Switzerland National ID Card Photo — Exact fedpol Standard
Get a Swiss ID card photo built to the official fedpol standard — correct 35x45 mm size, head height and light grey background — accepted on your first submission.
- Meets ICAO 9309
- SSL-secured payment
Where to take the photo from?
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This is a watermarked preview. After payment we send the clean file, ready to submit.
Check against document requirements
| Delivery | File by email right after payment |
|---|---|
| Included | Photo + self-print sheet — free |
| Guarantee | Rejected? Refund or free redo |
| Standard | Meets ICAO 9309 |
| Payment | Secure (SSL) · Visa · Mastercard |
| Privacy | GDPR · photos deleted automatically |
A better photo is needed
- Good even lighting, no shadows
- Face straight, neutral expression, mouth closed
- Plain light background
- Camera at eye level, not too close
A document photo is a headache of its own
A Switzerland National ID card 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.
«PhotoID24 does it all for you: upload an ordinary photo — get a ready file exactly matching the official requirements.»
A ready photo in three steps
A compliant Switzerland National ID card photo in a couple of minutes: upload a selfie and we professionally fit the 35 × 45 mm size, background and margins to the official requirements.
Upload a photo
Camera or gallery.
We prepare it
White background, the exact size and resolution for your document.
Download and submit
Pay and get the ready file by email — for 5,99 €. Free re-edits until your document is accepted.
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 National ID card photo: what matters
A Swiss national identity card application succeeds or fails on a single detail: the photo. Your portrait is checked against the unified biometric standard published by fedpol (the Federal Office of Police) and explained on the federal portal ch.ch. Get the measurements right and your application clears the counter without a second look; get them wrong and you are sent home to start again.
Switzerland has one helpful peculiarity worth understanding: there is no separate ID-card-only photo spec. The country uses one single photo standard for both the passport and the identity card. The format is 35 x 45 mm, and the rule that catches most people is the head measurement — the distance from chin to crown must be 29 to 34 mm, with roughly 5 mm of clear space above the head, and the head centred horizontally. This translates to a face that fills 64-76% of the frame height. Too close a crop or a head touching the top edge is the single most common reason a Swiss photo bounces.
- Size: 35 x 45 mm (413 x 531 px)
- Background: plain light grey (#D3D3D3), evenly lit, no shadows
- Head height: chin to crown 29-34 mm; face fills 64-76% of frame height; ~5 mm clearance above the head
- Expression: neutral, mouth closed, eyes open and looking straight at the camera
- Glasses: allowed only if the eyes are fully visible — no glare, no tint, no thick frames covering the eyes
- Headwear: not permitted, except for religious reasons (face fully visible from chin to forehead)
- Recency: taken within the last 6 months and resembling your current appearance
- Common reasons photos are rejected in Switzerland:
- Head too large or off-centre — the 29-34 mm chin-to-crown range is strict, and missing the ~5 mm gap above the head fails automatically
- Background that is white, coloured or textured instead of the required even light grey
- Reflections or glare on glasses, or tinted lenses hiding the eyes
- A faint smile or open mouth — Switzerland requires a fully neutral expression
You do not need a studio. Upload a normal, well-lit photo and it is automatically cropped and scaled to the exact fedpol standard — correct head height, centring and the precise light grey background. You see a free watermarked preview before paying anything, so you can confirm it looks right. Every photo is covered by our acceptance guarantee: if it is rejected, we redo it free or refund you. You pay only for the final file, and only once you are happy with the preview.
How we make your National ID card photo meet the official standard — Switzerland, 35 × 45 mm
Every photo is prepared against the official requirements for your document — not a generic template. Here is what that means in practice:
- 1We crop and size your photo to the exact millimetre and pixel dimensions the authority requires.
- 2We check the background, head position, gaze and lighting, and flag glasses or head coverings that are not allowed.
- 3We match the rules to the specific document and country, citing the official source of those requirements.
- 4If anything does not meet the standard, you get a free re-do or your money back.
What an accepted National ID card photo looks like
Switzerland · 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
- 64–76%
- Glasses
- Allowed
- Facial expression
- Neutral, mouth closed
- Headwear
- Only for religious reasons
- File
- JPG · ≤ 2.4 MB
Print size is 35 × 45 mm and the digital file is 413 × 531 px.
Official requirements source: fedpol.admin.ch, sem.admin.ch
Requirements verified: 08.2026
A digital photo is normal, and it gets accepted — Switzerland, 35 × 45 mm
You do not need a trip to a studio. Authorities accept any National ID card photo that meets the official requirements — what matters is the standard, not where the photo was made. We match that standard exactly.
The standard is what counts
Officials check your photo against the rules — size, background, head position and lighting — not where you took it.
Part of official processes
Many passport, visa and ID services let you upload a digital photo or submit a print — both are fine when they meet the spec.
Same result as a studio
We prepare your file to the exact official measurements, so it is accepted just like a professional studio photo.
And you are covered
If a photo is ever rejected for not meeting the requirements, we redo it for free or refund you.
How to take a good photo
The most common reasons a Switzerland National ID card 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.
What those who already got their photo say
Real stories from people who submitted documents with a photo from our service.
Took a selfie on my phone and a minute later had a proper passport photo. Accepted with no problems.
I was worried about the size and background, but it came out exactly right. Saved me a trip to the studio.
Simple and fast. The free preview let me check everything before paying.
Did it at home in the evening. Looked professional, no issues at the office.
Honestly easier than I expected. Uploaded a photo, downloaded the correct one. Done.
Great for the kids — no need to drag them to a studio. The background came out clean and even.
Three ways to get a National ID card photo
A professional online service, a local photo studio, or editing it yourself — here is how they compare.
| What matters | PhotoID24 | Photo studio | Editing it yourself |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meets the official standard | Yes | Yes | No |
| Tuned to this exact document | Yes | Depends | No |
| Free re-do if something is off | Yes | No | Depends |
| Done from home, no trip | Yes | No | Yes |
| Ready in minutes | Yes | Depends | Depends |
| Clear, affordable price | Yes | No | Yes |
Switzerland National ID card photo price
No extra plans. Pay only if the result works for you — preview is free.
- Exact size and background for your document standard
- High resolution — for online submission and printing
- Free re-edits until your document is accepted
- Link by email, securely stored for 7 days
Money back if the photo is rejected
A print-ready sheet is included — print it yourself at any photo kiosk or online service (Walmart, CVS, CEWE, Boots, Rossmann, etc.). Listed services are not affiliated with us. Want ready prints delivered? Add them at checkout. Where to print a document photo →
- Meets ICAO 9309
- SSL-secured payment
- GDPR · photo auto-deleted
- Refund if photo rejected
- Visa · Mastercard
Guarantee for your Switzerland National ID card photo
We are confident in the result. If the photo is still rejected — send us a screenshot and we will refund your payment within 48 hours. No arguments.
- Refund within 48 hours
- Only a screenshot of the rejection is needed
- Money back to your card
Common questions about Switzerland National ID card photos
What size is a Swiss national ID card photo?
Is the ID card photo different from the Swiss passport photo?
What background colour is required?
How big should my head be in the photo?
Can I wear glasses?
When do I pay, and what if the photo is rejected?
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.
Your Switzerland National ID card photo — ready in a couple of minutes
Upload an ordinary photo — in a minute get a file ready for submission. Preview is free.
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