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Denmark passport photo 35 × 45 mm

Updated

Quick answer: A Denmark passport photo must be 35 × 45 mm with plain light background, e.g. light blue or light grey. Head occupies 67–80% of photo height (30–36 mm chin to crown). Neutral expression, see glasses rule. Last verified .

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Official — exactVerified 2026-05-17
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Compiled and cited by Yevhen Kravchenko — pending external review Last cited Editorial policy

Photo requirements

Format35 × 45 mm
Head height67–80% of photo height
Head height (mm)30–36 mm chin to crown
BackgroundPlain light background, e.g. light blue or light grey.
PoseFull face, looking directly into the camera, head and shoulders fully visible.
ExpressionNeutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open and clearly visible.
GlassesFrame must not cover the eyes; lenses without tint or reflections. See full rules →
LightingNo shadows, overexposure, or reflections.
Head coveringReligious reasons only; forehead, chin, and cheekbones must be visible.
AttireNeutral clothing without uniform or distracting accessories.
Digital resolutionCheck the authority portal before digital upload
File formatJPEG · sRGB / 24-bit
File sizeCheck the authority portal before upload

How a passport photo is verified

Denmark passport photos are administered by the **Danish Police (Politi / politi.dk)** through municipal Borgerservice centres. The format is 35×45mm with head 30-36mm chin-to-crown (70-80% of photo). Background plain GREY (Danish spec — not white). Color only, no retouching or alterations. Photo within 6 months. Strictly enforced automated systems will reject photos even slightly outside dimensions. Same Danish biometric workflow as ID card; coordinated municipal Borgerservice issuance.

Local application route

AuthorityDanish National Police
SourceDanish passport photo requirements
Verified
ConfidenceOfficial — exact
What the source confirms
  • Danish passport photos must be 35 × 45 mm.
  • The face height must be 30-36 mm from chin to top of head.
  • The eyes must be placed 4-10 mm below the photo's horizontal centreline.
  • The photo must show a centred full-face view on a plain light background.

What makes a Denmark passport photo accepted

One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Denmark passport applications. The final decision always belongs to Danish National Police, but these are the differences that most often determine whether a document photo is accepted.

✓ Accepted Compliant Denmark passport photo example (35 × 45 mm) — centered face, plain background, neutral expression, eyes open, even frontal lighting. Meets Danish National Police biometric requirements.

Compliant Denmark passport example (35 × 45 mm)

  • Face centred, looking directly into the lens
  • Plain background — no shadow, pattern or texture
  • Neutral expression, eyes open, mouth closed
  • No glasses, no hair across the face

Top 6 Denmark passport rejection causes

Rejected Denmark passport photo example — shadow on the wall behind the head, or background with a visible pattern or gradient. Danish National Police would reject this for passport applications.
Background shadow Denmark passport: Shadow on the wall behind the head, or background with a visible pattern or gradient
Rejected Denmark passport photo example — visible smile with teeth or open mouth instead of a neutral expression. Danish National Police would reject this for passport applications.
Smile / open mouth Denmark passport: Visible smile with teeth or open mouth instead of a neutral expression
Rejected Denmark passport photo example — glasses with a clearly visible light reflection covering part of the eye. Danish National Police would reject this for passport applications.
Glasses with glare Denmark passport: Glasses with a clearly visible light reflection covering part of the eye
Rejected Denmark passport photo example — loose hair strands covering the eyes, eyebrows or part of the face. Danish National Police would reject this for passport applications.
Hair across the face Denmark passport: Loose hair strands covering the eyes, eyebrows or part of the face
Rejected Denmark passport photo example — eyes looking to the side instead of directly into the camera lens. Danish National Police would reject this for passport applications.
Eyes off-camera Denmark passport: Eyes looking to the side instead of directly into the camera lens
Rejected Denmark passport photo example — head tilted so the eye line is no longer horizontal. Danish National Police would reject this for passport applications.
Head tilted Denmark passport: Head tilted so the eye line is no longer horizontal
Current profile Format: 35 × 45 mm Head: 67–80% Background: Plain light background, e.g. light blue or light grey.

Prepare your Denmark passport photo

Upload a portrait — the tool crops, removes the background and checks compliance against the 35 × 45 mm rule automatically.

How to take a Denmark passport photo correctly

Background setup

Use a blank white wall or tape a white bedsheet flat — avoid creases. Stand at least 50 cm from the surface so your shadow does not fall onto it. Patterned wallpaper or any textured surface creates a gradient that fails the automated background check, even if it looks white to the eye.

Lighting

Face a large window during daylight hours. Even, frontal, diffused natural light produces the cleanest indoor result. Never use on-camera flash — it creates hard shadows on the background and washes out facial geometry. Turn off any coloured indoor light sources.

Chin and jaw position

Extend your chin slightly forward and downward — this elongates the neck and sharpens the jawline. Keep your head level: the camera must be exactly at eye height. Tilting up or down distorts the biometric head-height ratio.

Shoulder position

Keep both shoulders square to the camera. Passport standards require a straight-on stance — turned shoulders shift the perceived centre of the face and will cause the automated alignment check to fail.

Eyewear

Frame must not cover the eyes; lenses without tint or reflections In practice, the biometric scanner flags even minor glare invisible to the naked eye. Removing glasses before shooting is the only option that eliminates the risk entirely.

Expression and eyes

Look directly into the lens. Keep a completely neutral expression — no smile, raised eyebrows or squinting. Mouth closed and relaxed. Biometric matching calibrates against the neutral reference stored in the passport chip; any muscular movement lowers the match confidence score.

Attire and colours

Avoid white or very light tops — they merge with the white background and make the shoulder outline hard to detect. Deep solid tones work best: navy, dark teal, burgundy or charcoal. No uniforms, hats or accessories that cover the face or neck.

Beard and grooming

Groom your beard one or two days before shooting — a freshly trimmed beard photographs with the cleanest edge definition. If shaving completely, do so the morning of the shoot and apply a calming balm to reduce redness, which can alter the skin-tone map used by background removal.

Authority rejection codes

Danish National Police publishes the following rejection codes. Knowing the exact code on your notice tells you precisely what to fix in the reshoot.

CodeReasonFix
DK-PS-01 White background (Danish spec requires GREY) Re-shoot against grey backdrop
DK-PS-02 Head outside 30-36mm Re-shoot at correct distance
DK-PS-03 Photo retouched or edited Submit unedited original
DK-PS-04 Photo older than 6 months Re-shoot

Denmark-specific things to know

Top reasons Denmark passport photos get rejected

Frequently asked questions

The Denmark passport photo must be 35 × 45 mm. The head must occupy 67–80% of the photo height.

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Photo rules & guides

Anfas.Pro is an independent tool and is not affiliated with any government authority. The final decision to accept or reject a document photo rests solely with the issuing authority. Requirements change — always verify on the official authority portal before submitting.