France French biometric passport (passeport) photo Photo Size

Specifications

France 35x45 mm passeport key numbers, timbre fiscal and ephoto codes

ANTS pre-demande, timbre fiscal e-stamps and CNI/passeport fees

ANTS, mairies and the dispositif de recueil that enrol your ephoto

ANTS - Agence nationale des titres securises (French National Agency for Secure Documents) (ants.gouv.fr / passeport.ants.gouv.fr) sets the rules.

French passports and cartes nationales d'identite (CNI) are issued by the Ministry of the Interior through ANTS. You file an online pre-demande on ants.gouv.fr, buy a dematerialised timbre fiscal (86 EUR adult, 42 EUR for 15-17, 17 EUR for 0-14), and then attend any mairie or consulat equipped with a dispositif de recueil (DR), where an officer scans your ephoto code, fingerprints and identity. The photograph itself must be produced by an authorised photographer or approved photomaton booth that supplies a code photo ephoto; a home-printed or self-taken photo is not accepted because the image is pulled from the ANTS server rather than pasted onto a paper form.

The French system is unusual: you do not hand over a paper photo at the mairie. Instead an authorised vendor captures a biometric image and emits a code photo ephoto that is bound to your ANTS pre-demande, and the mairie dispositif de recueil downloads it. Any of the following channels produces a compliant 35x45 mm ephoto.

• Photomaton and approved cabines automatiques — The familiar walk-up booths in gares, centres commerciaux and mairie halls; choose the 'passeport / CNI - code ephoto' option and you leave with a datamatrix code valid for the ANTS pre-demande.
• Photographes agreees (authorised professional photographers) — Independent studios sign the ANTS convention to emit ephoto codes; look for the 'photographe agreee ANTS' sticker. Cost about 10-15 EUR and they also give you a paper copy.
• Mairies with a dispositif de recueil (DR) — Where you actually file: bring the pre-demande number, the timbre fiscal reference and your old titre; an officer scans the ephoto code and takes fingerprints. Every French commune of above a few thousand inhabitants has one.
• Consulats and ambassades de France abroad — French citizens resident overseas file at the consulat; the ephoto code is produced locally by an authorised photographer, and fees are paid by carte bancaire or cheque de banque.
• Timbres.impots.gouv.fr and bureaux de tabac — Not photo booths, but where the timbre fiscal dematerialise is bought (86/42/17 EUR); a tabac with the e-sticker terminal can print the e-stamp reference immediately.
• Grands centres commerciaux (Carrefour, Leclerc, Auchan) — Host Photomaton or Kodak/Photo Station booths; the mall location usually has a mairie annexe nearby for the filing step.
• Gares et aerifs Paris (Gare de Lyon, Montparnasse, Roissy) — Walk-up booths inside main stations and airports emit ephoto codes for commuters renewing a passeport on the way to work.
• Maisons de service au public (MSAP / France Services) — Rural one-stop shops help with the ANTS pre-demande and direct you to the nearest DR-equipped mairie; they do not take the biometric photo themselves.
• Mairies des arrondissements de Paris — The 10e, 13e, 15e, 18e and 20e mairies operate busy DR terminals; book weeks ahead in summer.
• Consulat general de France a New York — French citizens resident in the US Northeast file here; ephoto produced locally, fee by carte bancaire.
• Bureaux de tabac affines — Tobacco shops with a CNet terminal sell the timbre fiscal dematerialise (86/42/17 EUR) on the spot.

The pre-demande lives on ants.gouv.fr (France Titres). You fill identity data, buy the timbre fiscal dematerialise, and note the pre-demande number; the ephoto code from the booth is then linked to that file. There is no portal that accepts a home JPEG upload - the image must come from an ANTS-conventioned capture device.

Pre-demande ANTS, timbre fiscal 86/42/17 EUR and mairie retrait

The French workflow is a hybrid online-plus-in-person: an online pre-demande on ants.gouv.fr, a dematerialised timbre fiscal, an ANTS-conventioned ephoto, and an in-person visit to a mairie dispositif de recueil or consulat. The fees below are the 2026 timbre fiscal rates.

1. Create or log into an ANTS account on ants.gouv.fr and start a pre-demande de passeport / CNI; note the pre-demande number.
2. Buy the timbre fiscal dematerialise: 86 EUR for an adult, 42 EUR for 15-17 ans, 17 EUR for 0-14 ans, at timbres.impots.gouv.fr or at a bureau de tabac with an e-sticker terminal.
3. Have the ephoto taken at a Photomaton or agreee photographer; enter the code photo ephoto into the pre-demande (or ask the booth operator to bind it).
4. Book a rendezvous at a mairie equipped with a dispositif de recueil (DR); in Paris use the mairie du 13e, 15e, 18e etc., in the departements use your commune mairie.
5. Attend the mairie with old passeport/CNI, livret de famille (if minor), justificatif de domicile of less than 12 months, and the pre-demande number; an officer scans the ephoto, fingerprints and identity.
6. Pay nothing extra at the mairie - the timbre fiscal already covers the cost; only a lost/declared-wallet replacement adds a second stamp.
7. Wait for the SMS/email 'votre titre est pret' (typically 2-4 weeks, longer in summer and outre-mer).
8. Collect the passeport in person at the same mairie within 3 months; the old titre is invalidated and handed back punched.
9. Overseas residents file at the consulat; the ephoto is produced locally and the timbre fiscal is replaced by a fee paid by carte bancaire or cheque de banque au service des titres.

Shooting a 35x45 mm ephoto that passes the ANTS biometric check

1. Even though France requires a booth/ephoto, you can pre-check the framing at home on a plain light blue or light grey wall - never pure white, which Service-Public.fr rejects.
2. Stand 1.5 m from the lens, camera at eye level, shoulders level and straight, with a small even margin of background above the crown.
3. Keep the face 32-36 mm from chin to top of skull (70-80% of the frame): eyes in the upper third, mouth closed, neutral expression, looking straight into the lens.
4. Remove hats, headbands, hoods, headphones and masks; religious head coverings are accepted only case by case and must leave the whole face and jaw line visible without shadow.
5. If you wear glasses, use thin untinted frames with anti-reflective coating; the booth's dual flash is the most common cause of red-eye/reflection rejection.
6. Use soft front light (a north-facing window) so there is no shadow on the light blue background or under the chin.
7. At the Photomaton or agreee photographer, choose the 'passeport/CNI' programme, which locks the 35x45 mm and 32-36 mm face geometry and prints the ephoto datamatrix.
8. Write the ephoto code on the pre-demande (or let the booth operator bind it online); the code is valid for several weeks and tied to your name and date of birth.
9. Keep the paper receipt the booth prints: it carries the QR/datamatrix the mairie officer scans at the dispositif de recueil.
10. When you collect the finished passeport at the mairie, the officer re-checks the enrolled photo against your face; if you have visibly changed appearance, you must recapture a new ephoto.

Use the passport cropper with the France preset.

The ephoto datamatrix: why France never takes a home JPEG upload

France is a booth-bound system: the digital image is not uploaded by the applicant but is captured by an ANTS-conventioned device and pushed to the ANTS server. The 413x531 px / 35x45 mm geometry is nevertheless the one the PixlReady France preset builds, and the rules below are what a photographer or booth must satisfy.

• Format: the booth delivers an ICAO-compliant JPEG embedded in the ephoto datamatrix; applicants never submit a loose JPEG.
• Dimensions: 35x45 mm exactly, i.e. 413x531 px at 300 DPI; the face 32-36 mm chin to top of skull.
• Background: plain light blue or light grey, evenly lit; pure white is rejected by the ANTS biometric check.
• Recency: the photo must be less than 6 months old and match current appearance.
• No retouching: no smoothing, no background replacement, no filters; ANTS compares the enrolled image against the live capture at the DR.
• Glasses: optional; thin untinted frames, no reflection, eyes fully visible.
• Expression: mouth closed, both eyes open, neutral; smiling with visible teeth is rejected.
• Code binding: the ephoto code must match the pre-demande applicant; a code bought for one person cannot be reused for another.
• The PixlReady France preset can be used to preview framing, but the final ephoto must still come from a conventioned booth/photographer.
• If the mairie rejects the enrolled image, the booth re-shoots and re-emits a new code at no further ephoto charge in most contracts.

Compress an oversized JPEG with the image compressor.

Printing 35x45 mm planches on 10x15 cm sheets at 300 DPI

Because the French ephoto is enrolled digitally, most applicants never print a 35x45 mm photo for the mairie. However, the agreee photographer and Photomaton booths still hand over a paper sheet, and French consulates abroad sometimes ask for one or two prints as backup.

• 35x45 mm equals 1.38x1.77 in; at 300 DPI that is 413x531 px.
• A standard 10x15 cm (4x6 in) photo sheet lays out roughly four 35x45 mm tiles with a thin gutter - ask the studio for a planche de quatre.
• Use matte or glossy photographic paper; plain inkjet A4 paper is not accepted by a consulate that asks for prints.
• Print at 300 DPI minimum; French biometric samples expect a sharp, grain-free image.
• Do not cut into the 35 mm edge: the consulate measures the outer mm, and a clipped corner is rejected.
• Keep the spare tiles in an envelope - they are useful for a carte de sejour, a permis de conduire or an abroad visa application.
• The mairie itself does not need a paper print when it scans the ephoto datamatrix; bring it only if your consulate checklist asks.
• Two tiles per 10x15 cm sheet is the booth default; ask for four if you also need photos for the PACS, a sport licence or an employer.

Print-dialog settings: 300 DPI guide · 200 KB upload guide.

Why mairies reject a photographie d'identite conforme

• Pure white background - Service-Public.fr explicitly forbids it; use light blue or light grey.
• Photo not from an ANTS-conventioned device: a home-printed or self-taken photo has no ephoto code and cannot be enrolled.
• Out-of-range face size: chin-to-crown under 32 mm or over 36 mm.
• Reflection on glasses, tinted lenses, or frames covering the eyes.
• Smiling with visible teeth, open mouth, or eyes closed.
• Headwear, headscarves or hats that are not granted a religious exception and that cast a shadow on the face.
• Retouched or filtered image: ANTS detects skin smoothing and background substitution and rejects the ephoto.
• Old photo: more than 6 months, or one that no longer matches the applicant (beard, haircut, weight change).
• Wrong size: a 35x45 mm European photo printed on a 2x2 in (51 mm) square, or a Schengen-style white-background photo.
• Reflections, shadows on the background, patterned clothing visible, or an angle that is not full-face.

Mineurs: 17 EUR / 42 EUR timbre fiscal and parental DR attendance

A French passeport for a mineur (0-17) follows the same 35x45 mm / 32-36 mm geometry, but the timbre fiscal is cheaper (17 EUR for 0-14, 42 EUR for 15-17) and a parent or legal representative must attend the mairie dispositif de recueil. The ephoto for a baby or toddler is still taken at a conventioned booth or by an agreee photographer.

• The child must be present at the mairie DR because fingerprints are taken from age 12 (and from age 6 in practice for many offices).
• A parent or legal guardian attends with the livret de famille, the child's old titre, a justificatif de domicile and their own carte d'identite.
• Babies may be photographed lying on a plain light blue sheet in the studio; no parent's hand, dummy, toy or blanket may appear.
• The child's eyes must be open and looking at the lens; for infants the neutral-expression rule is relaxed but the face must be fully lit.
• No hat, bonnet, headband or pacifier in the ephoto; religious head coverings follow the adult exception rule.
• The timbre fiscal for a 0-14 ans child is 17 EUR (8.50 EUR in Guyane); for 15-17 ans it is 42 EUR (21 EUR in Guyane).
• A minor's passeport is valid 5 years, not 10; the CNI for a minor is also 5-10 years depending on age at issue.
• Collection: the child need not attend retrait unless the mairie requires a signature for ages 12+; the parent collects within 3 months.
• If only one parent attends, a signed autorisation (or jugement de garde) for the other parent is required.
• School photographs are not accepted: the ephoto must come from an ANTS-conventioned booth/photographer.

French ID, travel and residency photos beyond the passeport

The 35x45 mm ephoto standard is reused across the French titre ecosystem: the carte nationale d'identite (CNI), the titre de sejour, the permis de conduire and many consular acts all pull the same biometric image from ANTS or from a conventioned capture.

• Carte nationale d'identite (CNI): same 35x45 mm ephoto, same timbre fiscal-free since 2021 (the CNI is free), valid 15 years for adults.
• Titre de sejour (carte de sejour): the Prefecture/OFII takes the biometric photo at a separate rendezvous; it is not the same as a passeport ephoto.
• Visa long sejour (VLS-TS) and visa de court sejour: handled by consulates and VFS France/TLScontact; 35x45 mm, two paper photos often required.
• Passeport d'urgence: issued by a consulat in emergency; uses the same ephoto and a simplified timbre fiscal.
• Passeport de service / de mission: for civil servants, ordered through le ministre de l'Europe et des Affaires etrangeres.
• Permis de conduire: the ANTS/ANTS-STS pre-demande pulls a separate photo from a booth; not a passeport ephoto.
• Livret de famille, acte de naissance, PACS and marriage: do not require a 35x45 mm photo.
• Overseas departments and collectivites (Guadeloupe, Guyane, Martinique, Mayotte, La Reunion, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Polynesie, Nouvelle-Caledonie): same ephoto rules, reduced timbre fiscal in Guyane (8.50/21 EUR).
• Consular inscription: registre des Francais etablis hors de France at the consulat; supports consular passeport renewals and voting.

French official terms: ephoto, timbre fiscal, dispositif de recueil

France uses a tightly defined vocabulary that confuses English applicants. The key terms below are the ones printed on the Service-Public.fr and ANTS pages.

• Passeport (masculin) = the biometric passport; carte nationale d'identite, abbregee CNI, = the national ID card, now valid 15 years.
• Photographie d'identite conforme = a compliant ID photo; 'conforme' means it passes the ANTS biometric check.
• Ephoto / code photo = the datamatrix code emitted by an approved booth or photographe agreee that binds the digital image to your pre-demande.
• Timbre fiscal dematerialise = the electronic tax stamp (86 EUR majeur, 42 EUR 15-17, 17 EUR 0-14), bought at timbres.impots.gouv.fr or a bureau de tabac.
• Dispositif de recueil (DR) = the terminal in a mairie or consulat that scans the ephoto code, takes fingerprints and enrols the titre.
• Pre-demande sur ants.gouv.fr = the online form you must start before the mairie; the mairie cannot file without it.
• Mairie = the town hall; 'mairie equipee d'un dispositif de recueil' means one that issues passeports/CNI.
• Retrait du titre = collection of the finished passport; you have 3 months, after which it is destroyed.
• Mineur / majeur = minor / adult; the timbre fiscal rate depends on age on the day you deposit the file.
• Outre-mer = overseas departments and collectivities; Guyane has reduced e-stamp rates (8.50/21 EUR).
• Cerfa 12100*02 = the national identity card (CNI) application form; Cerfa 12100 is now online on ants.gouv.fr.
• Prefecture / sous-prefecture = the departmental state representative; in Paris the Prefecture de police (Prefecture de police de Paris, rue de Lutèce).
• Recepisse de demande de titre = the temporary receipt proving your file is being processed while the old passport is held.
• DOM-TOM: Guadeloupe, Guyane, Martinique, Mayotte, La Reunion, Saint-Barthelemy, Saint-Martin, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Polynesie francaise, Nouvelle-Caledonie, Wallis-et-Futuna, Terres australes et antarctiques francaises.
• Tarifs reduits en Guyane: timbre fiscal 8.50 EUR pour un enfant 0-14, 21 EUR pour 15-17 (contre 17/42 en metropole).
• Photographes agreees ANTS: the studio must display the 'agreee ANTS' sticker; chains include Studio Aubert, Foto Point, and the Photomaton/Gump walk-up booths.
• Rendez-vous en mairie: Paris mairies du 10e, 13e, 15e, 18e, 20e arrondissements; Lyon mairies d'arrondissement; Marseille secteurs.
• Pre-demande sur ants.gouv.fr = France Titres, the online portal; the numero de pre-demande is a 10-character code.
• Consulat general de France a New York, Los Angeles, Washington, Montreal, Londres, Bruxelles, Genève: where overseas residents file.
• Timbres dematerialises: achetables sur timbres.impots.gouv.fr ou dans un bureau de tabac affine (terminal CNet/Compte niches).
• Carte nationale d'identité (CNI) sécurisée: valable 15 ans pour les adultes, gratuite, même ephoto 35x45 mm.
• Préfecture de police de Paris: 7 rue de Lutèce, 75004 Paris; traite les CNI/passeports des Parisiens.
• Sous-préfecture: antenne de la préfecture dans un arrondissement; ex. Saint-Denis, Nanterre, Bobigny, Créteil, Versailles.
• Guadeloupe (Pointe-à-Pitre), Martinique (Fort-de-France), Guyane (Cayenne), La Réunion (Saint-Denis), Mayotte (Mamoudzou): DR-equipped sous-préfectures.
• Polynésie française (Papeete), Nouvelle-Calédonie (Nouméa), Wallis-et-Futuna (Mata-Utu): consulat/DR-equipped mairies.
• Photographes agréés ANTS: 'code photo ephoto' délivré par un studio conventionné ou une cabine Photomaton/Gump.
• Timbre fiscal dématérialisé: 86 € majeur, 42 € 15-17 ans, 17 € 0-14 ans; réduit en Guyane (8,50 € / 21 €).
• Récépissé de demande de titre d'identité: document provisoire valable 3 mois, permet de voyager en UE.
• Mairie de Lyon (Hôtel de ville, place de la Comédie), mairie de Marseille (Hôtel de ville, Quai du Port), mairie de Bordeaux (Place Pey-Berland).
• Consulat général de France à Londres (23 Cromwell Road), à Montréal (4251 avenue Dorchester), à Genève (2 rue de Berne).
• ANTS = Agence nationale des titres sécurisés; 'France Titres' est le portail passeport/CNI.
• Dispositif de recueil (DR): terminal en mairie/consulat qui scanne l'ephotocode et les empreintes.

Gotchas

• White background is FORBIDDEN in France - use a plain light blue or light grey instead.
• The photo must be taken by an authorised professional or approved booth and linked to an ANTS e-photo code; self-printed home photos are not accepted.
• Only ONE photo is required.
• Dimensions are identical to the Schengen visa and German passport (35x45 mm), but this is a French national passport.
• You buy a dematerialised timbre fiscal (86 EUR adult, 42 EUR for 15-17, 17 EUR for 0-14) online or at a tabac, not a physical stamp.
• The e-photo code expires and must match the applicant who appears at the mairie dispositif de recueil.