Germany visa photo size
35 × 45 mm, biometric, on a light uncoloured background, for a Schengen visa.
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A Schengen visa for Germany is applied for at a German embassy or consulate, and each publishes a checklist. The German Embassy in Yaoundé, whose checklist we read, asks for one recent passport photo, 35 by 45 millimetres, biometric with the face photographed frontally, not retouched, with the eyes uncovered and a light uncoloured background. It refers to the German sample sheet of photos for the details.
The preset below uses that size. It saves 413 by 531 pixels at 300 DPI, so a lab print comes out at 35 by 45 millimetres, and eight copies fit on a 4 by 6 inch sheet.
Germany's missions follow the same federal rules, but their checklists are written locally. Check the checklist of the mission where you apply; it also says whether a printed photo is needed. The table links the one we read and the date.
What the official source states
Germany visa, printed photo
- Photo size
- 35 × 45 mm
- Pixels at 300 DPI
- 413 × 531 px
- Background
- Light and uncoloured
Requirements checked on October 15, 2026. Official source
Check the official requirements before you submit. We resize to the numbers shown; we do not check face position, expression, glasses, lighting or background rules.
What biometric means here
Biometric means the face is photographed straight on, so that a machine can compare it with you at the border. The head is upright, not tilted or turned, both eyes are open and level, and the mouth is closed. The photo shows the head and the top of the shoulders, centred.
Light and uncoloured
The checklist's wording for the background is light and uncoloured. That rules out a pale blue or a warm beige wall, and points to white or a neutral light grey. It should be even, without shadows behind the head or a pattern.
"Replace the background" fills with a light grey for this preset, a neutral tone that fits the wording. The checklist also says the photo must not be retouched, so a real neutral wall is the cleaner choice where you have one.
Eyes not covered
Hair must not fall across the eyes, and glasses must not hide them. Frames that cut across the eyes, tinted lenses and reflections on the lenses all count as covering. If glare will not go away, take the glasses off for the photo. Pin hair back or tuck it behind the ears.
The German passport photo is the same size
German citizens need a 35 by 45 millimetre biometric photo for their passport too, on a plain light background, and it has its own page here with the source we read for it. The two pages use the same frame but describe the rules of different documents, so follow the one that matches your application.
Before the appointment
Print the sheet at a photo lab, cut out one copy and check it with a ruler. Keep it in an envelope with your other documents so it stays clean and flat, and bring a spare from the same sheet in case one is damaged.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a Germany visa photo?
35 by 45 millimetres. That makes 413 by 531 pixels when saved at 300 DPI.
What background is needed?
Light and uncoloured, according to the embassy checklist.
Can the photo be retouched?
No. The checklist says not retouched.
Is this the photo for every Schengen country?
No. This page follows a German embassy's checklist. Each Schengen state's missions publish their own.
Do I always need to bring a photo?
Check the checklist of the mission where you apply; it says whether a printed photo is needed.
Are glasses allowed?
Only if they leave the eyes uncovered; tinted lenses and reflections count as covering.
Is a photo taken from the side accepted?
No. The checklist asks for a biometric photo with the face photographed frontally.