🇪🇺 Schengen Visa Photo Maker
Free Schengen visa photo maker: upload any portrait and get a 35 × 45 mm visa size photo with a plain light (white or light grey) background, checked against the Schengen Area rules and ready to print. Runs in your browser — your photo is never uploaded.
1Choose the document
- Photo size
- 35 × 45 mm
- Head height
- 32–36 mm
- Background
- Plain light (white or light grey)
- Output
- 827 × 1063 px · 600 dpi
Official requirements
- Colour photo, 35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 in)
- Head from top of hair to chin: 32–36 mm
- Plain light (white or light grey) background
- Full face, front view, looking straight at the camera
- Eyes open, level and clearly visible — no hair across the eyes
- Natural expression with the mouth closed
- Even lighting — no shadows on the face or the background
- Colour photo, sharp, printed on photo paper with no retouching
- Glasses: allowed if there is no glare, lenses are clear and frames do not cover the eyes; some consulates prefer none
- Head coverings: only for religious or medical reasons, with the full face visible from chin to forehead
- Taken within the last 6 months
2Upload your photo
3Compliance check & download
Upload a photo and it will be cropped to the exact size, then checked against every measurable rule for the document you chose.
Schengen visa photo requirements
The tool measures the first four rules for you and checks lighting, pose, expression, sharpness and background automatically. The rest are listed so you can check them by eye.
- ✓Colour photo, 35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 in)
- ✓Head from top of hair to chin: 32–36 mm
- ✓Plain light (white or light grey) background
- ✓Full face, front view, looking straight at the camera
- ✓Eyes open, level and clearly visible — no hair across the eyes
- ✓Natural expression with the mouth closed
- ✓Even lighting — no shadows on the face or the background
- ✓Colour photo, sharp, printed on photo paper with no retouching
- ✓Glasses: allowed if there is no glare, lenses are clear and frames do not cover the eyes; some consulates prefer none
- ✓Head coverings: only for religious or medical reasons, with the full face visible from chin to forehead
- ✓Taken within the last 6 months
Specific to Schengen Area
- Printed copies: 2 identical photos
- ICAO 9303 standard used by all 29 Schengen states: head 70–80 % of the height (32–36 mm).
- Consulates differ on background — France insists on light grey or blue, most others accept white. Check your consulate's checklist.
- Your photo is also captured live at the biometrics appointment; the print goes on the form.
Source: European Commission – Schengen visa policy. Last reviewed 2026-09-20. Always confirm against your application form — the issuing authority has the final say.
How to make a Schengen visa photo at home
- 1
Take the photo
Stand 0.5–1 m in front of a plain light wall, face a window, camera at eye level 1.5–2 m away. Neutral expression, mouth closed.
- 2
Upload it here
The face is detected, the head is levelled and the crop is set so the head measures 34 mm — inside the 32–36 mm range.
- 3
Fix anything flagged
Each check tells you what is wrong in millimetres — zoom, move, or retake. The background is replaced with the required colour.
- 4
Download & print
Save the single photo or the 4 × 6 sheet (8 photos) and print at 100% on photo paper.
Full details in the photo-taking guide and the accepted vs rejected examples.
Schengen visa photo — questions
What size is a Schengen visa photo?＋
35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 in). The head, measured from the top of the hair to the chin, must be 32–36 mm.
What is the Schengen visa photo size in pixels?＋
At 300 dpi a 35 × 45 mm photo is 413 × 531 px; at 600 dpi it is 827 × 1063 px. This tool exports at 600 dpi.
What background colour is required?＋
Plain light (white or light grey). The tool replaces your background with the required colour automatically, or you can switch that off and it will check your real background instead.
Can I wear glasses in a Schengen visa photo?＋
Allowed if there is no glare, lenses are clear and frames do not cover the eyes; some consulates prefer none.
Are head coverings allowed?＋
Only for religious or medical reasons, with the full face visible from chin to forehead.
How do I print Schengen visa photos at home?＋
Download the 4 × 6 inch sheet — it holds 8 photos with cut lines — and print it at 100% / actual size on photo paper, then cut along the grey lines. The file carries 600 dpi so it prints at the true size.
Related photo sizes
Ready? Make your Schengen visa photo now — free, in your browser.
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