head 68–77 %
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SourceMinistry for Foreign Affairs of Finland (visa) and the Finnish Police (passport photograph instructions)
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Finland Schengen visa photo size is 36 × 47 mm. Plain light neutral background without shadows. Head occupies 68–77% of photo height (32–36 mm chin to crown). Neutral expression, clear lenses only, no glare. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 36 × 47 mmICAO 9303: 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 68–77% of photo heightICAO 9303: 70–80% |
| Head height (mm) | 32–36 mm chin to crown |
| Background | Plain light neutral background without shadows. |
| Pose | Head straight, no tilt, face and eyes directed directly into the camera. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open and clearly visible. |
| Glasses | Glasses must not cover the eyes; tinted lenses permitted only for medical reasons. See full rules → |
| Lighting | Even lighting without shadows on face and background, no red eyes. |
| Head covering | Religious, traditional, or medical reasons only; must not cast shadows on the face. |
| Attire | Neutral clothing without uniform or distracting accessories. |
| File format | JPEG · sRGB / 24-bit |
| Millimetres | 36 × 47 mm |
|---|---|
| Centimetres | 3.6 × 4.7 cm |
| Inches | 1.42 × 1.85″ |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | 425 × 555 px |
| Pixels at 600 dpi | 850 × 1110 px |
For a Finnish Schengen visa the Ministry for Foreign Affairs lists «one photograph» and says «include a colour photograph from which you are recognizable — please visit the Police website for guidance»; the application is filled in at finlandvisa.fi, which shows the documents and the passport photo you need. The Police instructions are the standard: a head of 32–36 mm from the crown to the chin (445–500 pixels) — hair and beard are not counted — with 4–6 mm above the crown and 7–9 mm below the chin, the centre line of the face within 1.5 mm of the centre of the photo, the photo not more than six months old, sharp and in focus over the whole face, without manipulation or digital make-up, and without optical distortion (a phone held close makes the nose look too large).
The background is «monochromatic and flat… light and neutral» — «the best background colour is light grey» — with no shadows and the face, hair and clothes standing out from it; the lighting is even, natural in colour, with no red eye; the expression is neutral, the mouth closed and the eyes open and clearly visible; tinted glasses and eye patches only for medical reasons; a scarf or head covering only for religious, traditional, health or medical reasons, without shadow on the face. Migri's form gives the paper size: 47 mm high and 36 mm wide, printed on high-quality photograph paper; electronically the Police ask for exactly 500 × 653 pixels, JPEG, at most 250 KB, and black-and-white or colour; the Ministry asks for colour for a visa.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Finland 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 for Foreign Affairs of Finland (visa) and the Finnish Police (passport photograph instructions) publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A head shorter than 32 mm or longer than 36 mm from the crown to the chin, or margins outside 4–6 mm above and 7–9 mm below | Crown to chin 32–36 mm (hair not counted), 4–6 mm above the crown and 7–9 mm below the chin, face centred. |
| A background that is not light, neutral and flat, shadows behind the head, or a face, hair or clothes that blend into the background | A flat light neutral background (best light grey) with no shadows, where the face, hair and clothes stand out. |
| Uneven light, red eye, a manipulated or digitally made-up photo, a blurry or grainy one, or a wide-angle distortion | Even natural light, a sharp unretouched photo taken from a normal distance. |
| A smile or open mouth, squinting, frames or hair over the eyes, tinted glasses without a medical reason, a head covering that shades the face | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open and clear, clear glasses or none, no shadow from a head covering. |
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: 68–77 % of the photo height (32–36 mm)
Camera at eye level, about a metre away; head and shoulders in the shot. The tool crops it to 36 × 47 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 and clearly visible
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 | 32 (4 × 8) |
Print at 100% scale, borderless, and turn off fit-to-page so each photo keeps its exact size.
A Finnish Schengen visa is applied for in person at a Finnish mission or a visa application centre (or at the mission of a Schengen state that represents Finland), with the form filled in at finlandvisa.fi and one colour photograph.
finlandvisa.fi — country-specific instructions; um.fi — a visa to visit Finland
One colour photograph; Police rules: head 32–36 mm, light neutral flat background, within six months.
Authority page| Authority | Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland (visa) and the Finnish Police (passport photograph instructions) |
|---|---|
| Source | Finnish passport photograph instructions |
| Verified |
Questions
One colour photograph from which you are recognizable, following the Finnish Police passport photograph instructions: a head of 32–36 mm from the crown to the chin, 4–6 mm above and 7–9 mm below, a flat light neutral background, even light, a neutral expression with the mouth closed, taken within six months.
Migri gives 47 mm high and 36 mm wide for the paper photo; electronically the Police ask for exactly 500 × 653 pixels as a JPEG of at most 250 KB.
Monochromatic, flat, light and neutral with no shadows; the Police say the best colour is light grey, as long as the face, hair and clothes stand out from it.
You can always take them off; tinted glasses and eye patches are allowed only for medical reasons, and the frames must not cover the eyes or reflect light.
The recommended size for the Finland Schengen visa photo is 36 × 47 mm. The head occupies 68–77% of the photo height. Many consulates also require a specific digital file size — see the spec table above for full details.
Plain light neutral background without shadows. 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 Finland 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.
Glasses must not cover the eyes; tinted lenses permitted only for medical reasons. 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.
36 × 47 mm = 3.6 × 4.7 cm = 1.42 × 1.85 inches. At 300 dpi that is 425 × 555 pixels; at 600 dpi, 850 × 1110 pixels.
Religious, traditional, or medical reasons only; must not cast shadows on the face. The face must stay fully visible from chin to forehead and on both sides, with no shadow across it.
Yes. The same 36 × 47 mm format and head size apply to: driver's license, EU blue card, EU long-term residence permit, ID card, national visa (Type D), passport.