head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceFPS Foreign Affairs of Belgium — Belgian embassies and consulates (USA, Jordan, Korea, Canada, Jamaica)
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Belgium Schengen visa photo size is 35 × 45 mm. White background and matte print without glare. Head occupies 70–80% of photo height. Neutral expression, clear lenses only, no glare. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 70–80% of photo height |
| Background | White background and matte print without glare. Make photo background white — Belgium Schengen visa → |
| Pose | Full face, face centred. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, teeth not visible. |
| 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 |
For a Belgian Schengen visa (visa C) the embassies' checklists ask for «one recent color photo: American or European passport-size, less than 6 months old with white background» (Belgium in the USA), «two recent photos (not older than 6 months)» (Jordan) and «a recent color photo» (Korea); for an application by post with a copy of the previous Schengen visa the Consulate General in Montreal asks for «two recent passport photos». At the appointment the photograph is also taken or scanned and registered together with the ten fingerprints in the Visa Information System, where it is stored for 59 months; a person who applies again within 59 months need not give the fingerprints again, but the photograph is integrated with every new application. The applicant appears in person with the printed, signed form, and the passport must be valid for the period of the trip plus three months with at least two blank pages. None of these pages gives a head size, expression or glasses rule.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Belgium Schengen visa applications. These are the differences that most often determine whether a document photo is accepted.
Typical reasons a photo is rejected under the rules FPS Foreign Affairs of Belgium — Belgian embassies and consulates (USA, Jordan, Korea, Canada, Jamaica) publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A photo that is not recent or older than six months | A recent photo of the last six months. |
| A black-and-white photo where the list asks for colour | A colour photo. |
| A photo on a coloured background where the list names white (Belgium in the USA) | A photo on a white background. |
| One photo where the mission lists two (Jordan; Canada by post) | The number of photos the mission lists. |
How to take it
Background: plain white
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: 70–80 % of the photo height
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 Schengen visa (visa C) is applied for in person at the Belgian embassy or consulate that covers your country, with an appointment where the mission requires one, with the form, the passport, the recent photo or photos and the documents on its checklist.
diplomatie.belgium.be — the page of the mission that handles your country
One recent colour photo, white background (USA); two recent photos in Jordan.
Authority page| Authority | FPS Foreign Affairs of Belgium — Belgian embassies and consulates (USA, Jordan, Korea, Canada, Jamaica) |
|---|---|
| Source | Belgian identity and residence card form photo requirements |
| Verified |
Questions
One recent colour photo at the missions in the USA and Korea, two recent photos in Jordan and for an application by post in Canada.
White, according to the list of the mission in the USA; the other lists do not name a background.
Less than six months old in the USA list and not older than six months in the Jordan list.
Yes — the photograph is taken or scanned together with the fingerprints and stored in the Visa Information System for 59 months.
The recommended size for the Belgium Schengen visa photo is 35 × 45 mm. The head occupies 70–80% of the photo height. Many consulates also require a specific digital file size — see the spec table above for full details.
White background and matte print without glare. The background must be evenly lit with no shadow gradients, especially around the head. Consular automated pre-screening rejects photos with any wall texture or off-white shade before the human reviewer ever sees the application.
Visa authorities typically require the photo to be taken within the last three to six months. Submitting an older photo, even one that looks similar to your current appearance, is a frequent cause of immediate consular rejection.
Not always. Tourist, work, student and transit visa categories sometimes specify different dimensions or background rules. Follow the requirements for your specific visa type rather than assuming one photo fits all Belgium visa applications.
Anfas.Pro provides a 14-day full refund if the photo is the cause of rejection and you supply the consular rejection notice. We recommend keeping the consular receipt with rejection reason as proof.
Eyes must be fully visible; no tinted lenses or strong reflections. Consular automated checks flag glasses glare even when it is invisible to the human eye. Removing glasses entirely is the safest choice unless a medical exception is documented in your visa application.
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: EU blue card, EU long-term residence permit, national visa (Type D), refugee travel document, residence card, residence card for family member of an EU citizen.