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Germany Passport Photo Maker Online: Size & Requirements 2026

Q: What are the Germany passport photo requirements?

Size 35 × 45 mm (413 × 531 px at 300 dpi), a plain single-colour (einfarbig), preferably light grey (vorzugsweise hellgrau) background, head height 31.5–36 mm from chin to crown, eyes open and looking straight at the camera, a neutral expression and even lighting with no shadows. The photo must be recent, sharp and in colour.

A Germany passport photo must be 35 × 45 mm (413 × 531 px at 300 dpi) with a single-colour (einfarbig), preferably light grey (vorzugsweise hellgrau) background. The head (chin to crown) should measure 31.5–36 mm. Make your Germany passport photo online with our free passport photo maker — upload a selfie and get a digital photo and a print sheet in seconds.

Size: 35 × 45 mm
Pixels: 413 × 531 px
Resolution: 300 dpi
Background: Single-colour (einfarbig), preferably light grey (vorzugsweise hellgrau)
Head height: 31.5–36 mm

1. Choose your document

Country

Document

2. Add your photo

Drop a photo here or click to upload JPG, PNG or WebP · face the camera · even light · at least 1000 px

Face detection runs on your device. Photos sent for background removal are kept for up to 7 days for quality control, then deleted automatically.

Germany deutscher reisepass (incl. kinderreisepass/vorläufiger reisepass) photo size explained

Size: 35 × 45 mm — 413 × 531 pixels for a digital file (300 dpi).
Head height: 31.5–36 mm from chin to the top of the head (70–80% of the photo height).
Eye line: 23.4–27 mm above the bottom edge, face centred horizontally.
Background: Single-colour (einfarbig), preferably light grey (vorzugsweise hellgrau), plain, evenly lit, no shadows or patterns.

Upload or take a photo above — the tool places your head and eyes inside these ranges automatically and shows the guides on the preview.

Germany passport photo requirements (2026)

Deutscher Reisepass (incl. Kinderreisepass/vorläufiger Reisepass)

Print size: 35 × 45 mm
Pixels: 413 × 531 px
Head height: 31.5–36 mm
Eye line from bottom: 23.4–27 mm
Background: Single-colour (einfarbig), preferably light grey (vorzugsweise hellgrau)

Expression: Neutral, mouth closed, looking straight into the camera

Glasses: Allowed only if eyes clearly visible; frames must not cover eyes; no dark/tinted lenses or reflections

Head covering: Only for religious reasons; face visible from lower chin edge to forehead, no shadows

Children: Children: face 50–80 % of photo height; until age 10 minor deviations allowed; until age 6 further exceptions for head position, expression and eye visibility. Separate template for children 6–9.

• Size: 35×45 mm (biometric)

• Plain light grey or white background

• Neutral expression, mouth closed

• Eyes open, looking directly at camera

• No glasses (since 2017)

• Head centered and straight

Official source: personalausweisportal.de (Bundesministerium des Innern) · personalausweisportal.de (Bundesministerium des Innern)

Visa

Print size: 35 × 45 mm
Pixels: 413 × 531 px
Head height: 31.5–36 mm
Eye line from bottom: 23.4–31.5 mm
Background: Light grey

• Size: 35×45 mm (biometric)

• Plain light grey or white background

• Neutral expression

• Eyes open, looking directly at camera

• No glasses

• Taken within the last 6 months

Head and eye position follow the ICAO standard used by most countries.

Deutscher Personalausweis

Print size: 35 × 45 mm
Pixels: 413 × 531 px
Head height: 31.5–36 mm
Eye line from bottom: 23.4–31.5 mm
Background: Single-colour (einfarbig), preferably light grey (vorzugsweise hellgrau)

Expression: Neutral, mouth closed, looking straight into the camera

Glasses: Allowed only if eyes clearly visible; frames must not cover eyes; no dark/tinted lenses or reflections

Head covering: Only for religious reasons; face visible from lower chin edge to forehead, no shadows

• Size: 35×45 mm (biometric)

• Plain light grey or white background

• Neutral expression, mouth closed

• Eyes open, looking directly at camera

• No glasses

• Taken within the last 6 months

Official source: personalausweisportal.de (Bundesministerium des Innern) · personalausweisportal.de (Bundesministerium des Innern)

Elektronischer Aufenthaltstitel (eAT) and Ausländer-Reiseausweise (Reiseausweis für Ausländer/Flüchtlinge/Staatenlose)

Print size: 35 × 45 mm
Pixels: 413 × 531 px
Head height: 31.5–36 mm
Eye line from bottom: 23.4–31.5 mm
Background: Single-colour (einfarbig), preferably light grey (vorzugsweise hellgrau)

Expression: Neutral, mouth closed, looking straight into the camera

Glasses: Allowed only if eyes clearly visible; frames must not cover eyes; no dark/tinted lenses or reflections

Head covering: Only for religious reasons; face visible from lower chin edge to forehead, no shadows

• Size: 35×45 mm (biometric)

• Plain light grey or white background

• Neutral expression

• Eyes open

• No glasses

• Taken within the last 6 months

Official source: personalausweisportal.de (Bundesministerium des Innern) · personalausweisportal.de (Bundesministerium des Innern)

German driving licence (Führerschein): first licence, exchange of an old licence, replacement

Print size: 35 × 45 mm
Pixels: 895 × 1150 px
Head height: 31.5–36 mm
Eye line from bottom: 23.4–31.5 mm
Background: Light grey or plain light colour
File size: up to 3,000 KB

Expression: Neutral expression, mouth closed, looking straight into the camera.

Glasses: Glasses are allowed if your eyes are clearly visible: no tinted lenses, no reflections, and the frame must not cover your eyes.

Head covering: Not allowed, except for religious reasons; your face must then be visible from chin to forehead with no shadows. Medical exceptions are decided by the licence office.

Children: Applicants are at least 15, so the adult rules apply.

• Size: 35×45 mm (biometric)

• Plain light grey or white background

• Neutral expression

• Eyes open

• No glasses

• Taken within the last 6 months

Official source: gesetze-im-internet.de (Bundesministerium der Justiz) · gesetze-im-internet.de (Bundesministerium der Justiz)

Bewerbungsfoto (job-application photo) — no official specification

Print size: 45 × 60 mm
Pixels: 531 × 709 px
Head height: 42–48 mm
Eye line from bottom: 31.2–42 mm
Background: Calm, neutral colour (recommended)

Expression: A friendly, smiling expression is recommended (advice, not a rule).

Official source: Leuphana Universität Lüneburg (public university) · Bundesagentur für Arbeit - Agentur für Arbeit Elmshorn, BiZ

Head and eye position follow the ICAO standard used by most countries.

How the photo check works

Every photo goes through the same steps a passport office would apply — only faster:

Face detection — 478 facial landmarks are located on your device to find your eyes, chin and head outline, and to make sure exactly one face is in the photo.
Geometry — head height and eye line are measured and the photo is cropped and scaled so they fall inside the official range for your document; a tilted head is straightened automatically.
Quality — resolution, sharpness, exposure, even lighting on both sides of the face and red eyes (corrected automatically when found).
Background removal — the background is cut out and replaced with the exact colour your document requires.
AI review — a vision AI model checks expression, open eyes, glasses and glare, head coverings, shadows, other people or objects, and signs of filters or a photo of a screen.

Tips for a photo that passes

Face a window or a soft light so both sides of your face are evenly lit. Keep your head straight, look into the lens with a neutral expression and your mouth closed. Take off glasses and hats, keep hair away from your eyes and wear a top that contrasts with the background. Hold the phone at eye level about an arm's length or 1–1.5 m away; a self-timer or a helper works best.

What size is a Germany deutscher reisepass (incl. kinderreisepass/vorläufiger reisepass) photo?

The official Germany deutscher reisepass (incl. kinderreisepass/vorläufiger reisepass) photo size is 35×45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 inches). For a digital file that is 413 × 531 pixels at 300 dpi, or 827 × 1063 pixels at 600 dpi if you want extra sharpness for printing. From chin to the top of the head the face must measure 31.5–36 mm, which is 70–80% of the photo height. The eyes should sit 18–21.6 mm below the top edge.

The background must be single-colour (einfarbig), preferably light grey (vorzugsweise hellgrau), evenly lit and without shadows or patterns. Look straight at the camera with a neutral expression and your mouth closed, keep both eyes open and visible, and remove glasses if they reflect light or hide your eyes.

Same size in other countries

The same 35×45 mm format is used for passports in 126 other countries, including Algeria, Andorra, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium and Benin. Worldwide the most common passport photo size is 35×45 mm (127 countries) — the format Germany uses too.

Germany also sets photo rules for visa (35×45 mm), deutscher personalausweis (35×45 mm), elektronischer aufenthaltstitel (eat) and ausländer-reiseausweise (reiseausweis für ausländer/flüchtlinge/staatenlose) (35×45 mm), german driving licence (führerschein): first licence, exchange of an old licence, replacement (35×45 mm) and bewerbungsfoto (job-application photo) — no official specification (45×60 mm) — pick the document in the tool above to get the right crop.

How to make and print a Germany passport photo at home

Take a well-lit photo against a plain wall, upload it to the free photo maker above and choose Germany — Deutscher Reisepass (incl. Kinderreisepass/vorläufiger Reisepass). The tool detects your face, crops it to the exact 35×45 mm size, replaces the background with single-colour (einfarbig), preferably light grey (vorzugsweise hellgrau) and checks sharpness, lighting, red-eye and head position. Download the digital file for an online application, or the print sheet: one standard 10×15 cm (4×6 in) photo print holds 6 Germany passport photos, which costs a fraction of a photo booth.

Frequently asked questions

What are the Germany passport photo requirements?

Size 35 × 45 mm (413 × 531 px at 300 dpi), a plain single-colour (einfarbig), preferably light grey (vorzugsweise hellgrau) background, head height 31.5–36 mm from chin to crown, eyes open and looking straight at the camera, a neutral expression and even lighting with no shadows. The photo must be recent, sharp and in colour.

What size is a Germany passport photo?

What background is required for a Germany passport photo?

Single-colour (einfarbig), preferably light grey (vorzugsweise hellgrau) (#EDEDED), plain and evenly lit, with no shadows, patterns or objects. Our tool replaces the background automatically.

Can I wear glasses in a Germany passport photo?

allowed only if eyes clearly visible; frames must not cover eyes; no dark/tinted lenses or reflections

Can I smile in a Germany passport photo?

neutral, mouth closed, looking straight into the camera

Are head coverings allowed in a Germany passport photo?

only for religious reasons; face visible from lower chin edge to forehead, no shadows

What are the rules for a baby or child's Germany passport photo?

Children: face 50–80 % of photo height; until age 10 minor deviations allowed; until age 6 further exceptions for head position, expression and eye visibility. Separate template for children 6–9.

Are Germany visa and ID photos the same size as passport photos?

Deutscher Reisepass (incl. Kinderreisepass/vorläufiger Reisepass): 35 × 45 mm, single-colour (einfarbig), preferably light grey (vorzugsweise hellgrau) background; Visa: 35 × 45 mm, light grey background; Deutscher Personalausweis: 35 × 45 mm, single-colour (einfarbig), preferably light grey (vorzugsweise hellgrau) background; Elektronischer Aufenthaltstitel (eAT) and Ausländer-Reiseausweise (Reiseausweis für Ausländer/Flüchtlinge/Staatenlose): 35 × 45 mm, single-colour (einfarbig), preferably light grey (vorzugsweise hellgrau) background; German driving licence (Führerschein): first licence, exchange of an old licence, replacement: 35 × 45 mm, light grey or plain light colour background; Bewerbungsfoto (job-application photo) — no official specification: 45 × 60 mm, calm, neutral colour (recommended) background.

How do I make a Germany passport photo online?

Upload a selfie or any front-facing photo to our free Germany passport photo maker above. It finds your face, removes the background, crops the photo to 35 × 45 mm and checks it with AI — then download the digital photo or a print sheet. No sign-up, no app to install.

Can I get a digital Germany passport photo?

Yes — download the 413 × 531 px JPEG at 300 dpi for an online application, or a 10 × 15 cm (4 × 6 in) sheet to print at any photo shop.

Can I take a passport photo at home?

Yes. Stand facing a window for soft, even light, ask someone to take the photo from about 1.5 m at eye level, keep a neutral expression and look straight into the lens. Upload it here — we check it, remove the background and crop it to the exact size.

Photo sizes of all countries Germany visa requirements