head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceMinistry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia
Verified
Quick answer: A Estonia consular photo must be 40 × 50 mm. Plain light background without foreign objects or patterns. Head occupies 70–80% of photo height. Neutral expression, clear lenses only, no glare. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 40 × 50 mmICAO 9303: 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 70–80% of photo height |
| Background | Plain light background without foreign objects or patterns. |
| Pose | Full face, looking directly into the camera. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, no smile, mouth closed. |
| Glasses | Lenses must not be tinted or reflective; frame must not cover the eyes. See full rules → |
| Lighting | No overexposure, underexposure, defects, or unnatural colours. |
| Head covering | No head coverings or headphones, except for officially permitted religious cases. |
| Attire | Neutral clothing without uniform or distracting accessories. |
| Digital resolution | 1300 × 1600 px |
| File format | JPEG · sRGB / 24-bit |
| File size | min 1024 KB · max 5120 KB Compress photo to 2 MB — Estonia consular → |
| Millimetres | 40 × 50 mm |
|---|---|
| Centimetres | 4 × 5 cm |
| Inches | 1.57 × 1.97″ |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | 472 × 591 px |
| Pixels at 600 dpi | 945 × 1181 px |
Estonia visa / consular photos are administered by the Police and Border Guard Board (Politsei- ja Piirivalveamet / PPA). The format is 40×50mm (4×5 cm) — larger than typical ICAO 35×45.
Background plain grey, color only, no shadows. Uniform lighting, no reflections on face. Face 70-80% of photo. Estonia's digital ID system is one of the most advanced globally — most submissions are digital with strict pixel requirements (minimum 1300×1600 px).
Examples and mistakes
A photo that will be accepted, next to the six most common reasons Estonia consular photos get rejected.
Common reasons a document photo is rejected, checked against the requirements Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Photo 35×45mm (Estonia uses larger 40×50) | Reprint at Estonian size |
| Background not plain grey | Re-shoot against grey backdrop |
| Digital under 1300×1600 px | Re-encode at higher resolution |
| Photo older than 6 months | Re-shoot |
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 40 × 50 mm.
Clear lenses only, no glare
If you wear glasses, check the shot: no glare on the lenses, eyes clearly visible.
Neutral expression, no smile, mouth closed
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″ | 6 (3 × 2) |
|---|---|
| A4 · 21 × 29.7 cm | 28 (4 × 7) |
Print at 100% scale, borderless, and turn off fit-to-page so each photo keeps its exact size.
| Authority | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia |
|---|---|
| Source | Photo requirements 2024 PDF |
| Verified |
Questions
The Estonia consular photo must be 40 × 50 mm. The head must occupy 70–80% of the photo height. For digital upload, use 1300 × 1600 px.
Plain light background without foreign objects or patterns. The wall should be evenly lit, with no shadow around the head and no pattern. You don’t need a studio backdrop: the tool sets the right background colour.
Consulates usually ask for a photo taken within the last six months, sometimes within three. Take a new one that looks like you today.
Often yes, but not always: tourist, student, work and transit visas can have different size or background rules. Compare the requirements of each Estonia visa — if they match, one photo will do.
We refund the payment in full. Email us within 14 days of purchase with your order number and the consulate’s rejection notice.
Lenses must not be tinted or reflective; frame must not cover the eyes. If you keep them on, tilt them slightly downwards by lifting the arms a little above your ears: this usually moves reflections of a window or lamp off the lenses.
40 × 50 mm = 4 × 5 cm = 1.57 × 1.97 inches. At 300 dpi that is 472 × 591 pixels; at 600 dpi, 945 × 1181 pixels.
No head coverings or headphones, except for officially permitted religious cases. The face must stay fully visible from chin to forehead and on both sides, with no shadow across it.
Yes. The same 40 × 50 mm format and head size apply to: document, EU blue card, EU long-term residence permit, ID card, passport, residence card for family member of an EU citizen.