Germany Passport Photo
35×45mm photo for Germany passport applications.
Size & specifications
Germany Passport Photo — requirements
| Printed size | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Digital size | 413 × 531 px |
| Head height | 32-36mm |
| Background | White |
| Resolution | ≥ 300 DPI |
| Recency | — |
| Glasses / expression | — · — |
| Digital format | — |
One upload, two deliveries: the pixel-exact digital file and a 300 dpi print-ready sheet.
What each line means
Printed size — print at exactly 35 × 45 mm. A few millimetres off and most offices hand the form back before anything else is checked.
Digital size — the digital file must measure 413 × 531 px. Anything smaller gets refused by many online systems before a person sees it.
Head height — your head, crown to chin, should span 32-36mm. Too small reads distant; too large and the crop will not fit.
Background — a plain White background, with no shadows or gradients. A wall lit unevenly is the fastest route to a refusal.
Resolution — 300 dpi keeps a face sharp in print. Below that, features soften and agencies ask for a retake.
Photo examples
What passes — and what gets rejected.
How to take a Germany Passport Photo with your phone
Measure from chin to hairline
A German passport photo is 35×45 mm on a plain white or light background. The head height runs 32-36 mm, measured from the bottom of the chin to the hair root. This measurement is specific to Germany, while elsewhere in Europe the crown-to-chin method is common. Check that line before you shoot. The band is narrow, and a camera held too low squeezes the measurement out of range.
Setup at home
Half a metre from a plain wall, with the phone at eye level and a little room above the hair. Use even, frontal light; daylight from a window in front of you is enough. Keep a neutral expression, eyes open on the lens, no headwear, and mouth closed.
Filters and retouching
German offices reject obviously edited photos, and the rule names beauty filters and smoothing apps directly. The file has to look like you on an ordinary day: skin texture intact, nothing reshaped, and the photo must be current. Do not submit a favourite from two years ago.
One photo for two applications
The passport format doubles as the Schengen visa format: both use the 35×45 mm rectangle, so a correctly framed shot works for either. This page crops to the exact rectangle at 300 dpi, evens the background, and checks ratio, background and head position before download.
Why Germany Passport Photo gets rejected
Submission failures
Submissions fail when the photo is outside 35×45 mm, the head is outside 32-36 mm, the background is patterned or shadowed, or the face is turned or tilted. Those four cover most returns at the passport office.
Retouching and filters
A smoothed complexion or a reshaped jawline reads as a retouched file, and retouching is not allowed for German documents. Upload the original frame. Do not upload a version that went through a filter.
Combined photo faults
Common faults are glare on glasses, blur from a shaky phone, and shadows on the wall behind the head. Each is small on its own; together they read as a low-quality photo, and low quality is itself a ground for rejection.
How it works
Photo tips
Frequently asked questions
What size is a Germany Passport Photo?
The standard size is 35 × 45 mm (413 × 531 px at 300 DPI). The tool crops and scales your photo to exact requirements automatically.
Can I smile in the photo?
Requirements call for: a natural expression. When in doubt, keep a neutral face with both eyes open.
How recent must the photo be?
Old photos are a common rejection reason.
Is my photo private?
Yes. Uploaded photos are encrypted in transit and automatically deleted within 24 hours. We never share or resell uploads.
Can I take it with my phone?
Yes. Plain wall, even light, eye-level camera; the tool handles the exact 35×45 mm crop and the background.
Is it the same format as the Schengen visa photo?
Both are 35×45 mm, so one well-framed photo works for either application.