Prepare a Schengen visa photo from a picture you already have, sized to the France-Visas published, ICAO-style specification (35 x 45 mm, face height 32-36 mm). This reflects France-Visas' guidance specifically — individual Schengen consulates can apply local variations, so always confirm with the consulate or visa centre handling your application.
Official requirements
Official requirements
Prepared using the published specification below.
Digital photo requirements
No official digital pixel specification was found for this document — see printed requirements below.
Printed photo requirements
Photo size
35 × 45 mm
Head height (chin to crown)
32–36 mm
Paper / printing
ICAO-style standard as described by France-Visas. Individual Schengen consulates and visa application centres may apply local variations — always confirm with the specific consulate handling your application.
Other requirements
Background
Plain white or light grey, no patterns or shadows
Expression
Neutral expression, facing the camera directly.
Glasses
Glasses are discouraged; if worn, eyes must be clearly visible with no glare or tinted lenses.
Head coverings
Head coverings are not permitted except for religious reasons, and the full face from chin to forehead must be visible.
Maximum photo age
6 months
Source: France-Visas — Official Schengen visa application portal (photo guidance).
Common mistakes
✕Photo older than 6 months
✕Background not plain white or light grey
✕Head/face size outside the 32-36mm (roughly 70-80% of the photo) range
✕Assuming every Schengen consulate applies identical rules — some add local requirements
How to take a good photo
✓Use a plain white or light grey background with even lighting
✓Face the camera directly with a neutral expression, mouth closed
✓Keep the face height (chin to forehead, excluding hair) between 32 and 36 mm
✓Confirm exact requirements with the consulate or visa centre handling your specific application
How Vekyo works for a Schengen Area visa
Upload a recent photo, and Vekyo detects your face, then checks it against the Schengen Area visa specification above — including its plain white or light grey, no patterns or shadows background requirement — before letting you crop and position it to match, entirely in your browser. Vekyo only crops, rotates for straightening, and resizes your photo; it never changes your facial features, skin tone, or facial structure, and never generates or beautifies a face. Backgrounds are never automatically replaced — if yours doesn't look plain and evenly lit enough for this document, you'll see a warning instead of a silent pass.
Frequently asked questions
Vekyo prepares your Schengen Area visa photo at 35×45mm, based on the published specification linked on this page — you don't need to measure or crop it yourself.
Plain white or light grey, no patterns or shadows Vekyo's compliance check flags a background that looks patterned, shadowed, or uneven before you pay, so you can retake the photo if needed.
Yes. A recent phone photo works well as long as it is a clear, front-facing shot in good, even lighting against a plain background. Vekyo crops and resizes it to the required dimensions in your browser.
Yes. Vekyo lets you prepare a photo that matches the Schengen Area visa photo specification from an existing picture, without visiting a photo studio. You still need to check your final photo, and print it, according to your application's instructions.
No. Vekyo only crops, resizes, and repositions your existing photo to match the required dimensions. It never alters your facial features, skin tone, or facial structure, and never generates or beautifies a face.
No. Face detection, cropping, resizing, and file generation all happen locally in your browser. Your photo is not uploaded to our servers for image processing. See our Privacy Policy for full details.
No. You get a free preview of your finished photo — including its compliance score and checklist — before paying anything. Payment only unlocks the full-resolution, watermark-free download and the printable sheet.
Your compliance checklist shows exactly which checks passed, which need attention, and which failed, with a plain-language explanation for each. From there you can use Auto-Fix to automatically correct issues like cropping, brightness, or sharpness, adjust the crop yourself, or upload or retake a different photo — you can keep adjusting until it looks right, all before you pay. A mistake we see often for a Schengen Area visa: photo older than 6 months.
Yes. Vekyo generates a printable PDF sized for a Schengen Area visa — 35×45mm — with multiple copies laid out on a 4x6 inch or A4 sheet, so you can print it at home or at a photo lab without distortion.
Vekyo prepares your photo according to the published Schengen Area visa photo specification linked on this page. You are responsible for confirming your final photo meets your specific application's requirements before submitting it.
We cannot guarantee acceptance. Vekyo prepares your photo according to the published photo specifications, but final acceptance is always decided by the receiving government authority. Always verify the latest requirements on the official source before submitting your application.
Prepared according to the published requirements — not a guarantee of acceptance and not government approved. Always verify the latest requirements with the official authority before submitting your photo.