Germany photo size — 35×45 mm

Germany photo requirements at a glance

Photo size

35 × 45 mm

In inches

1.4 × 1.8 in

Pixels at 300 DPI

413 × 531 px

Pixels at 600 DPI

827×1063 px

Shape

Portrait, about 1.3:1

Head height

31.5 – 36 mm (crown to chin)

Background

Light grey

File size limit

None published

Copies per 4×6 in print

8

These figures were checked against an official or widely-cited source. Portals occasionally change their rules, so confirm on the page where you submit.

What Germany asks for specifically

Photos for German passports and ID cards are governed by the Bundesministerium des Innern (BMI), which publishes a one-page chart — the Fotomustertafel — showing exactly what passes and what gets rejected. The underlying quality standard is BSI TR-03121, “Biometrie in hoheitlichen Anwendungen”, which is why the same photo has to work at an airport eGate as well as on the page.

The one people get wrong

The head-height rule is expressed as a proportion, not a measurement: the face must occupy 70 to 80% of the photo height, measured from the tip of the chin to the top of the head. On a 45 mm photo that is 31.5–36 mm. Photos are rejected for the head being too large as often as too small.

Background

The background must be shadow-free and a single colour, and it has to contrast clearly with both your face and your hair. That last part catches people out: a white background behind grey or blonde hair is a rejection, and the chart lists “Hintergrund ohne Kontrast” as a failure alongside patterned and shadowed backgrounds.

Glasses

Glasses are allowed, but the chart rejects two specific things: frames that cover the eyes, and lenses that are tinted too dark or catching a reflection. The eyes must be clearly visible and unobscured.

Head coverings

Head coverings are permitted for religious reasons only. Where one is worn, the face must be visible from the lower edge of the chin to the forehead, with no shadow falling across it. Caps are shown as a rejection.

Expression

Neutral expression, looking straight into the camera, mouth closed. Smiling with the mouth open is shown as a rejection, as is any grimace.

Children

For children the face may fill 50–80% of the photo height rather than 70–80%. Up to the age of 10 minor deviations are accepted, and up to the age of 6 there are further allowances on head position, expression and whether the eyes are fully visible.

Exceptions

Exceptions are granted only for long-term or permanent medical reasons — the chart names facial paralysis, asymmetry, and being unable to hold the mouth closed at rest.

Source: BMI — Fotomustertafel: Qualitätsmerkmale biometrischer Fotos für Dokumente (Stand Juli 2025, BMI24037). Checked 2026-08-23. Rules change — confirm on the authority’s own page before you submit.

Getting the head size right

Head height is the measurement most photos fail on, and it is not the same as “how much of the frame your face fills”. It runs from the top of the head — the crown, not the top of your hair if it stands up — down to the bottom of the chin. For Germany that is 31.5 to 36 mm on a 45 mm tall photo, leaving the rest as space above the head and below the chin. The maker draws that band on screen while you position the photo, so you can see whether you are inside it before you export.

One photo, several countries

35×45 mm with a light grey background and the same head range is also what 7 other destinations we cover publish — so the photo you make for Germany is normally usable for them too:

• Schengen visa
• Biometric (generic)
• France
• Italy
• Portugal
• Sweden
• Norway

Sizes match, but each authority still sets its own rules on things like glasses, head coverings and how recent the photograph must be. Check the portal you are submitting to.

Printing a Germany photo at home

At 35×45 mm you get 8 copies on a single 4×6 in (10×15 cm) print, which is the cheapest size at almost every print counter and photo kiosk. Export at 300 DPI (413×531 px) for printing; some portals accept or prefer 600 DPI (827×1063 px) for digital submission. Cut along the guides with a straight edge rather than scissors — a crooked border is a surprisingly common reason for a photo to be handed back.