Schengen Visa Photo

Are you planning a trip to one of the Schengen countries in Europe? If so, you should get a Schengen visa. To obtain it, you will need a Schengen visa photo that must meet several requirements. So, make sure that your photo complies with all Schengen visa photo specifications to get your Schengen visa and enjoy your travel to one of the European countries.

Photo Requirements for Schengen Visa

Preparing an appropriate photo is crucial when applying for a Schengen visa, as with any travel document. A suitable photo will give you a higher chance of having your Schengen visa application approved, so you should look at the photo requirements for a Schengen visa. To make things a little bit easier for you, we've gathered all the information in one place and now present our ultimate guideline for Schengen visa photo requirements.

However, remember that photo requirements for Schengen visas are very country-specific, and they may vary from country to country in some respects. Therefore, we recommend checking the requirements specifically for the country you plan to visit.

Schengen Visa Photo Size

Specific dimensions are one of the main requirements for a Schengen visa photo that you should have in mind. The photo size should be 35mm x 45mm, although some countries may require it to be 35mm x 40mm hence it may depend on the country you are planning to travel to. The size of the head in case of a Schengen visa photo is also an essential element. Your head cannot be too big or too small and should take 70-80% of the photo. The maximum allowable head size is measured from the tip of the chin to the top of the forehead and should be between 32-36mm.

Schengen Visa Photo Background Color

The background of your Schengen visa photo should be brightly colored. A light gray is recommended, but the white background of the photo should work too. Also, make sure that the background of your Schengen visa photo is plain and does not have any patterns, shadows, or marks. While taking the photo, you should avoid wearing clothes matching the background color, as it will make you poorly visible in the photo.

Schengen Visa Photo - Matte or Glossy?

Your Schengen visa photo must be printed on high-quality paper and at a high resolution of at least 400 dpi. The photo cannot be black and white. It must be in color and should reflect your actual appearance and make your skin color look natural. Whether the Schengen visa photo should be matte or glossy may depend on the Schengen country you plan to travel to, so it is better to check the requirements for a specific country, though there might be some flexibility in this respect.

Head Coverings and Facial Expression

While taking the photo for a Schengen visa, you should look straight into the camera with a neutral facial expression. As with most biometric photos, you are not allowed to smile or show your teeth, and your mouth should be closed. As for the heads covering, you are not allowed to wear any hats, caps or headscarves in the Schengen visa photo, except for religious reasons. In such cases, you should remember that your headwear, such as the hijab, cannot cover your face or leave shadows on your face.

Glasses on a Schengen Visa Photo

If you wear glasses, you may also wear them in the photo, but only under certain conditions. You should make sure that your eyes are visible and there is no flash reflection off the glasses. It is best to wear lighter framed glasses because the ones with heavier frames may cover your eyes and face too overly.

Schengen Visa Photo for Children

The photo requirements for a Schengen visa for children under 5-years old are much more flexible because it is difficult to make them stay still or look straight at the camera. Hence, it is okay if your child has an open mouth or looks to the side in the photo. Children under 6-months old can also be photographed lying down or sitting on a baby chair, and their eyes can be closed or do not need to look straight at the camera.

Schengen Visa Photo Near Me

You can take your Schengen visa photo at the nearest photo salon in your city. The photo salons can also be found near embassies and diplomatic offices but may cost you more as they often offer higher prices. Different types of biometric photos can also be taken at photo booths, so if one is near you, you can check whether they offer taking a Schengen visa photo. Yet the best option that will help you save your time and money is to take the photo at home using an online photo app.

Schengen Visa Photo Online

Taking a photo for your Schengen visa with Photo AiD is a piece of cake. All you need to do is to upload your photo, and our application will adjust your photo to meet all requirements. Our online photo editing tool is based on advanced algorithms of artificial intelligence that will guarantee 100% compatibility with current biometric photo requirements and ensure your total satisfaction! Therefore, if you need to take a photo for your Schengen visa, feel free to use our application. It will crop your photo, remove the background and replace it with the plain one, adjust the contrast and color of your photo, and much more.

If you want to prepare your photo using our online photo editing tool, you need to adjust your position for the photo, following Schengen visa photo requirements, and then take a photo. You can also ask someone you know to take a photo of you. Don’t worry about the background because the application will remove it but remember to look straight at the camera with a neutral facial expression.

Sources:

https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen-borders-and-visa_en