Schengen visa photo requirements
The complete published list behind the Schengen checker: the EU Visa Code requires a photo compliant with the ICAO standard, and member states publish the working detail — France-Visas, the French government’s official visa portal, states it most plainly. Where a rule can be measured in pixels, we say so; where it can’t, we say that too.
We measure, we don’t certify. IDPhotoCheck checks your photo against the published measurements — the issuing authority makes the final decision, and no tool can promise approval.
The requirements
| Photo size | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | Face 32–36 mm — 70–80% of the 45 mm photo height — chin to top of skull, excluding hair |
| Background | Plain, uniformly light background (member states ask for white or light grey — check your consulate) |
Source: France-Visas (Government of France) / EU Visa Code — Photo requirements FAQ — ICAO standard (official page). Values checked 2026-11-08. If the official page and this table ever disagree, the official page wins — please tell us.
The rest of the official list
France-Visas states the photo is 35–40 mm wide, with the standard print at 35×45 mm, and the face measured from the chin to the top of the skull, excluding hair. The published list also requires: mouth closed, neutral expression, eyes open and looking at the camera, no head covering except for religious reasons, and no shadows on the face or behind the head. Member states phrase the background slightly differently — white in some consulates, light grey accepted in others — so if your backdrop is grey rather than white, confirm on your own consulate’s page.
Why the same photo fails here but passes for the US
US rules want the head at 49–69% of the frame; Schengen wants 70–80%. The bands barely touch. If you are applying for both, take the photo with plenty of space around the head and let each document’s framing do its own crop — start from the main checker and export once per document. Never stretch a photo to a new shape; it changes the face itself.
We measure, we don’t edit
An ICAO photo is meant to be a true likeness of you, taken as you are. This site measures, crops and sizes your photo — and refuses background replacement and retouching on every document, because a repainted scene is no longer the photograph you took. If your background fails, we show you the numbers and how to retake it against a plainer wall: why we refuse to edit your photo.
Questions
What size is a Schengen visa photo?
35 × 45 mm, with the face measuring 32–36 mm from chin to the top of the skull — 70–80% of the photo height — per the ICAO standard applied across Schengen member states.
What background does a Schengen photo need?
A plain, uniformly light background. Member states phrase it slightly differently — white in some consulates, light grey accepted in others — so check your consulate’s page if your background is grey rather than white.
Can I use my US passport photo for a Schengen visa?
Almost never as framed: US rules put the head at 49–69% of the frame and Schengen rules at 70–80%, so a photo framed for one usually fails the other. Take the photo with space around the head and crop separately for each document.
Ready to measure yours? The Schengen visa photo checker runs this whole list against your photo and shows you every number.