Spain photo size — 35×45 mm

Spain 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)

Spain publishes this differently — the outline of the head, counting hair, should fill about half the photo. The band shown is the generic European one; check it against Policía Nacional before printing.

Background

White

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 Spain asks for specifically

Spanish passport photographs are specified by the Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores and the DNI by the Ministerio del Interior, with the Policía Nacional issuing both. Two identical photographs are asked for, not one.

The one people get wrong

The background must be WHITE — plain, even and without shadow. This is the opposite of the light-grey background used for a Schengen visa photo and of what France requires, so a photo taken to the general European standard is the wrong one here. Spain also states its head rule differently: the outline of the head, counting hair, should occupy about half the photograph.

Background

“Fondo BLANCO, liso y uniforme. Sin sombras.” White, plain, uniform, no shadows.

Glasses

Lenses must be clear. Photos with reflections on the lenses are refused, and the frame must not cover the centre of the eye or the eyelid, nor cast a shadow on the face. Thick or decorative frames are not accepted — take the photo without glasses if yours cannot avoid it. Dark lenses are allowed only for blind applicants or a permanent serious eye condition.

Head coverings

The head must be uncovered, with nothing — hat, cap or ornament — that impedes identification. The face, including the eyebrows, must be clear of hair.

Expression

Centred and fully frontal; a half profile is not valid. Look directly at the camera — photos with the gaze lowered or the eyes half closed are refused.

Children

The same rules apply at every age. In a baby’s photograph neither the person holding them nor their hands may appear, even partly; the official advice is to lay the baby on a plain white background.

Exceptions

Both photographs must be recent — less than six months old — in colour, of professional quality and high resolution.

Source: Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores — Fotografías para el pasaporte español (consular photo sheet, updated 2017). 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 Spain 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 white background and the same head range is also what 8 other destinations we cover publish — so the photo you make for Spain is normally usable for them too:

• India passport (Seva)
• Chile
• Colombia
• Poland
• South Korea
• Philippines
• Indonesia
• Thailand

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 Spain 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.