Explore Spain's Visa Photo Requirements [With Examples & Online Photo Tool]

Spain is one of the most popular destinations for tourists from all over the world. If you are not a citizen of one of the European Union, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Argentina, or Japan -  you need a Spanish visa to visit this country of amazing architecture, beautiful coast, and delicious food.

Visa to Spain is at the same time a Schengen Visa and allows its holder to stay for up to 90 days for tourism and business purposes in one or more Schengen Area countries. To get this document, you have to submit an application form together with 2 color passport-style pictures of yourself taken within the last 6 months.

Spanish visa photo Guide

If you want to enter the Schengen Area for any reason and at the same time you are not from one of the visa-exempt countries, you will be subject to the visa regime. Every country in the Schengen Area can grant you a visa which is the Schengen visa -  a document with a photo pasted to your passport. The important thing is that the photo must satisfy Schengen visa photo standards.

Read our guidelines to know all about them. In this way, you will be able to create a photo meeting all Spanish (Schengen) visa requirements. We gathered every necessary information about:

• size
• composition and crop
• correct pose
• background
• colors and lights
• allowed and forbidden items

Spain visa photo at home

The good news is that there is no requirement to take a Spanish visa photo professionally. It means that you do not have to pay for the photo session and go to a photography studio. It is absolutely ok if you take and adjust your visa photo by yourself. You do not need a studio or expensive equipment. You can use your smartphone to capture a photo and the smart visa photo generator to adjust the picture when it comes to the proper size, crop, and background. Just prepare:

• smartphone, digital camera, or tablet (webcam are excluded)
• tripod or ask somebody for help
• list of the requirements for a Spain visa photo
• Spanish Visa Photo App ready to download from the AppStore or the Google Play Store

While capturing the photo, remember that your photo must be sharp, focused, and properly exposed - otherwise it will be rejected.

Spain - visa photo dimensions (size)

If you're applying for a Spanish visa from the US, make sure to get your photo taken according to the required dimensions. The Spanish visa photo size is 35 mm x 45 mm, which is different from the standard US visa and passport photo size of 2 x 2 inches. You can save time and money by getting your US visa photo online, but make sure to use a reputable service to ensure your photo meets the necessary requirements.

If you want to be 100% sure that you attach to your application form a photo in the correct size, use the Spain visa resizing App which automatically resizes uploaded photos to the right dimensions. And you don’t even need to know them in mm or inches! Just let this App do it for you!

Spanish visa photograph right crop

The head of the candidate must fill in  70 - 80% of the image. The head image cannot measure less than 32 mm and more than 36 mm. 

The visa photo crop must show the candidate’s all face with hair from the tip of the chin to the top of the head, neck, and upper part of the shoulders. The face should be clearly visible and there must be a space left between your head and the photo’s edges. If you have voluminous hair, consider wearing it up as it cannot “touch” the upper edge of the picture.

To obtain this effect, do not use zoom in your camera and don’t cut out the head’s image from a larger picture. We advise you to keep a distance of 1,20 - 2 metres between you and a photographer or tripod. Or you can 

Background and colors in a Spain visa photo

You must provide 2 biometric, color photos taken on a light background. The biometric photo which the Spanish visa photo is - must show your natural skin tones and the real color of your eyes.  

The background should be grey. You may choose a shade of this color - if you have a dark complexion and/or hair, pick up the light grey and the other way around. In this way, you will obtain a satisfying contrast and you will not blend into the background.

It is obvious but we would like to remind you that no objects or people can be visible behind you. It applies to the doors, home decorations, landscapes, etc. The background must remain absolutely clear and plain, with no patterns or spots.

How to do it? The good news is that you don’t have to even think about the background in your Spanish visa photo! All you have to do is to upload your picture to the background remover photo app and this tool changes the wrong background into the required one in one second! 

Lightning in a Spanish visa photo

The first rule about light in a Spanish visa photo is not to use a flash lamp. It may cause glares and a “red eyes” effect which disqualifies the picture. The best idea is to use daylight and to pose facing the window. If you use lamps, make sure that they illuminate your face symmetrically because both sides of your face must be evenly visible.

Be also aware that the picture must be properly exposed. In order to make it not overexposed or underexposed adjust the brightness in your camera options. Adjust the contrast and focus functions too if they are not adjusted automatically. However, if you take a picture with a smartphone, your device will regulate all the parameters automatically.

Head covering in the Spain visa photos

There are different types of head coverings and some of them are allowed and some - not.

Hair and head covering used as a part of a religious attire (like hijab, turban or yarmulke, etc.) may be worn in the visa picture. So, you can cover your head for religious reasons but make sure that this item does not obscure your face. Your facial features including front and chin must be clearly visible in the photo. For a proper contrast, wear headgear in color contrasting to the background. Use a headscarf in a unique color. You may keep your head covered also for medical reasons such as a loss of hair or recent head surgery.

Glasses and accessories in the Spain visa photo

If you wear eyeglasses, make sure that light does not give a glare on them. It happens often when the photo is taken with a flash lamp, that is another reason not to use it.

If you do not take off your eyeglasses for the picture, remember that their frames must not cover your eyes and that their glasses must be transparent.

When it comes to accessories such as jewellery or hair decorations - massive earrings might obscure your face oval and in such a case your picture will be not accepted. Huge hair decorations and scarves are also “risky”. If you have facial piercing, you do not need to remove them for a photo, but these items must not give a shadow or glare on your skin.

Spain tourist visa photo quality requirements

As you know, you are obliged to submit 2 identical photos printed on high-quality paper together with your Spain visa application form. Applying for a Schengen (and any Schengen Area country including Spain) visa online is not possible at the moment so need to print your digital photo once you receive it at your email address.

You can do it in for example one-hour photo store or self-service photo point. Do not use your home inkjet printer as the print must be produced using dye sublimation and on he photo-quality paper.

More about technical requirements for the Spanish visa photo. The photograph must be:

• ff resolution of a digital image ready to print must be at least 600 dpi
• sharply focused in all areas, rich in contrast and clear
• in natural colors (not black and white or with color filters)
• printed on photo-quality paper in color
• clear and in focus
• unaltered by computer software
• well exposed (not underlit or overlit)

Spanish visa - posing in the photo, facial expression, composition

In the picture you must:

• be facing forwards 
• be looking straight at the camera
• not tilt your head
• not smile or show teeth
• keep your eyes open and mouths closed

A natural, relaxed facial expression is required. The photo must be a close-up, but not a selfie.

The head must be positioned centrally in the image, the camera lens must be situated on the eyes line.

If you are not sure if your photo is correct, use a Spanish Visa verifying photo app. This app instantly informs the user if their photo meets all the requirements set for a Spanish visa.  

7  candidates’ most commonly made mistakes while taking a Spanish visa photo

If you want your photo to be accepted and avoid the delay in processing your visa application, strive towards creating a perfect photo. Below we present the mistakes made by some candidates. Maybe it will be helpful for you to know them.

1. Wrong size (especially candidates from the US attach photos 2 x2 inches)
2. Smile, frowning or making grimaces
3. Open mouths
4. Tilted head or not an en-face view
5. Quality problems (photos not focused, blurred, not properly exposed)
6. Face not entirely visible because of head coverings or voluminous hair
7. Computer software alterations (most commonly by Photoshop)

Spain visa photo near me

Did the question “where can I take a Spain visa photo near me?” crossed your mind? If so, the answer is very easy: 

You can take the Spanish visa photo there where you want! 

With our smart visa photo app, you are able to produce an absolutely correct visa photo in 5 seconds. Your photo will be resized, cropped, and adjusted to all demanding. 

Spanish Visa Photo Maker

Do you want to have a tool that adjusts the size, crop and, background of your photo in one second?

If yes, we would like to invite you to download our intelligent Spanish visa photo app. You can download it from the AppStore for iOS operating devices or from the Google Play Store for Samsung, Nokia, and many other smartphones. This App verifies every uploaded photo, so you will get feedback about your visa picture. And if the App marks it as a correct one, we guarantee you the acceptance of the Spanish embassy or consulate!

Sources:
https://www.exteriores.gob.es/Embajadas/seul/en/ServiciosConsulares/Paginas/Consular/Visados-nacionales-Informacion-general.aspx