Schengen Visa Photo Requirements 2026 — Size, Background, Rules

Schengen visa applications use a single common photo format on paper: 35×45mm portrait, recent, head 70–80% of frame. But each of the 27 Schengen countries enforces the background color and acceptance criteria slightly differently. This is the most common rejection cause for first-time Schengen applicants — a photo that's technically correct for one consulate gets flagged at another.

The baseline Schengen photo specification

• Size: 35mm wide × 45mm high
• Head height: 32–36mm chin to crown of head (70–80% of total photo height)
• Background: plain, uniform — color varies by country (see below)
• Expression: neutral, mouth closed, both eyes open, looking directly at camera
• Recency: photo must be taken within the last 6 months
• Format: color, high resolution, glossy or matte photo paper
• Glasses: not recommended (banned by France, Germany, others since 2016–2020)

Background color by country — the critical detail

• Light grey (most common — safest default): Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Belgium, Austria
• Light grey OR light blue: France (one of the few that accepts blue)
• Plain white: Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece (white is accepted; light grey is also fine)
• Off-white: Some Eastern European consulates accept slightly cream backgrounds

Where to actually submit the application

You apply at the consulate of the country you'll spend the most time in. If your trip is split equally, you apply at the country of first entry. So:

• Visiting Spain for 5 days then France for 5 days → apply at Spanish consulate (first entry)
• Visiting Italy for 8 days then Germany for 3 days → apply at Italian consulate (most time)
• Multi-country trip with equal time → entry-country consulate

Each consulate uses its own photo standard. France's strict no-glasses rule applies if you apply through a French consulate; Italy's looser white-background rule applies through an Italian one.

How many photos do I need?

Most Schengen consulates require two identical printed photos with the visa application. Some (Germany, Netherlands) also accept a single digital upload for online applications. France, Spain, and Italy require two physical prints, no digital alternative.

VFS Global and TLScontact — the visa service centers

Most Schengen visa applications submitted outside the EU go through visa service centers like VFS Global or TLScontact, not directly to consulates. These centers take their own photo on-site for a $10–15 fee — but you can submit your own pre-prepared photo if it meets the consulate's requirements.

Pro tip: submit your own pre-prepared photo (taken at home or with an online tool) to save the $10–15 fee. VFS Global rejects roughly 1 in 10 self-prepared photos for background color issues — using light grey ensures acceptance.

Schengen visa photo rejection — top 5 reasons in 2026

1. Wrong background color for the specific consulate (e.g., white photo for a French application)
2. Glasses (many consulates ban them as of 2016–2020 rule updates)
3. Photo older than 6 months — strict enforcement
4. Head too small in the frame (under 70% of vertical height)
5. Visible shadow on the background — the most common technical rejection

Schengen visa photo for children

Children's photos follow the same 35×45mm spec. Infants can have closed eyes if too young to keep them open on command (under 12 months for most Schengen countries). No other person can be visible — same rule as adult applications, no hands holding the child.

When ISO/IEC 39794 takes over

All Schengen countries are transitioning to the new ISO/IEC 39794 biometric format by January 1, 2026, with full enforcement by 2030. In practice this doesn't change the consumer-facing photo specs (still 35×45mm with the country-specific background), but it does mean inspection devices at borders will validate biometric data more strictly. Photos meeting the current ICAO 9303 spec are forward-compatible.