The rules come from three places: the international passport-photo standard that the Visa Code refers to, the photo requirements of the US State Department, and the British rules on biometrics. They differ in size, in how much of the frame the face takes, and even in whether you may keep your glasses on.
Schengen and the US side by side
| Schengen | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| How it is submitted | Printed on photo paper | A file uploaded to the DS-160 form |
| Size | 35×45 mm | 51×51 mm; the file is a square from 600×600 to 1200×1200 pixels, JPEG, up to 240 KB |
| Face | 32–36 mm from chin to forehead, 70–80% of the frame | 25–35 mm from chin to the top of the head, 50–69% of the frame |
| Background | Plain and light | White or off-white |
| Glasses | Allowed if the eyes are clearly visible | Not allowed |
| How old | Up to 6 months | Up to 6 months |
| How many | One or two, depending on the consulate | No print if the upload worked; some consulates ask for one |
Schengen: what the consulate checks
A photo is needed with every application, even when the fingerprints from your last one are still valid: those are reused for 59 months, the photo is not. A photo that does not meet the standard is not accepted, and the application stays incomplete until you bring another one. That is not a visa refusal, but the file does not move until then.
- Sharp and printed on photo paper; a home printer on plain paper does not pass.
- Face straight to the camera, a neutral expression, mouth closed.
- Eyes open and visible, no hair across them.
- Even light: no shadows on the face or behind the head, no red eyes.
- Nobody and nothing else in the frame.
How the five countries differ
| Country | How many | Size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 2 | 35–40 mm wide, face 32–36 mm | Plain and light |
| Italy | 1–2 | 35×45 or 35×40 mm | White or light |
| Spain | 1–2 | 35×45 mm or 3×4 cm | Light or white |
| Greece | 1–2 | 35×40 mm | White |
| Hungary | 1–2 | 35–40 mm wide | Light or white |
The Visa Code is the same for all, but each consulate and visa centre words the requirement in its own way, and one country may ask for one photo in one city and two in another. Check the list of the consulate you apply to before you go to the photo studio.
The United States: a square and a file
For a visitor visa the photo goes into the DS-160 form as a file. The upload only checks the format: whether the photo is acceptable is decided by a consular employee.
- No glasses since 1 November 2016. The only exception is medical, with a signed statement from a doctor.
- No editing at all: no filters, no replaced background, not even red-eye removal in an editor.
- No uniform, headphones or headset. A head covering only if you wear it every day for religious reasons, with the whole face visible.
- You may take the photo yourself, but the State Department warns that most phone cameras do not give enough quality.
- If the confirmation page shows an X where the photo should be, the upload failed: bring one printed 51×51 mm photo to the interview.
How to fill in the form itself is covered in the DS-160 guide.
The United Kingdom: the photo is taken for you
For a visitor visa you do not bring a photo: your face is photographed and your fingerprints are taken at the visa application centre. Children under 16 come with an adult; children under 5 are only photographed. The 45×35 mm prints that searches turn up are the rule for British passports, not for visas.
A digital photo is needed in other cases — for the ETA travel permission or when you update your UKVI account. The rules: at least 600 pixels wide and 750 high, a JPEG from 50 KB to 6 MB, a plain light background. A phone is fine, but ask someone else to take the picture; filters are not allowed, and neither is the photo already in your passport.
Glasses, head coverings, children
- Glasses. Take them off for all three: the US bans them, the UK asks you not to wear them, and Schengen visa centres often ask the same.
- Head covering. Only for religious reasons; the UK also accepts medical ones. The face must be visible from chin to forehead, with both edges and no shadow.
- Smile. Nowhere: a neutral expression with the mouth closed.
- Children. Alone in the frame: no toys, no pacifier, no parent's hands. For Schengen, children under 12 give no fingerprints but still need a photo.
Why photos are turned back
- The wrong size or the wrong share of the face: a Schengen photo does not fit the US square, and the other way round.
- A photo older than six months. The consulate sees the photos from your earlier applications, so one from an old visa is noticed at once.
- A shadow or a pattern on the background, white clothes on a white background.
- Editing and filters.
- A print from a home printer, or a file compressed until it blurs.
At Vizir the specialist checks your photo against the list of the consulate you apply to before you print it or upload it.