Get Your Schengen Visa Photo Done Right [In 3 Mins]

Take your European visa photos in 3 minutes from home—and get them delivered straight to your mailbox.

1M+
approved
ID photos
200%
Guarantee of
acceptance
Get Your Schengen Visa Photo Done Right [In 3 Mins]
1M+
approved
ID photos
200%
Guarantee of
acceptance

How does it work?

Get the perfect biometric photo in 3 minutes or less.

Check out just how simple it is!

Snap or upload a photo

Snap or upload a photo

That's the only thing you need to do. Snap or upload a photo - we'll take care of the rest.

AI prepares the photo

AI prepares the photo

Artificial Intelligence will check your photo, crop it to the right size and remove the background.

Expert verification

Expert verification

Our Photo Expert will make additional verification to check if your photo meets the official requirements.

Digital or print photos

Digital or print photos

You can download a digital version and order a printout which we will send within 2-4 days. Delivery is free!

Why?

Take a biometric photo conveniently without leaving home

You save time and money

Convenience

Don't waste time, effort or money. You can take your passport photo without leaving home.

Professional service

Over 1 million people have used our services within the past 11 years. Our Photo Experts are available 24/7.

Money-back guarantee

We guarantee the authorities will accept your photo(s) or we will refund double your purchase cost!

Satisfaction guarantee

Take as many photo shots as you want - you pay only when you are satisfied.

How to take a photo?

Taking a photo for your ID has never been so easy.

Follow these simple instruction to take the perfect ID photo.

1

Body-camera distance

The distance between the face and the camera should be about 40 cm. Ideally the photo should be taken by the other person.

2

Posture: Straight ahead

Place your face in front of the lens. Hold the camera at eye level and keep neutral face expression.

3

Lighting

Stand facing the light source, for example an exposed window. The background will be cut out, don't worry about it.

Schengen visa photos—specifications

Get Your Schengen Visa Photo Done Right [In 3 Mins]
Size
Width: 35 mm
Height: 45 mm
Resolution
600 dpi
Is it suitable for online submission?
Yes
Image definition parameters
Head height: 34 mm
Top of the Photo to Top of the Hair: 3 mm
Is it printable?
Yes
Background Color
Show more

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Votes: 137

Schengen Visa Photo - All You Need to Know

If you’re a citizen of any of these 106 countries, you’ll need to obtain a European visa to travel freely to any of the Schengen countries.

Along with a number of required documents, you need to attach two printed photos meeting all official guidelines.

Here, you’ll learn everything about the technical requirements for Schengen visa photos as well as finer details about these pictures.

Not sure which visa you should apply for?

Find the answer out in our Schengen visa entry types guide.

Understanding Schengen visa photo requirements

A photo for a Schengen visa application must follow stringent guidelines established by European Union officials. Don’t risk getting your application rejected—familiarize yourself with the following requirements before taking a picture.

Table summarizing the requirements for a Schengen visa photo

Requirement

Prints & Digital

Size

35x45 mm (3.5x4.5 cm or 1.38x1.78 inch)

Head must fill 70-80% of the whole image

Color

Must be in color

Recency

No older than 6 months

Image clarity

Clear image of your face, not blurry, grainy, or pixelated, with uniform lighting

Filters

Do not use filters commonly used on social media. The image must reflect your natural look

Background

Plain, light-colored background (gray is suggested) without shadows, texture, or other objects visible

Print Quality

Printed on matte or glossy paper

Resolution

300–600 DPI

Digital Alterations

Do not digitally change the photo

Important: Online Schengen visa application is currently impossible—you’ll need to submit two identical photos printed on high-quality paper. This, however, might change as the European Commission is working on introducing an online application system.

The fine details: Schengen visa photo specifications

There are many reasons why your photo may get rejected. To ensure you submit acceptable pictures, follow these specific guidelines.

  • Facial expression: Don’t smile or frown. Keep a neutral facial expression
  • Pose: Keep your eyes open and mouth closed, looking straight at the camera
  • Clothing: Avoid uniforms and colors blending with the background. Plain dark-colored clothes are recommended
  • Facial hair: Keep your beard as is if you normally wear it
  • Head covering: Wearing headgear (hats, hair bands, etc) is strictly prohibited. You can cover your head only for religious reasons, but your facial features from the bottom of your chin to the top of the forehead and both sides of your face must be clearly visible
  • Glasses: You can wear prescription glasses but only if your eyes clearly show through the lenses and no reflections are visible. Avoid tinted lenses
  • Hair: Your whole face (including eyebrows) must be clearly visible. Consider tucking your hair behind the ears and tying longer bangs with hairpins

Submitting a photograph that doesn’t comply with any of the requirements listed above will result in rejection. Avoid delays in the application process by attaching fully compliant photos to your Schengen visa application form.

Important: Even though there exist several countries whose requirements for passport photos align with those for a Schengen visa, it’s best to find a provider familiar with Schengen visa photo requirements. Just to be sure the picture you submit is compliant with the right set of rules.

Not sure if your photo meets all Schengen visa photo requirements? You don’t have to worry

about that. Take your picture at home and let the biometric photo experts at Passport Photo Online 

evaluate it for you. In 3 minutes, you’ll have a compliant photo for your visa application—or double

your money back.

Your visa photo must be 35x45 mm (or 1.38x1.78 inches). Unfortunately, it’s not the only requirement you must follow. Read through these details on Schengen visa photo size requirements to get your picture right.

  • A close-up of your head (including the top of your shoulders) must take between 70–80% of the whole photo 
  • The length of your head (from the bottom of the chin to the top of your hair) must be between 32–36 mm
  • The space from the side of your head to the border of the image must be the same on both sides (your head must be perfectly centered)

Can’t get the dimensions right? Simply upload your photo to Passport Photo Online to get a 

perfectly resized and cropped photo in 3 minutes. You can also do it fully on your 

phone with Passport Photo Booth App for iOS or Passport Photo Maker App for Android.

Online services for Schengen visa photos

You can easily find a list of locations to take Schengen visa photos in your area by looking up “Schengen visa photo near me” in your preferred search engine. But what if none of the providers nearby offer a compliance guarantee?

No problem—

You can now get a compliant visa photo without leaving your home—like many others who chose to use Passport Photo Online to take their visa photos.

And if you’d like to explore your options first, check out this handy comparison table of the best tools for creating biometric photos at home. We’ve reviewed these 2x2 passport photo apps in detail in this article and even though we tested them for passport pictures, they’ll work for your Schengen visa photos too!

Provider

User-

friendliness

Essential features

Large country database

Compliance guarantee & refund

Printing service

Price

Passport Photo Online

5/5 

$16.95

Passport Photo & ID Maker

5/5

$6.99

ID Photo For Passports And IDs

4/5

Free

iVisa Passport Photo

3/5

Unclear 

Passport Photo-ID Photo

4/5

$6.99

Last update: 10/3/23

Frequently Asked Questions FAQ

What kind of photo do I need for a Schengen visa?

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Your photo must meet the basic Schengen visa photo requirements: Measure 35x45 mm and have a light-colored background (gray is recommended). However, the list of specifications is long and detailed, so look through our guide to better understand all the requirements.

Can I use my passport photo for a Schengen visa?

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It’s possible that your passport photo complies with Schengen visa photo requirements. However, the technical specifications may differ (e.g., head dimensions or background color), resulting in your photo getting rejected. If you want to compare your passport photo to an acceptable Schengen visa photo, read our guide.

Where can I get Schengen visa photos in the US?

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Many brick-and-mortar providers across the US are known for taking passport photos. So, you can try your luck with them and see if they offer Schengen visa photos. Alternatively, read our article on the best places to get passport photos in the US and see if any of the outlets in your area happen to offer Schengen visa photos too.

CVS ensures compliance guarantee for passport and ID photos. However, no information on their website suggests they take Schengen visa photos. You can find the nearest CVS with their store locator and give them a call to confirm.

Yes, you can use Passport Photo Online. Get your free visa photo online with our editor, or opt for our premium service to get a compliance guarantee and a 200% refund if your photo gets rejected.