head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceMinistry of the Interior of the Czech Republic (Information Portal for Foreigners) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Czech Republic work permit photo size is 35 × 45 mm. Plain white 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 white background. Make photo background white — Czech Republic work permit → |
| Pose | Full face, no rotation, face fully visible and matching current appearance. |
| 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. |
| 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 |
A Czech work permit — the employee card («zaměstnanecká karta») — is a residence permit filing, and the Ministry of the Interior's information portal for foreigners says a photograph is «essential for the processing of many filings related to residence permits». It must be «rectangular, 45 mm high and 35 mm wide», with straight or rounded corners (radius 3 mm ± 0.5 mm) and a thickness of 0.13–0.27 mm, showing the current appearance, the head and the upper shoulders from the front, with at least 2 mm between the top of the head and the top edge and «the face height (the distance from the eyes to the chin) at least 13 mm».
You look straight into the lens with a neutral expression, lips closed, eyes open and not covered by hair; «retouching or other modifications are not allowed» and no reflections that hide the eyebrows or the chin. The photo «may be black and white or in colour» on a «white to light blue or light grey» background — a smooth transition between these colours is also allowed — and it must pass «the tests of long-term image stability» and have a smooth surface.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs adds civil attire, no sunglasses (except for the blind) and no head cover except for religious or health reasons, when the cover must not prevent identification. If you file by data box or by e-mail with an electronic signature, the photograph is given in addition, in physical form at the Ministry of the Interior office or sent by post.
The Ministry's pages do not name the employee card itself, only residence-permit filings.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Czech Republic work permit 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 the Interior of the Czech Republic (Information Portal for Foreigners) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A retouched or modified photograph, or reflections that hide the eyebrows or the chin | Use an unretouched photograph without reflections on the face. |
| A photo that is not 35 × 45 mm, with a face under 13 mm from the eyes to the chin, or less than 2 mm above the head | Print 35 × 45 mm with the eyes–chin distance at least 13 mm and at least 2 mm above the head. |
| A background that is not white, light blue or light grey, a neutral expression broken by a smile, lips open, eyes covered by hair | A white, light blue or light grey background, neutral expression, lips closed, eyes open and visible. |
| Sunglasses, or a head cover that prevents identification, without a religious or health reason | No sunglasses; a head cover only for religious or health reasons and never hiding the face. |
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, 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 Czech residence-permit filing is made at the Ministry of the Interior or, for visas and long-term permits abroad, at a Czech mission, with a photograph that follows the Ministry's rules; a photograph filed with an electronic application is handed in physically or sent by post.
ipc.gov.cz — Information Portal for Foreigners; the Ministry of the Interior office that covers your address
35 × 45 mm, white to light blue or light grey, eyes–chin at least 13 mm, no retouching.
Authority page| Authority | Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic (Information Portal for Foreigners) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
|---|---|
| Source | Czech residence permit photograph requirements |
| Verified |
Questions
The Ministry of the Interior asks for a 45 mm × 35 mm photo showing the current appearance, the head and upper shoulders from the front, at least 2 mm above the head and at least 13 mm from the eyes to the chin, neutral expression, lips closed, eyes open, no retouching, in colour or black-and-white on a white to light blue or light grey background.
45 mm high and 35 mm wide, with straight or rounded corners (3 mm ± 0.5 mm) and a thickness of 0.13–0.27 mm.
Yes: the Ministry of the Interior says the photograph may be black and white or in colour.
If the application goes by data box or by e-mail with an electronic signature, the photograph must still be provided in physical form at the Ministry office or sent by post.
The recommended size for the Czech Republic work permit photo is 35 × 45 mm. The head occupies 70–80% of the photo height. Work permit applications typically use the same biometric standard as Czech Republic passports.
Sometimes. If your visa or passport photo was taken within the last six months and meets the work permit requirements, reusing it may be acceptable.
Plain white background. Even, shadow-free lighting is critical because work permits often go through both automated and manual review stages, and any inconsistency between them slows the application.
Most work permit applications accept photos taken within the last six months. Submit a photo that reflects your current appearance because the permit card is checked at workplaces and border crossings throughout its validity period.
No. Uniforms, military or law-enforcement clothing, religious headwear (except for permanent religious exception), or any clothing that obscures the neckline is typically rejected for Czech Republic work permit photos.
Anfas.Pro provides a 14-day full refund if the Czech Republic work permit 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.
Yes. The same 35 × 45 mm format and head size apply to: biometric residence card (biometrika), EU blue card, EU long-term residence permit, ID card, passport, permanent residence (Trvalý pobyt).