Luxembourg National ID Card Photo: Meet the Exact Biometric Standard

Getting the photo right for a Luxembourg national identity card (carte d'identite) means matching the same ICAO biometric standard used for the Luxembourg passport. The card is issued by your local commune in coordination with the Centre des technologies de l'information de l'Etat (CTIE), and the facial image must satisfy strict international rules on size, framing, lighting and neutral expression. Knowing exactly what a compliant image looks like before you arrive saves time and avoids surprises.

The most important Luxembourg-specific point: for the carte d'identite, your facial image is captured live on site at the biometric station when you apply at the commune. Because the photo is taken digitally on the spot, a self-made or downloaded picture is generally not accepted for submission. This mirrors the passport procedure and exists to guarantee that the biometric data genuinely belongs to the applicant. A reference image is still valuable, though, so you know precisely how to present yourself, fix your hair, remove tinted lenses, and practise the neutral expression officials expect.

The governing photo specification looks like this:

• Size: 35x45 mm (827x1063 px at print resolution)
• Background: plain, neutral light grey (#D9D9D9), evenly lit with no shadows
• Face size: the head fills roughly 70-80% of the frame height
• Expression: neutral, mouth closed, eyes open and clearly visible
• Glasses: allowed only if the eyes are fully visible with no glare or tint
• Headwear: not permitted, except for genuine religious reasons
• Recency: the image must reflect your current appearance (taken within the last 6 months)

• Common reasons photos are rejected in Luxembourg:
• Background that is too white, too dark or coloured instead of the neutral light grey the standard requires
• Tinted lenses, reflections on glasses, or frames that partially hide the eyes
• Smiling, an open mouth or a tilted head that breaks the neutral, front-facing pose
• Hair, shadows or a head that is too large or too small within the 35x45 mm frame

Our service automatically crops and formats your own picture to this exact official standard, producing a clean reference image so you can see precisely how a compliant Luxembourg ID photo should look. To be fully transparent: because the carte d'identite requires on-site digital capture at the commune, this reference image is not intended for direct submission. Use it to prepare for your appointment, check your framing and presentation, or for any other personal purpose, then let the biometric station capture the final image.