Visa photo size by country: Schengen, Japan, Canada and more

Photo specifications we could verify

These specifications come from official checklists and photo pages for applicants in India. Visa centres apply them strictly, so meet every condition in the row, not just the size.

Where we could not confirm the specification

Some official photo pages could not be read when this guide was checked, or did not state a size. For these, check the official page before you print or upload, because the figures that circulate online are not always current.

Size, face and background: what the numbers mean

35 x 45 mm and 45 x 35 mm describe the same photo. Most countries write the width first; Japan’s VFS page writes the height first. Both mean a portrait photo 35 mm wide and 45 mm tall, the usual Indian passport-photo shape.

The face rule is where home-printed photos usually fail. Germany’s photo sheet says the face should take up “70 - 80% of the photo. This corresponds to a height of 32 - 36mm”, chin to top of the head. Canada’s 31 to 36 mm from chin to crown is close to it. A loosely cropped photo, with a small head in a big frame, misses both.

Backgrounds should be plain and light. Germany’s sheet prefers a plain bright background, ideally neutral grey, and Japan a plain white one. Avoid patterned walls, shadows behind the head and coloured studio backdrops.

Glasses, colour and how recent

• Recent: Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, South Korea and Canada all want a photo taken within the last six months. Do not reuse the photo from an older passport.
• Colour: the Netherlands and South Korea specify colour photos, and the others assume them.
• Glasses: Canada accepts non-tinted glasses if your eyes are clearly visible, but Portugal’s consulate in Goa states that “photographs with eyewear are not acceptable”. Taking them off is the safe choice for every application.
• Print quality: Germany’s photo sheet asks for a print of at least 600 dpi.
• Digital files: Singapore rejects photos altered or enhanced in any way, so skip beauty filters and background-removal apps on the upload.

Printed photos, uploads and biometrics

Whether you need printed photos depends on the process. Canada says you need no paper photos if you give biometrics. Singapore’s applications are lodged online by its authorised visa agents, with a digital photo. Schengen, Japanese and Korean applications at visa centres in India still take printed photos.

Take one or two spares to the appointment. If the counter rejects a photo, a spare that meets the rule can save you a second visit.

One photo set for several applications

If you are applying for more than one visa in a season, say Schengen in spring and Japan in autumn, have one set of 35 x 45 mm photos made to the strictest rules above: plain white background, face 32 to 36 mm tall, no glasses, taken recently. That set meets the German, Dutch and Japanese specifications at once, and you need a new one only when six months have passed.

South Korea’s width can run to 40 mm, so a standard 35 mm photo sits within its stated range, but check the visa centre’s page for the height it expects before you print a separate set.

Questions people ask