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Passport Photos for Schengen Visa — Exact Specifications

Wrong photos are the #2 reason for immediate Schengen application rejection at VFS counter (before officer even looks at your file). Specifications are precise and strictly enforced.

Reviewed by Rohit Gir, SureshotVisa — a government-licensed consultancy (Licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024). Verify us.

Sample / Template

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sample-passport-photos-schengen-visa.pdf
Reliable photo studios for Schengen specs: • Kolkata: Studio 21, Central Photo • Delhi: Classic Photos CP • Mumbai: PhotoStop, Vasant Studios • Bangalore: Focus Photo, Snapshots Request explicitly: 'Schengen/EU biometric photo 35x45mm' At home/mobile apps: • Passport Photo Maker apps (free) • Upload to Instaprint for delivery Crucial checks: • No shadows on face or background • No reflections on glasses (remove glasses ideally) • Hair not covering face edges • Neutral expression (no smile, no teeth visible) • Shirt collar visible, not casual t-shirt
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Why This Document Matters

Photos must meet ICAO standards (biometric). Rejected photos mean rescheduling your appointment — delays of 2-4 weeks. Professional passport photo studios in India often make mistakes on Schengen specs.

Need the whole Schengen file done, not just this passport photographs?

We prepare and file Schengen all applications from anywhere in India: documents, VFS slot, embassy filing, with published fees and one licensed office in Patiala. This passport photographs is one of the pieces we check before anything is submitted.

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Format & Requirements

Size: 35mm × 45mm Background: Plain WHITE (not off-white, cream, or light blue) Head size: 32-36mm from chin to crown Face: Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open No glasses, no head covering (except religious — must not hide face) Printed on photo paper, matte finish preferred Quantity: 2 identical photos Date: Taken within 3 months

Do's and Don'ts

Do

  • 35x45mm exactly (not 4x6 inch)
  • White background only
  • Face fills 70-80% of photo
  • Taken within 3 months
  • Professional matte photo paper

Don't

  • Don't wear spectacles with glare
  • Don't smile or show teeth
  • Don't wear white shirt against white background (disappears)
  • Don't use selfies printed at home
  • Don't accept off-white or cream backgrounds

Common Mistakes That Cause Rejections

4 to avoid

  1. 1

    Wrong size (passport size 4x6 instead of Schengen 35x45)

  2. 2

    Off-white background

  3. 3

    Hair covering ears/face

  4. 4

    Photo taken over 3 months ago

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to submit passport photographs for Schengen visa?

Yes. Photos must meet ICAO standards (biometric). Rejected photos mean rescheduling your appointment — delays of 2-4 weeks. Professional passport photo studios in India often make mistakes on Schengen specs.

What is the correct format for passport photographs?

Size: 35mm × 45mm Background: Plain WHITE (not off-white, cream, or light blue) Head size: 32-36mm from chin to crown Face: Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open No glasses, no head covering (except religious — must not hide face) Printed on photo paper, matte finish preferred Quantity: 2 identical photos Date: Taken within 3 months

What are common mistakes to avoid in passport photographs?

Wrong size (passport size 4x6 instead of Schengen 35x45) Off-white background Hair covering ears/face Photo taken over 3 months ago

Can SureshotVisa help me prepare my passport photographs?

Yes. Our experts review and prepare every document in your visa file — including passport photographs — to embassy standards. Talk to us on WhatsApp to get started.

Send us the letter before you submit it.

A consultant at our licensed firm will check it against every point above — what is missing, whether the dates agree with the rest of your file, and whether the contact details would survive a verification call. If it is already fine, we will tell you that.

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Related Document Guides

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Everything above costs you nothing, and you are welcome to it. What a template cannot do is read itself against the rest of your file — and that is where applications actually fail: a date that does not match the ticket, a salary that does not match the bank statement, a signatory the company cannot verify on a call. You are about to spend an embassy fee, a visa-centre fee and a trip on this application. Having a consultant at our licensed firm read the paperwork first costs a fraction of any one of them.

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What you just read

Free

The format, the sample and the mistakes to avoid. Yours, no strings.

What it cannot do

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