head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceMinistry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Croatia Schengen visa 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, head centred, no tilt or rotation. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | Eyes must be fully visible; no tinting or reflections. See full rules → |
| Lighting | Shadows, overexposure, and reflections not permitted. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| 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 Croatian Schengen visa the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs lists, among the conditions for the embassy to accept the request, «color photo of size 35x45 mm»: «a neutral facial expression, with the eyes open and mouth closed on the frontal picture», the head «from the chin to the top of the head» occupying «about 2/3 of the photo, but not exceed 36 mm» and centred, the distance between the eyes at least 8 mm (10 mm is optimal), a background «light uncolored, with no patterns with sufficient contrast to the face and hair», and a print «on high-quality glossy and smooth paper without surface structures». Exceptions: a blind person who wears glasses may attach a photo with dark glasses; for a head cover worn for religious or medical reasons the cheeks, chin and forehead must be visible; children must be alone in the photo with the face fully visible and the eyes open. The Ministry's general visa information asks for «one recent front-view, color photograph, white background, size 3.5× 4.5», and the current list of the supporting documents for a Schengen visa for «a recent identity photograph in accordance with ICAO standards». A request is admissible when it is submitted no earlier than three months before the trip, with a signed form, a passport valid for at least three months after the departure with two empty pages and issued in the last ten years, the photograph and the fee.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Croatia 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 Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A photo that is not in colour or not 35 × 45 mm | A colour photo of 35 × 45 mm. |
| A head over 36 mm from chin to top, not centred, or eyes less than 8 mm apart | A centred head of about 2/3 of the photo and not over 36 mm, with the eyes at least 8 mm apart. |
| A background that is coloured or patterned, or lacks contrast with the face and hair | A light, uncoloured, plain background with sufficient contrast. |
| Dark glasses (except for a blind applicant), a head cover hiding the cheeks, chin or forehead, a closed eye or an open mouth | A neutral expression with the eyes open and the mouth closed; the face fully visible. |
| A print on matt or textured paper or of low printing quality | A high-quality print on glossy, smooth paper. |
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 Croatian Schengen visa is applied for personally at a Croatian embassy or consulate or its VFS Global visa centre, no earlier than three months (six months on the general information page) before the trip, with the form, the passport, the photograph and the fee.
mvep.gov.hr — the diplomatic directory of Croatia
One colour photograph, 35 × 45 mm, head about 2/3 and up to 36 mm.
Authority page| Authority | Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia |
|---|---|
| Source | Croatian visa photograph requirements |
| Verified |
Questions
A colour photo of 35 × 45 mm (3.5 × 4.5 cm), the head from chin to top about 2/3 of the photo and not more than 36 mm, centred.
The admissibility page asks for a light, uncoloured background without patterns with sufficient contrast to the face and hair, and the general information page for a white one.
Only a blind person may attach a photo with dark glasses; otherwise the eyes must be open and clearly visible.
On high-quality glossy and smooth paper without surface structures, with high-quality printing.
The recommended size for the Croatia 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.
Plain light background. The background must be evenly lit with no shadow gradients, especially around the head. Consular automated pre-screening rejects photos with any wall texture 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 Croatia 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 tinting or 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: driver's license, ID card, national visa (Type D), visa.