Germany Passport Photo: Get a Standard-Compliant 35x45 mm Image
Prepare a perfectly standard-compliant Germany Reisepass photo reference following the BMI Foto-Mustertafel and ICAO 9303 rules before your Buergeramt appointment.
This photo must be taken by an accredited service
For this document, Germany does not accept a self-prepared photo. By law it must be captured on site by an authorised service and submitted electronically, so we cannot produce a submittable file for it. The official specification is shown below so you know exactly what to expect at your appointment.
This photo is captured on site — but we can make your Germany photos online:
A document photo is a headache of its own
A Germany Passport photo has strict requirements, and a mistake costs time and money. We’ll show you how to pass on the first try.
It gets rejected
Wrong size, background or cropping — and the system returns the application.
Expensive and slow
A trip to a photo studio means a queue, time and €7–12 for a reshoot.
Confusing requirements
Exact size, head height, light background, facial expression — easy to get wrong.
Redo it all over
Rejected — take another photo, pay and submit again. Round and round.
«Below are the exact requirements from the official source, so you arrive at your appointment prepared.»
Ordinary photo → ready for submission
We remove the background and clutter, set the framing and lighting — keeping your face without «beautifying».
Your face stays yours — we do not change features, only the background, lighting and framing.
Your Passport photo: what matters
A German passport (Reisepass) photo must meet the strict biometric standard defined by the German Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) and the Bundesdruckerei Foto-Mustertafel, which implements the international ICAO 9303 specification. The goal is a clear, frontal, neutral image where your face is measured to the millimetre, so the authority can capture reliable biometric data.
There is one crucial rule that surprises most applicants: since 1 May 2025, German passport, national ID and residence-permit photos must be captured digitally. Either you sit for the photo directly at the Buergeramt, or a certified photographer takes it and transmits the image electronically through a BSI-certified secure upload using a PIN or QR code. Printed paper photos brought from home are no longer accepted for submission. Another German peculiarity: a plain, evenly lit light-grey background (#D3D3D3) is preferred, and pure white is actively discouraged because it reduces contrast with light hair and skin.
The exact photo requirements are:
- Size: 35x45 mm (413x531 px), with the head measuring 32-36 mm from chin to crown
- Background: plain, even, neutral light-grey (#D3D3D3); avoid pure white
- Face size: the head fills roughly 70-80% of the frame height
- Expression: neutral, looking straight at the camera, mouth closed, both eyes open
- Glasses: allowed only if the eyes are fully visible with no glare, reflection or tint
- Headwear: not permitted, except for religious reasons (face must stay fully visible)
- Recency: the photo must be recent, taken within the last 6 months
Common reasons photos are rejected in Germany:
- Bringing a self-made or printed photo instead of an on-site or securely uploaded digital capture
- A pure white or shadowed background instead of the preferred even light-grey
- Glasses causing reflections, or frames that partly cover the eyes
- A slight smile, open mouth or tilted head breaking the required neutral, frontal pose
You can use our tool to instantly prepare a perfectly standard-compliant reference image from your own picture, automatically cropped to the exact 35x45 mm German specification with the correct light-grey background. Please note honestly: because German law now requires on-site digital capture, this reference cannot be submitted as your official passport photo. Instead, use it to see precisely how a compliant photo must look, to prepare for your Buergeramt appointment, or for other personal purposes where a standard portrait is useful.
What an accepted Passport photo looks like
Germany · 35 × 45 mm. Tap any requirement to see what it means on a real photo.
- Size
- 35 × 45 mm · 413 × 531 px
- Background
- Light plain
- Head in frame
- 70–80%
- Glasses
- Allowed
- Facial expression
- Neutral, mouth closed
- Headwear
- Only for religious reasons
- File
- JPG · ≤ 2 MB
Print size is 35 × 45 mm and the digital file is 413 × 531 px.
Official requirements source: bundesdruckerei.de, hongkong.diplo.de
Requirements verified: 08.2026
How to take a good photo
The most common reasons a Germany Passport photo gets rejected — and how to avoid them. Compare good and bad shots.
1Format and freshness
A color photo taken no more than 6 months ago.
2Lighting and background
Even light with no shadows on the face; a plain light background, without glare.
3Head position
Face head-on, head centered, no tilt or turn.
4Facial expression
Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open and looking at the camera.
5Glasses and accessories
No glasses (especially sunglasses); eyes fully visible, without glare.
6Headwear
Only for religious reasons and not covering the face — the face fully visible.
7Clothing
Ordinary everyday clothes; no uniforms or face-covering clothing.
Common questions about Germany Passport photos
What size is a German passport photo?
Can I submit a self-made or downloaded photo for a German passport?
What background colour is required for a German passport photo?
Can I wear glasses in my German passport photo?
Is headwear allowed in a German passport photo?
How recent must the photo be?
Your photo is protected
A photo is personal data, so we handle it carefully and in line with GDPR. We process it only to prepare the document and delete it within clear deadlines.
- Only with consentWe process the photo only after your explicit consent before upload.
- Auto-deletionWe delete the source photo within a day, the ready file after 7 days.
- No sharing with third partiesYour photos are not sold or used to train any third-party systems.
- Deletion on requestYou can ask to delete your data at any time — with a single request.