head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceMinistry of Interior of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria (consular missions)
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Bulgaria ID card photo size is 35 × 45 mm. Plain light background. 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 | Plain light background. |
| Pose | Full face, large, sharp, and centred in the frame. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | No dark glasses; eyes must be clearly visible. 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 Bulgarian ID card the Ministry of Interior's procedure says «the official accepts the application and the attached documents. They take the facial image of the applicant and capture their signature» — the photograph is taken at the office, at the «Bulgarian Identity Documents» unit within the Metropolitan Police, the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior or the local police station. Abroad «the consular official takes a digital image of the applicant's signature and face»; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' heading «Requirements for the photo» says only: «At missions where no technical capacity is available for taking digital images of applicants' signatures and faces upon acceptance of their applications, they shall submit their identity card issuance applications with a photograph enclosed» — and names no size, background or face rule. A new card is to be requested within 30 days when there is a «significant or permanent alteration of the facial image», supported by an official document of the competent authority; a proxy with a notary authorisation may apply only if the facial image has not changed significantly and the biometric data were captured within the last 59 months. The ID card is issued by the Ministry of Interior; abroad the consular official informs the citizen within 5 working days of the confirmation.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Bulgaria ID card applications. These are the differences that most often determine whether a document photo is accepted.
Typical reasons a photo is rejected under the rules Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria (consular missions) publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| An application submitted by a proxy when the facial image has changed significantly or the biometric data are older than 59 months | A personal application, where the official takes the facial image. |
| A card that is kept after a significant or permanent alteration of the facial image | A new ID card requested within 30 days, with an official document on the change. |
| An application at a mission without digital equipment submitted without a photograph | The application with a photograph enclosed. |
How to take it
Background: plain 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: 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, 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.
A Bulgarian ID card is applied for in person at the Bulgarian Identity Documents unit of the Ministry of Interior (or the local police station) in Bulgaria, or at a Bulgarian diplomatic or consular mission abroad, where the face is photographed at the application.
mvr.bg — Bulgarian Identity Documents; mfa.bg — consular services abroad
The photograph is taken at the office; a photo is enclosed only where the mission has no digital equipment.
Authority page| Authority | Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria (consular missions) |
|---|---|
| Source | Visa for Bulgaria |
| Verified |
Questions
Usually not — the official takes the facial image at the application; abroad a photograph is enclosed only at missions with no technical capacity for digital images.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' page does not say — its heading «Requirements for the photo» carries only the sentence about missions without digital equipment.
Within 30 days when, among other cases, there is a significant or permanent alteration of the facial image.
A proxy with a notary authorisation can, if there is no significant change of the facial image and the biometric data were captured within the last 59 months.
The recommended size for the Bulgaria ID card photo is 35 × 45 mm. The head occupies 70–80% of the photo height. The photo must reflect your current everyday appearance.
Plain light background. Identity cards are used frequently in daily life — for banking, age verification and domestic travel — so the photo is scrutinised many times and minor background issues become more visible at print scale.
Yes. Stand against a flat light-coloured wall, face a window for even natural light, and use a phone with a timer. The tool handles the crop, background normalisation and ICAO alignment check automatically.
Identity card photos generally need to reflect your current appearance. Most authorities accept photos taken within the last six months, but significant changes to hair, beard or facial features since the photo was taken may require a new one.
No dark glasses; eyes must be clearly visible. Removing glasses for the shoot is the safest option, especially given the long validity period of most identity cards. Glare that passes today may fail re-verification at a future biometric checkpoint.
Anfas.Pro provides a 14-day full refund if the Bulgaria authority rejects the photo and you supply the rejection notice.
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), residence card for family member of an EU citizen, residence permit, Schengen visa.