Sweden photo size — 35×45 mm

Sweden 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 Sweden asks for specifically

Swedish passports and national ID cards are issued by Polismyndigheten, the police, and the rules read differently from everywhere else because of how the photograph is taken.

The one people get wrong

You do not supply a photograph. The police photograph you at the passport counter when you apply, so there is nothing to print beforehand and no size to match. What Sweden publishes is a description of the result rather than a measured template — which is why there is no head height in millimetres here.

Background

Light, with the face evenly lit and no shadows or other distractions behind you.

Glasses

Dark glasses may not be worn except where medically necessary, and the pupils must be clearly visible.

Expression

Photographed straight from the front, whole head visible and centred, with a relaxed and neutral expression.

How recent

Not applicable in the usual sense — the photograph is taken during the appointment, so it is minutes old. Collection is separate: roughly a week after approval, drop-in with no appointment, at whichever passport office in Sweden you nominated or at a Swedish embassy abroad. That choice cannot be changed once the application is registered.

Exceptions

Polismyndigheten sets out the counter visit step by step, and two details are worth knowing before you go. You must bring a valid PHYSICAL Swedish identity document — the digital ID card in BankID is not accepted for any form of identification at the police, which surprises people who now carry nothing else. If you have no valid ID at all, you may bring an approved intygsgivare who vouches for your identity and shows their own. At the counter you take a numbered ticket and measure your height, pay the fee, and the case officer takes the photograph and two fingerprints. You are then shown how the finished passport will look and approve the details before signing.

Source: Polismyndigheten — Pass och nationellt id-kort, Besök passexpedition. Checked 2026-08-29. 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 Sweden 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 Sweden is normally usable for them too:

• Schengen visa
• Biometric (generic)
• Germany
• France
• Italy
• Portugal
• 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 Sweden 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.