Which Schengen country has the strictest photo rules?

Germany and Austria. They run automated biometric checks against the Bundesdruckerei template, including face width and eye-line position. Use the «biometric 35×45 mm» preset for those.

No. Schengen rules require a neutral expression with the mouth closed. A subtle closed-lip smile may pass at lenient consulates but is risky.

How many copies do I need?

Officially one. We recommend printing a sheet of 4–8 in case the visa centre asks for an extra copy or you reapply later.

Schengen Visa Photo Online

Upload one photo, get a print-ready sheet of 35×45 mm copies that meet ICAO standards and the photo requirements of all 27 Schengen-area consulates — Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and beyond.

Photo requirements

35 × 45 mm. Face occupies 70–80% of the frame height (chin to crown 32–36 mm).
Plain light background — white, off-white, or light blue. No patterns, no shadows.
Frontal view, head straight, neutral expression, mouth closed, both eyes open.
Taken within the last six months.
Color photo with natural skin tones, no filters or beauty correction.
No headgear unless worn for religious reasons; no tinted or reflective glasses.
Printed on matte or semi-gloss photo paper.

Consulate-specific variations

The ICAO baseline is identical for all 27 countries, but enforcement varies. Germany and Austria apply the Bundesdruckerei biometric template with automated face-width checks. France and Italy are more permissive on background. Czechia and Poland accept both digital uploads and printed copies. If you're applying through VFS Global or TLScontact, the local centre publishes the exact requirements for each consulate on its website.

How it works

Upload your photo — JPG/PNG/WEBP up to 25 MB.
Tap «Face auto-crop» — OpenCV detects the face and frames it to the ICAO head-height rule.
Fine-tune with ±90° rotate buttons and the ±15° tilt slider if needed.
Choose the paper size — 4×6" for in-store print, A4 for home inkjet.
Download the full-resolution sheet with cut lines.

Where to print

DM-Foto, Rossmann, Müller (Germany/Austria) — instant 10×15 cm prints from ~0.35 €.
Snappy Snaps (UK), FNAC (France), Mediamarkt photo terminals across the EU.
Home inkjet with 180+ g/m² photo paper in «Photo / borderless» mode.

Watermarked preview is free. Full download from $1 — see /pricing.

FAQ

Which Schengen country has the strictest photo rules?: Germany and Austria. They run automated biometric checks against the Bundesdruckerei template, including face width and eye-line position. Use the «biometric 35×45 mm» preset for those.
Can I smile?: No. Schengen rules require a neutral expression with the mouth closed. A subtle closed-lip smile may pass at lenient consulates but is risky.
How many copies do I need?: Officially one. We recommend printing a sheet of 4–8 in case the visa centre asks for an extra copy or you reapply later.