Schengen Area (short-stay visa applicants) Schengen short-stay (Type C) visa photo Photo Size

Specifications

Schengen Type C visa: 35x45 mm, 90 EUR fee, 59-month VIS reuse

Type C, Type D, airport transit, VIS, EES and ETIAS terminology

EU Visa Code, member-state consulates and VFS/TLS/BLS providers

Council of the EU Visa Code (Regulation EC 810/2009) and each member-state consulate; VFS Global / TLScontact / BLS as external service providers (home-affairs.ec.europa.eu / member-state consulates) sets the rules.

The Schengen short-stay (Type C) visa is governed by the EU Visa Code. The photograph follows the common ICAO 9303 biometric standard (35x45 mm, 32-36 mm face, 70-80%). Applicants file at the consulate of their main destination country, usually through an external service provider (VFS Global, TLScontact or BLS) which takes the photo, collects the 90 EUR fee (45 EUR for 6-12, free under 6) and enrols fingerprints in the Visa Information System (VIS); the biometrics are reused for 59 months. The Entry/Exit System (EES) and ETIAS are the newer border systems, not the visa itself.

Schengen visa applications are almost never walked into a consulate door: you book online with an external service provider, which takes your biometric photo and fingerprints and forwards the file. The photo itself can be taken at any of the following channels.

• VFS Global application centres — The largest external provider; centres in most major cities take the biometric photo on site, collect the 90 EUR fee and route the file to the relevant consulate.
• TLScontact centres — Operates mainly for French, Italian, Spanish and Dutch consulates; appointment online, photo and fingerprints on site, service fee on top of 90 EUR.
• BLS International centres — Handles German, Maltese and other consulates in many markets; same-day biometric capture.
• Consulates and embassies directly — Some smaller consulates still accept walk-in appointments; bring two 35x45 mm prints and pay the 90 EUR in local currency.
• Walk-up photo booths (booth photo) — Photomaton, Fotoautomat and equivalent booths in shopping malls and transport hubs emit ICAO 35x45 mm prints cheaply; ask for the 'visa/ICAO' programme.
• Professional photo studios — Studios familiar with Schengen requirements know the 35x45 mm, 32-36 mm face, white/light-grey background and no-smile rule.
• Pharmacy and mall photo counters — Walgreens/CVS-style counters outside the US, and local pharmacies, print ICAO-compliant 35x45 mm sets on the spot.
• Home shooting + upload/print — Shoot against a plain white wall, crop in the PixlReady Schengen preset, print two tiles on a 10x15 cm sheet, or upload the JPEG to the VFS/TLS portal if it allows.
• VFS Global Warszawa and Krakow — Poland's external provider; biometric capture in the Mokotow and Krakow centres for German, French and Italian consulates.
• TLScontact Paris-Gennevilliers and Lyon — Handles Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese and Greek consulates; appointment booked online.
• BLS International Madrid and Barcelona — Spanish consular external provider; same-day biometric capture and courier return.

VFS Global, TLScontact and BLS run the appointment portals. Some portals accept a JPEG digital upload for scheduling (commonly up to 1 MB, 35x45 mm aspect), but the consulate still collects biometrics on site at the appointment. ETIAS is a separate, future authorisation for visa-exempt travellers and does not require a photo upload beyond the passport chip image.

Type C application: 90 EUR, biometrics, 15-45 days, EES entry

A Type C application is a routed process: book with VFS/TLS/BLS, attend a biometric appointment, pay the 90 EUR fee, and wait 15-45 days. The consulate of your main destination decides.

1. Identify your main destination country; if several, the country of first entry. That consulate is the competent authority.
2. Book online with the relevant external provider - VFS Global, TLScontact or BLS - and choose the Type C short-stay visa.
3. Prepare two 35x45 mm biometric photos taken within the last 6 months, or have them taken on site at the centre.
4. Attend the appointment: submit the passport, travel medical insurance (30,000 EUR cover), hotel and flight bookings, bank statements, and the completed application form.
5. Pay the visa fee: 90 EUR adult, 45 EUR child 6-12, free under 6, plus the provider's service fee in local currency.
6. Give fingerprints and have the facial image captured (fingerprints reused for 59 months in VIS).
7. Wait 15 calendar days (up to 45 if additional checks are required); urgent at the consulate's discretion.
8. Collect your passport at the centre or by courier; the visa sticker shows the approved duration and number of entries.
9. Once in the Schengen Area, the Entry/Exit System (EES) records your entry and exit at the border, replacing the passport stamp.

Shooting a 35x45 mm ICAO photo that passes every consulate

1. Shoot against a plain white or light grey wall with no pattern, frame, furniture or shadow.
2. Stand 1.5 m from the lens, camera at eye level, shoulders level, head straight.
3. Frame the face 32-36 mm from chin to crown (70-80% of the frame); leave a small even margin above the crown.
4. Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open, looking directly into the lens; no smiling.
5. Remove glasses if they reflect; if you must wear them, use thin untinted anti-reflective frames.
6. Remove hats, headscarves, headphones and masks; religious coverings must leave the whole face oval visible.
7. Use soft front light (a north-facing window) so there is no shadow on the white background or under the chin.
8. Take several frames and open the sharpest in the PixlReady Schengen preset, which locks the 35x45 mm / 413x531 px geometry.
9. Print two identical tiles on a 10x15 cm (4x6 in) sheet at 300 DPI; one goes on the application form, one is loose.
10. At the VFS/TLS appointment, the officer may re-take the biometric photo on site; bring your prints as backup.

Use the passport cropper with the Schengen Area (short-stay visa applicants) preset.

JPEG uploads to VFS/TLS portals, VIS 59-month reuse and ETIAS

The Schengen visa is still largely a paper process, but VFS Global, TLScontact and BLS portals increasingly accept a JPEG for scheduling and the future EES/ETIAS systems read the biometric face from the passport chip. The ICAO 9303 rules apply uniformly across all 26 member states.

• Format: JPEG; portals commonly accept up to 1 MB.
• Dimensions: 35x45 mm = 413x531 px at 300 DPI; face 32-36 mm chin to crown.
• Background: plain white or light grey, no pattern, no shadow.
• Recency: less than 6 months old.
• Neutral expression, mouth closed, both eyes open.
• Glasses: untinted, no reflection, frames not covering the eyes.
• No retouching, filters, background replacement or AI generation.
• Headwear: none except a documented religious covering that leaves the full face oval visible.
• Two identical paper prints are still required at most appointments; the digital upload is for scheduling, not a substitute.
• The VIS stores the facial image and fingerprints for 59 months; repeat applicants within that window reuse the stored biometrics.

Compress an oversized JPEG with the image compressor.

Two 35x45 mm tiles per 10x15 cm sheet for the visa folder

Two identical 35x45 mm photos are the Schengen standard. A 10x15 cm (4x6 in) sheet lays out roughly four 35x45 mm tiles, so one print run gives you the two required photos plus spares for a French, German, Italian or Spanish consulate.

• 35x45 mm = 1.38x1.77 in; at 300 DPI 413x531 px.
• Four tiles per 10x15 cm sheet; cut along the gutter with a sharp trimmer.
• Use matte or glossy photographic paper; plain paper and photocopies are rejected.
• Print at 300 DPI minimum; the biometric sample expects a sharp, grain-free image.
• Do not cut into the 35 mm edge: the consulate measures the outer mm.
• One photo is affixed to the visa application form with a paperclip or glue; the second is loose in the folder.
• Keep spares: a national D-type visa, a residence permit and a British-style Standard Visitor visa all reuse 35x45 mm.
• Write your name on the back of each print in soft pencil so the consulate can identify them if they become detached.

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

Why consulates reject a Schengen biometric photo

• Wrong size: a 2x2 in (51 mm) square, or a 35x45 mm photo clipped from a larger image.
• Face outside 32-36 mm: too small (under 27 mm equivalent) or too large (over 40 mm).
• Patterned, dark or off-white background; shadows on the background or under the chin.
• Smiling, mouth open, eyes closed, or looking away from the lens.
• Glasses reflection, tinted lenses, or frames covering the eyes.
• Hats, headscarves or hoods without a religious exception; adult hands or toys visible in a child's photo.
• Old photo over 6 months, or one that no longer matches current appearance.
• Retouched, filtered, AI-generated or background-swapped images.
• Blurry, grainy, overexposed, underexposed, photocopied or scanned prints.
• Only one print brought when the consulate checklist asks for two.

Children under 6 free, 6-12 pay 45 EUR, fingerprints from 12

Children applying for a Schengen Type C visa follow the same 35x45 mm ICAO photo rules. The fee is 45 EUR for ages 6-12 and free under 6, but the biometric rules are identical. Children under 12 are exempt from fingerprinting (VIS still stores the facial image).

• Children under 6 pay no visa fee; children 6-12 pay 45 EUR; 12+ pay the adult 90 EUR.
• Children under 12 do not give fingerprints; from 12 they do, and the 59-month reuse applies.
• The child's photo must show only the child - no parent's hand, dummy, toy or blanket may appear.
• For babies, shoot lying on a plain white sheet; eyes must be open and looking at the lens where possible.
• Both parents' passports and the child's birth certificate are required, plus a notarised consent if only one parent travels.
• The same two-print 35x45 mm requirement applies to infants.
• No hat, bonnet, headband or pacifier; religious head coverings follow the adult rule.
• School photographs are not accepted; use a booth or studio ICAO capture.
• The VIS stores the child's facial image for 59 months even though fingerprints are not taken.

Schengen-area travel documents beyond the Type C visa

The 35x45 mm biometric photo is shared by every Schengen-related travel document. The EU Visa Code governs the short-stay Type C, while separate rules cover the long-stay D visa, ETIAS, EES and residence permits.

• Short-stay Type C visa: up to 90 days in any 180-day period; 90 EUR fee; two 35x45 mm photos.
• Long-stay Type D national visa: issued by one member state for longer stays; photo rules follow the national embassy, usually 35x45 mm.
• Visa Information System (VIS): stores fingerprints and facial image for 59 months across all consulates.
• Entry/Exit System (EES): automates border crossings for third-country nationals, replacing manual stamps.
• ETIAS: European Travel Information and Authorisation System for visa-exempt travellers (not for Type C applicants).
• Family members of EU citizens (Directive 2004/38/EC) pay no 90 EUR fee but follow the same photo rules.
• Airport transit visa (A): same 35x45 mm photo; fee reduced or waived for certain nationalities.
• Residence permits (carte de sejour, Aufenthaltstitel, permesso di soggiorno): captured at the local immigration office after entry.
• Schengen member states: 23 EU members (all except Ireland and Cyprus) plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland = 26.
• BLS, VFS Global and TLScontact are the approved external service providers; their service fee is separate from the 90 EUR.

Schengen EU terminology: Visa Code, Type C, VIS, EES, ETIAS

The Schengen visa uses EU-wide terms that appear on every consulate checklist regardless of the destination country.

• Visa de court sejour / Kurzzeitvisum / visado de corta duracion = short-stay Type C visa, up to 90/180 days.
• Code des visas / Visa Code = Regulation (EC) No 810/2009, the common EU rulebook.
• VIS (Visa Information System) = the central database storing fingerprints and the facial image for 59 months.
• EES (Entry/Exit System) = the automated border system that replaces passport stamps.
• ETIAS = the future authorisation for visa-exempt travellers, similar to ESTA.
• VFS Global, TLScontact, BLS International = the approved external service providers that run appointment centres.
• 90 EUR / 45 EUR = the adult and child (6-12) visa fees in euro, paid in local currency.
• 26 member states = the Schengen Area; Ireland and Cyprus are not in Schengen.
• Compagnie d'assurance voyage / Reisekrankenversicherung = the 30,000 EUR travel medical insurance required with the file.
• Titre de sejour / Aufenthaltstitel = the residence permit issued after a long-stay D visa.
• France: demande de visa long sejour / court sejour, formulaire Cerfa 14576*04, depose aupres du consulat via VFS France.
• Deutschland: Kurzzeitvisum / Schengenvisum Typ C, ausgegeben von der Auslanderbehorde und den deutschen Botschaften, Antrag uber VFS Global.
• Italia: visto Schengen per soggiorni brevi, modulo 1080, presentato tramite VFS Global o TLScontact agli sportelli visti.
• Espana: visado Schengen de corta duracion, formulario EX-VISA, tramitado en los consulados a traves de BLS International.
• Polska: wiza Schengen typu C, wniosek wizowy, skladany w placowkach VFS Global i punktach przyjmowania wnioskow.
• Nederland: kort verbijsvisum / Schengenvisum aanvragen bij de ambassade via VFS Netherlands of TLScontact.
• Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 = the EU Visa Code, the common legal basis; amended by Regulation (EU) 2019/501.
• Visa Information System (VIS) regulation: the facial image and ten fingerprints are reused for 59 months (Regulation (EC) 767/2008).
• Entry/Exit System (EES) = Regulation (EU) 2017/2226; ETIAS = Regulation (EU) 2018/1240.
• VFS Global centres: Warszawa, Krakow, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Milan, Paris, Lyon, London, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Beijing, Shanghai.
• TLScontact offices: Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Milan, Rome, Madrid, Barcelona, Lisboa, Tunis, Algers, Casablanca.
• BLS International desks: Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Madrid, Athens, Nicosia, Valletta, Tel Aviv.
• Fee currency: 90 EUR converts locally at the consulate - e.g. CHF in Bern/Zurich, GBP in London, RUB in Moscow (frozen for some missions), TRY in Ankara.
• Lift for recognised refugees and stateless persons: no 90 EUR fee; same 35x45 mm photo.
• Fees waived for spouses and children of EU/EEA citizens under Directive 2004/38/EC.
• Portugal: visto Schengen de curta duracao, formulario 701/01, entregue nos postos VFS Global e TLScontact de Lisboa e Porto.
• Grecia: θεώρηση Σένγκεν τύπου C, αίτηση θεώρησης, μέσω VFS Global στην Αθήνα και Θεσσαλονίκη.
• Cesko: schengenske vízum typu C, žadost o vízum, podavana na zastupitelských uradech přes VFS Global.
• Magyarország: schengeni C típusú vízum, vízumkérelem, VFS Global budapesti központjában.
• Sverige: Schengenvisum typ C, visumansokan, hos ambassaden via VFS Global i Stockholm.
• Suomi: Schengen-viisumi tyyppi C, viisumihakemus, VFS Global Helsingissä.
• Danmark: Schengenvisum type C, visumansogning, gennem VFS Global i Kobenhavn.
• Norge: Schengenvisum type C, visumsoknad, VFS Global Oslo.
• Schweiz: Schengen-Visum Typ C, Visumsgesuch, über VFS Global in Bern und Zürich.
• Osterreich: Schengenvisum Typ C, Antrag auf ein Schengenvisum, VFS Global Wien.
• Belgique: visa Schengen type C, formulaire 11962, VFS Global Bruxelles.
• Luxembourg: visa Schengen type C, formulaire officiel, VFS Global.
• Regulation (EU) 2019/501 = the amending Visa Code regulation; 90 EUR fee introduced on 3 February 2020.
• Biometric reuse: 59 months in VIS; if no return within that window, fingerprints are re-taken.
• MEV (multiple-entry visa) with a 5-year validity is possible under the Visa Code's facilitation loop for frequent travellers.
• LTV (limited territorial validity) is granted for humanitarian reasons and is valid for one member state only.
• FRA (European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights) and FRONTEX support the external border management.
• SIS II (Schengen Information System II) = the alert database checked at borders.
• EUROSUR = the European surveillance system at the external border.
• BMS (biometric migration system) is the planned future central biometric store.

Gotchas

• This is a VISA photo for non-EU applicants travelling to the Schengen Area, not a photo for a French or German national passport - although the 35x45 mm biometric size is identical, the page purpose differs.
• The EU ICAO guidance states the width as a 35-40 mm range; in practice every Schengen consulate requires exactly 35x45 mm.
• Photos must be less than 6 months old and match your current appearance.
• Children's photos must not show any part of an adult holding them.
• Visa fee is 90 EUR adults, 45 EUR children 6-12, free under 6; biometric fingerprints are reused for 59 months.
• Applications go through VFS Global, TLScontact or BLS, which add their own service fee on top of the 90 EUR.