Get your perfect biometric photo (compliance guaranteed)
Get the perfect biometric photo in 3 minutes or less.
Check out just how simple it is!
That's the only thing you need to do. Snap or upload a photo - we'll take care of the rest.
Artificial Intelligence will check your photo, crop it to the right size and remove the background.
Our Photo Expert will make additional verification to check if your photo meets the official requirements.
You can download a digital version and order a printout which we will send within 2-4 days. Delivery is free!
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Don't waste time, effort or money. You can take your passport photo without leaving home.
Over 1 million people have used our services within the past 11 years. Our Photo Experts are available 24/7.
We guarantee the authorities will accept your photo(s) or we will refund double your purchase cost!
Take as many photo shots as you want - you pay only when you are satisfied.
Taking a photo for your ID has never been so easy.
Follow these simple instruction to take the perfect ID photo.
The distance between the face and the camera should be about 40 cm. Ideally the photo should be taken by the other person.
Place your face in front of the lens. Hold the camera at eye level and keep neutral face expression.
Stand facing the light source, for example an exposed window. The background will be cut out, don't worry about it.
When you live abroad and need to renew your German passport you’ll have to submit a biometric passport photo. Of course you must also file an application and hand in some crucial documents in order to complete the renewal. Well will guide you through the process and most importantly inform you about the official requirements a photo for a German passport has to meet in order to be accepted. If you want to save time and money, feel free to use our passport photo generator. It will help you take perfect photos at home so you’re definitely happy with the final result.
In order for your passport photo to be accepted it needs to fulfill the basic requirements in size and format. This means the photo needs to be 35 mm wide and 45 mm high (corresponds to 1.38 x 1.77 inch). It should have a minimal resolution of 300 dpi, however, if possible, try to aim for 600 dpi. In general, when applying for a German passport, the embassy will need original photos so make sure that the photo prints are of good quality and in perfect condition. They should be free of any creases, spots or other damages.
In some cases you might also need a digital photo, so make sure that you have it ready in JPEG format. Our software automatically converts every picture into JPEG so there is one thing less to worry about.
The background for the German passport photo needs to be in a light color (best choice: white or grey). Make sure that there are no shadows or spots visible and it needs to be clear of any objects or other persons. If you decide to take your photos in the comfort of your own home, it can be quite difficult to find a wall that is appropriate and meets all these demands. In this case, the background remover of our software comes in handy. It erases the background of your picture (no matter which background) and replaces it with a plain, unicolored one.
Make sure that your face is evenly lit in the photo and that there are no shadows. It’s also very important that the shot is not too dark or too bright. Your face and important facial features need to be clearly visible. In order to obtain the best lighting, we recommend you take the picture during the day and face a window. As selfies are not allowed it’s always best to ask a friend or a family member to take the photo. If you happen to be alone, you can also use a tripod and set the camera on eye-height.
For your passport photo you want to keep your head straight and look directly into the camera. Don’t tilt your head and make sure it’s upright. As you do so, keep both your eyes open and your mouth closed. It’s very important that your iris is clearly visible and nothing (e.g. hair) covers your eyes. Unfortunately, you’re not allowed to smile in the photo. You need to maintain a neutral / serious facial expression.
As mentioned above, it’s vital that your eyes and iris are visible in the passport photo. You can wear your glasses if their frame doesn’t cover them or any other facial feature of yours. Sunglasses or glasses with tinted lenses, however, are not allowed in official passport photos.
Head coverings (e.g. hats, scarfes, caps) of any kind aren’t allowed in photos for the German passport and need to be taken off. Religious coverings are accepted if your whole face, from the chin to the top of your forehead remains visible and is not obscured. For this reason, wearing hijabs or niqabs isn’t permitted.
In general, you can wear whatever you feel comfortable in for your German passport photo. Be aware, however, that you can’t wear uniforms or military clothings. We recommend you choose a plain shirt which covers your shoulders so you don’t appear naked and make sure that it doesn’t have the same color as the background. You don’t want to melt into it!
When it comes to jewelry, pay attention to its size. It shouldn’t obscure any facial features or cause reflections. If you want to wear some, try subtle pieces that don’t draw too much attention and don’t cover important parts of your face.
Our software is based on AI and can automatically detect if the picture taken by you meets all the requirements for a chosen document. With Passport Photo Online you’ll never have to make an appointment with a professional photographer or use a photo booth again!
It will save you time, money and stress. All you need to do is choose the document you need a passport photo for, upload it and wait for our software to do the rest. It’s that simple. We’ll show you how it works.
There are just a few steps you need to take before you can complete your application for a new German passport. You can either use the editor here on our website or - if you prefer creating passport photos with your iPhone - download the free app in the AppStore. Don’t worry, the app is also available for taking passport photos with Android.
In order to obtain a valid photo for your passport you need to perform the following, easy steps:
That’s it! All our photos come with an acceptance guarantee. This means that once your passport photo has been verified by our experts you can be sure that it will be accepted by authorities. In case it gets rejected, we will refund you 200 % of the original price. So you’re definitely on the safe side here!
After the verification process has been completed, we will send you your digital photo via email. That template is ready for any digital application. And if you need printed photos (as is usually the case when applying for a German passport abroad) you can take the digital template to any printing service near you. You may want to check out Walgreens passport photo service for affordable and quality prints.
When using Passport Photo Online you don’t have to worry about your schedule matching the one of your photographer any longer. You can simply take your passport photos whenever and wherever you like. But this isn’t the only advantage you can gain from using our services.
Last update: 6/7/23
As a German citizen living abroad you’ll sooner or later need to renew your passport. A passport, no matter where you’re from, is an important document that allows you to cross borders and enter countries for leisure, work or other purposes. So it’s needless to say that you should always make sure that your passport is valid - especially if you’re a citizen not living in your home country.
Germany is a member of the EU, which means that the passport cover is red and bears an inscription that indicates its belonging to the European Union.
A German passport is valid for 10 years if the holder is older than 24. If he or she is younger, it expires after 6 years. Once a German passport expires, it can’t be renewed. In these cases an application for a new passport needs to be submitted. So always make sure you renew your passport during its validity period.
When applying for a German passport abroad you need to book an appointment with the responsible Consulate General or Embassy. You need to appear in person and can’t complete the application solely online. This is necessary as the relevant authorities need to check your identity and take fingerprints during the appointment. These will be saved for a short period of time and deleted afterwards. So for every renewal you need to provide new fingerprints.
The fee for your new German passport needs to be paid when submitting your application. You can pay in Euros (only via credit card) or US-Dollars (cash or credit card). If you use a card for your payment the fee will be charged in Euros.
Passport Type |
Fee (in Euros) |
Passport with 32 pages (applicant older than 24) |
81.00 |
Passport with 32 pages (applicant younger than 24) |
58.50 |
Passport with 48 pages |
+22.00 |
Child’s Passport |
26.00 |
All passports are being printed at the Federal Printing Office in Berlin so please allow 4 to 6 weeks of processing time.
As mentioned above you need to appear in person for an appointment at the Embassy/Consulate that is responsible for you. In order for your application to be complete, you need to hand in the following documents:
Non-US citizens also need to provide a valid residence permit (the original and a photo of it). Also, if you have changed your last name and it doesn’t match the one in your old passport, a name declaration might be necessary.
There may be more documents required so you should always check the website of the Embassy/Consulate that is responsible for you.
In order to renew your German passport abroad you need to make an appointment at the responsible Embassy or Consulate. For the renewal process to be successful you have to provide several important documents and two biometrical passport photos.
The prices for a German passport vary depending on your age and on how many pages the passport consists of. The fees are the following: regular passport (over 24) 81 Euros, regular passport (under 24) 58.50 Euros, child’s passport 26 Euros and a passport with 48 pages costs an additional 22 Euros.
As all German passports are printed at the Federal Printing Office in Berlin, you’ll have to wait 4 to 6 weeks for your new passport to arrive.
Yes, you can absolutely renew your German passport abroad and don’t have to travel to Germany to do so. All you need to do is book an appointment at the Embassy or Consulate that is responsible for you and submit a number of documents.
The official standard size for passport photos in Germany is 35x45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 inch).
No, you’re not allowed to smile in your passport photo. You have to maintain a neutral / serious facial expression.
Yes, you can wear your glasses in your German passport photo. Just make sure that their frame does not cover any facial features or your eyes. Sunglasses and glasses with tinted lenses are not permitted, however.
Yes, you can definitely take your passport photos at home. Our software and passport photo tool will help you with that. All you need to do is upload a picture of you and we’ll adjust its size and format so it will meet all official requirements.