Schengen visa photo specs and recent guidance

Schengen visa biometric photo rules: 35×45 mm, EU Visa Code standards, background, and country-specific embassy notes for 2026.

Schengen spec page Free compliance check

EU Visa Code baseline

35×45 mm colour photo, face 70–80% of height, plain light background, neutral expression. Official reference: CELEX:32009R0810 in our catalog, verified 2026-08-18.

Member state variations

France-Visas, Germany.info, and VFS centres may add digital KB limits or online upload paths. Pick the member state you apply through in PicsForm.

Common Schengen mistakes

Smiling or teeth visible
Heavy shadows on light grey backgrounds
Ear obscured by hair (some missions care)
Photo older than six months

Visual examples

Smiling passport photo example — Smiling often fails US and Schengen checks

Correct neutral passport expression — Neutral expression — mouth closed, eyes open

Reference spec: Schengen Visa

Pulled from the PicsForm requirements catalog — confirm on the official portal before you submit.

Document: Schengen Visa
Country: Schengen / EU Visa
Dimensions (mm): 35 × 45
Pixels @ DPI: 413 × 531 @ 300
Head height: 70–80%
Eye line from bottom: 55–70%
Background: light grey
Official source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32009R0810
Last verified: 2026-08-18

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PicsForm matches photos to published requirements. This is not legal or immigration advice and does not guarantee application approval. Always confirm current rules on the official portal.