Schengen Visa Photo
35×45mm, one photo accepted across the 29 European Schengen countries.
- Printed size
- 35 × 45 mm
- Digital size
- 413 × 531 px
- Background
- White/Light grey
Size & specifications
Schengen Visa Photo — requirements
| Printed size | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Digital size | 413 × 531 px |
| Head height | — |
| Background | White/Light grey |
| 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.
Background — a plain White/Light grey 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 Schengen Visa Photo with your phone
Photo size and background requirements
The Schengen visa photo is 35×45 mm, portrait, on a plain white or light-grey background, with the face between 32-36 mm. The American 51×51 square is not accepted, and a photo cropped for it cannot be reused.
One photo for twenty-nine countries
Every Schengen member state uses the same ICAO-derived format, so one compliant photo covers the application at any consulate. The digital upload version is 413×531 px; consulates that require paper get the 300 dpi print from the same file.
Setup and lighting
Half a metre from a plain wall, phone at eye level, a little headroom above the hair. Front daylight keeps the face even and the wall free of gradients. Neutral expression, mouth closed, no headwear, eyes on the lens.
Tool output
The tool crops to the exact 35×45 mm rectangle, flattens the background to plain white or light grey, and checks ratio, head position and background before download. The 413×531 px digital file is included in the same preset.
Why Schengen Visa Photo gets rejected
Incorrect photo format
A square crop fails before other checks, as does a face outside 32-36 mm. Consulates measure the rectangle first. It is the fastest check and also the fastest to get wrong.
Background faults
Patterned backdrops, shadows behind the head, and a wall with a light gradient are problems. The background must be a uniform tone. A shaded corner or a printed motif breaks the uniform tone. Reshoot facing a window; the tool handles the tone.
Common rejection reasons
Tinted glasses, faces turned a few degrees off the camera, and files that went through a smoothing app can cause rejection. These issues are not always obvious, but they can delay an application at the counter.
How it works
Photo tips
Frequently asked questions
What size is a Schengen Visa 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.
Is it the same as a UK visa photo?
Both are 35×45 mm on white or light grey, and the head bands overlap at 32-34 mm — a photo with the head in that shared band works for either application.
Can I take it with my phone?
Yes. Plain wall, even light, eye-level camera with headroom; the tool crops to the exact format.