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