent should my German visa photo be? 

German visa photos should be taken within the last six months.

German visa photo background 

The background of German visa photos must be a single light colour, ideally a light, neutral grey, and free of shadows or patterns. Only the applicant should be depicted in the photo – avoid having other people or objects in the background.

The background should create a contrast to the face and clothing, which is why light clothing is not recommended for German visa photos. If the applicant has lighter hair, a medium grey background is recommended, while applicants with darker hair should opt for a light grey background.

German visa photo lighting

The face of the applicant in the German visa photo should be evenly illuminated and free of shadows and reflections. The red-eye effect should also be avoided.

German visa photo editor 

Say goodbye to the hassle of getting a German visa photo that meets the official requirements. Our AI-enhanced visa photo editor can turn your simple selfie into a biometric photograph that is guaranteed to meet German visa application standards. 

With just a few clicks, our online visa tool will crop, resize, and adjust your photo's lighting to ensure it's perfect. Plus, our built-in verification tool will check your photo against the official German requirements to ensure it's good to go. 

Try our tool today and get your German visa photo in no time. Simply click on the 'Upload a photo' button above to get started. You can also download our visa photo app for Android or our visa photo app for iOS and take the perfect photo with your phone.

German visa photos: Key takeaways 

Have a look at the table below for the most important visa photo requirements for Germany:

Sources:
https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/visa-service/buergerservice/faq/-/606848
https://www.germany-visa.org/
https://www.germany.info/us-en/service/visa