Greece Residence Card Photo

A Greek residence card (ádeia diamoníş / “kárta diamoníş”) starts with one small but decisive element: the photograph. Greece applies the same biometric photo standard used for the national passport, defined by the Hellenic Police and the Aliens & Immigration Directorate that processes your file. A photo built to that exact standard is what gets your application accepted on the first submission instead of being returned at the counter.

The peculiarity worth knowing: Greece does not use the common 35x45 mm format. The residence permit photo is 40x60 mm — identical to the Greek passport — printed on a plain light grey background (not white, not blue). Crucially, the head itself must measure 31–35 mm from chin to crown, so the face fills roughly 52–58% of the frame height. Photos copied from another country's passport rules are the single most common reason files are bounced, because the grey background and the larger format are specifically Greek.

• Size: 40x60 mm (945x1417 px at print resolution)
• Background: plain light grey (#B5B5B5), evenly lit, no shadows
• Head height: 31–35 mm, face fills 52–58% of frame height
• Expression: neutral, mouth closed, eyes open and looking at the camera
• Glasses: allowed only if eyes are fully visible — no glare, no tinted lenses
• Headwear: none, except worn daily for religious reasons (face fully visible)
• Recency: taken within the last 6 months and matching your current appearance

• Common reasons photos are rejected in Greece:
• White or blue background instead of the required light grey — the most frequent rejection at the directorate
• 35x45 mm format used by mistake, leaving the head too small for the 31–35 mm rule
• Glare on glasses or tinted lenses hiding the eyes
• Smiling or open mouth, or hair/shadow crossing the face outline

You do not need a studio. Upload a normal, well-lit photo and it is automatically cropped and adjusted to the exact Greek 40x60 mm standard — correct head height, the official grey background, and proper centring. You see a free watermarked preview before paying anything. We back it with an acceptance guarantee: if the directorate rejects your photo, we redo it free or refund you. Upload, check the preview, and pay only for the final file once it fits.