head 69–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceFPS Foreign Affairs of Belgium and FPS Interior (Immigration Office)
Verified
Quick answer: A Belgium passport photo must be 35 × 45 mm. White or very light plain background without shadows or gradients. Head occupies 69–80% of photo height (31–36 mm chin to crown). Neutral expression, clear lenses only, no glare. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 69–80% of photo heightICAO 9303: 70–80% |
| Head height (mm) | 31–36 mm chin to crownICAO 9303: 32–36 mm |
| Background | White or very light plain background without shadows or gradients. |
| Pose | Full face, looking directly into the camera. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, teeth not visible. |
| Glasses | No tinted lenses or reflections; frame must not cover the eyes. See full rules → |
| Lighting | Shadows, overexposure, and reflections not permitted. |
| Head covering | Head coverings not permitted. |
| 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 |
The Belgian passport photograph must follow the ICAO standards, says FPS Foreign Affairs — «these standards are stricter than in the past», and a photo that does not comply is refused by your municipality. The federal photo matrix gives the numbers: a 35 mm × 45 mm photo (width × height), the face 31–36 mm from chin to crown (70–80 % of the height), at most 6 months old, in colour (black-and-white is not accepted for passports), sharp, not retouched, on smooth, high-quality photo paper at a resolution of at least 400 dpi.
The background is light-coloured, regular and plain, with no gradient and enough contrast with the head. The head appears entirely and centred, face and shoulders from the front, eyes on a horizontal line, nothing visible supporting a child.
The expression is neutral with the mouth closed — no large smile, no open mouth, no teeth visible — looking straight into the lens, with a bare head and the face and eyes entirely visible. Glasses are accepted only if the eyes are entirely visible through totally transparent lenses without annoying reflections or shadows; FPS Foreign Affairs advises removing them even if you wear them daily.
Religious and medical exceptions exist, and for children under 6 the position and expression criteria are relaxed.
Examples and mistakes
A photo that will be accepted, next to the six most common reasons Belgium passport photos get rejected.
Typical reasons a photo is rejected under the rules FPS Foreign Affairs of Belgium and FPS Interior (Immigration Office) publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A face outside 31–36 mm (70–80 % of the height), or a head not centred or cut off | Frame the whole head, centred, with the face 31–36 mm on a 35 × 45 mm photo. |
| A black-and-white, blurred, retouched or copied photo, or a resolution under 400 dpi | Use a sharp colour print on smooth photo paper at 400 dpi or more. |
| A background that is not plain and light, a gradient, shadows or too little contrast with the head | Use a light, regular, plain background with clear contrast to the head. |
| Open mouth, teeth showing, a large smile, or a gaze not into the lens | Keep a neutral expression with the mouth closed, looking straight into the lens. |
| Tinted or reflecting glasses, frames over the eyes, hair on the eyes, covered face | Remove the glasses, keep the eyes and face fully visible. |
How to take it
Background: white or light
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: 69–80 % of the photo height (31–36 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, teeth not visible
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.
A Belgian passport is applied for at your municipality in Belgium (or at a Belgian embassy or consulate abroad), which checks the photograph against the ICAO standards and refuses one that does not comply; the application is made in person with the biometric data.
diplomatie.belgium.be — Belgian passport
Photograph 35 × 45 mm, face 31–36 mm, within 6 months, ICAO-compliant.
Authority page| Authority | FPS Foreign Affairs of Belgium and FPS Interior (Immigration Office) |
|---|---|
| Source | Belgian passport photo quality requirements |
| Verified |
Questions
An ICAO-compliant 35 × 45 mm photograph (width × height), the face 31–36 mm from chin to crown (70–80 % of the height), at most 6 months old, in colour, sharp and unretouched, on smooth quality photo paper, with a light plain background, a neutral expression and the mouth closed, and the face and eyes fully visible.
35 mm wide by 45 mm high, with the face 31–36 mm from chin to crown (70–80 % of the photo height).
Only if the eyes are entirely visible through totally transparent lenses, with no annoying reflections or shadows; FPS Foreign Affairs advises removing them even if you wear them daily, and tinted or reflecting lenses are not accepted.
No: the expression must be neutral with the mouth closed; a large smile or even a slightly open mouth is forbidden, and teeth must not be visible.
The Belgium passport photo must be 35 × 45 mm. The head must occupy 69–80% of the photo height.
White or very light plain background without shadows or gradients. Behind you there should be only a plain wall: no pattern, shadows or objects. Any light wall at home will do — the tool sets the exact background colour.
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 Belgium 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 Belgium 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.
Yes. The same 35 × 45 mm format and head size apply to: driver's license, visa.