head 71–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
Sourceoesterreich.gv.at / BMI
Verified
Quick answer: A Austria passport photo must be 35 × 45 mm. Plain background without shadows per official Austrian Passbildkriterien. Head occupies 71–80% of photo height (32–36 mm chin to crown). Neutral expression, clear lenses only, no glare. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 71–80% of photo heightICAO 9303: 70–80% |
| Head height (mm) | 32–36 mm chin to crown |
| Background | Plain background without shadows per official Austrian Passbildkriterien. |
| Pose | Full face, no tilt or rotation, face must be unambiguously identifiable. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | Eyes must be fully visible; no tinted lenses or strong reflections. See full rules → |
| Lighting | Shadows, overexposure, and reflections not permitted. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| Attire | Neutral clothing without uniform or distracting accessories. |
| File format | JPEG · sRGB / 24-bit |
| Millimetres | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Centimetres | 3.5 × 4.5 cm |
| Inches | 1.38 × 1.77″ |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | 413 × 531 px |
| Pixels at 600 dpi | 827 × 1063 px |
Austrian passport photographs follow the Passbild-Kriterien published by the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) and repeated on oesterreich.gv.at. The photo is 35 mm wide and 45 mm high, in colour and not older than six months.
The head, from chin tip to crown, takes about two thirds of the picture and may not be taller than 36 mm; the distance between the eyes is at least 8 mm (10 mm is ideal), the head is centred, and high hairstyles may extend beyond the frame. The background is plain and light, ideally grey, with enough contrast against face and hair — medium grey for light hair, light grey for dark hair — with no pattern and no shadow.
The person is shown from the front with a neutral expression, eyes unobstructed and mouth closed; a tilted or turned head is not allowed, and head coverings are allowed for religious reasons. The print is on high-quality, glossy, smooth paper without surface texture, with no scratches, stains, stamp marks or creases.
Examples and mistakes
A photo that will be accepted, next to the six most common reasons Austria passport photos get rejected.
Typical reasons a photo is rejected under the rules oesterreich.gv.at / BMI publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Head higher than 36 mm, or not about two thirds of the photo; eye distance under 8 mm; head not centred | Crop at 35 × 45 mm with the head centred, at most 36 mm from chin to crown and about two thirds of the height, with at least 8 mm between the eyes. |
| Background patterned, with shadows, without enough contrast to face and hair, or with other people or objects | Use a plain light-grey background (medium grey if your hair is light) with no pattern and no shadow, and be the only person in the picture. |
| Head tilted or turned, mouth open or expression not neutral, eyes or nose or mouth hidden | Look straight at the camera with the head level, a neutral face and the mouth closed, and push hair away from the eyes, nose and mouth. |
| Glasses that impair the clear view of the eyes | Take the glasses off, or use ones with no reflections, no tint and a frame clear of the eyes, so that the eyes can be recognised clearly. |
| Print on textured or matte paper, or with scratches, stains, stamp marks or creases | Print at high resolution on glossy, smooth photo paper without surface texture and keep the print flat and unmarked. |
| Photo older than six months, black and white, or a face distorted or mirrored | Take a new colour photo within the last six months and do not mirror or change the proportions of the head to make it look narrower. |
How to take it
Background: plain, one colour
The tool puts in the required background. Stand half a metre from a plain light wall, face a window and shoot without flash — then there are no shadows on your face or on the wall.
Head: 71–80 % of the photo height (32–36 mm)
Camera at eye level, about a metre away; head and shoulders in the shot. The tool crops it to 35 × 45 mm.
Clear lenses only, no glare
If you wear glasses, check the shot: no glare on the lenses, eyes clearly visible.
Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open
Look straight into the lens with your head level; keep hair away from your eyes and eyebrows.
An ordinary selfie will do: we fix the background, light and framing ourselves — to this document's rules. The preview is free.
Head straightHold the phone at eye level and your head straightens by itself.
Face uncoveredMove your hair away so your eyes and eyebrows show.
No glare on glassesStand so that no light reflects in the lenses.Printing and submission
| 10 × 15 cm · 4 × 6″ | 8 (4 × 2) |
|---|---|
| A4 · 21 × 29.7 cm | 36 (6 × 6) |
Print at 100% scale, borderless, and turn off fit-to-page so each photo keeps its exact size.
An Austrian passport is applied for in person at a passport authority — the Bezirkshauptmannschaft, in statutory cities the Magistrat, in Vienna the Magistratische Bezirksämter; the application can be made at any passport authority in Austria regardless of where you live. Abroad it goes through an Austrian embassy or consulate.
Any passport authority in Austria; some municipalities also accept the application as a service
One colour portrait photo of 35 × 45 mm, not older than six months, to the Passbild criteria; the old passport or identity document is shown. The passport is normally valid for ten years.
Authority pageThe mission that covers your country — several publish the BMI photo criteria sheet
Same photo criteria as in Austria: 35 × 45 mm, colour, not older than six months, plain light background, neutral expression.
Authority page| Authority | oesterreich.gv.at / BMI |
|---|---|
| Source | Austrian passport application photo requirement |
| Verified |
Questions
35 mm wide and 45 mm high, in portrait format and in colour. The head, from chin tip to crown, takes about two thirds of the picture and must not be higher than 36 mm; the distance between the eyes is at least 8 mm, ideally 10 mm. The photo must not be older than six months.
A colour photo of 35 × 45 mm, not older than six months, showing only you from the front with a neutral expression, eyes unobstructed and mouth closed, head not tilted or turned. A plain light background, ideally grey, with enough contrast and no pattern or shadow. The face is sharp, evenly lit and natural in colour, without red eyes. The print is on glossy, smooth paper without surface texture and without scratches, stains, stamp marks or creases.
The BMI does not ask for white. It asks for a plain light background, ideally grey, with enough contrast to the face and hair: medium grey for light hair and light grey for dark hair. It must have no pattern and no shadows. Choose the grey that separates your hair from the wall.
Glasses are not banned, but they must not impair the clear view of the eyes — no reflections, no tint, no frame over the eyes. Head coverings worn for religious reasons are allowed. The photo must still show a neutral expression, the eyes unobstructed, and no hair over the eyes, nose or mouth.
In Austria at a passport authority — the Bezirkshauptmannschaft, the Magistrat in statutory cities, the Magistratische Bezirksämter in Vienna — and at any of them regardless of where you live; some municipalities take the application as a service. oesterreich.gv.at lists €112 for the passport, €148 for the express passport and €326 for the one-day express passport. The passport is normally valid for ten years. Abroad, apply at an Austrian embassy or consulate.
The Austria passport photo must be 35 × 45 mm. The head must occupy 71–80% of the photo height.
Yes. A phone and a light wall near a window are enough. The rear camera is sharper than the front one, so ask someone to take the photo or use a 3-second timer. The tool crops it to size, fixes the background and checks it against the Austria passport photo rules.
Most passport offices ask for a photo taken within the last six months. It should look like you today: after a new haircut or beard, take a new one.
We refund the payment in full. Email us within 14 days of purchase with your order number and the rejection notice from the Austria authority — the refund policy page has the details.
35 × 45 mm = 3.5 × 4.5 cm = 1.38 × 1.77 inches. At 300 dpi that is 413 × 531 pixels; at 600 dpi, 827 × 1063 pixels.
Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. The face must stay fully visible from chin to forehead and on both sides, with no shadow across it.
Yes. The same 35 × 45 mm format and head size apply to: ID card, national visa (Type D), Schengen visa.