head 71–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceService-Public.fr (DILA) and the French Ministry of the Interior
Verified
Quick answer: A France ID card photo must be 35 × 45 mm. The background must be plain and light — light grey or light blue; a white background is not allowed. Head occupies 71–80% of photo height (32–36 mm chin to crown). Neutral expression, clear lenses only, no glare. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 71–80% of photo heightICAO 9303: 70–80% |
| Head height (mm) | 32–36 mm chin to crown |
| Background | The background must be plain and light — light grey or light blue; a white background is not allowed. |
| Pose | Full face, head centred, no tilt or rotation. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | Clear lenses without reflections; eyes must be fully visible. See full rules → |
| Lighting | No shadows, creases, or marks on the photo. |
| Head covering | The head must be bare (La tête doit être nue): hats, headscarves, and headbands are prohibited; there are no exceptions. |
| Attire | Face must be fully open, hair must not cover the eyes; ears must be visible. |
| 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 French national identity card, Service-Public.fr (Ministry of the Interior) says one photo is enough, taken within the last 6 months, a good likeness, and taken by an approved professional or in a booth using a system approved by the Ministry of the Interior. The standard is 3.5 cm wide by 4.5 cm high, with the face 3.2–3.6 cm from the bottom of the chin to the top of the skull, hair excluded — 70 to 80 % of the photo.
The background must be plain and light-coloured — light blue or light grey, for example — and white is forbidden. The head is bare and straight, the face towards the lens, the expression neutral and the mouth closed, the eyes perfectly visible and open, hair off the face (a fringe is accepted if it leaves the eyes uncovered) and ears uncovered.
Earrings and piercings are allowed if the features stay clear; glasses are optional, but if worn the frame must not be thick or hide the eyes and the lenses must be neither tinted nor coloured and without reflection. The photo must be sharp, without folds or marks, with no over- or underexposure and no cast shadow; colour is strongly recommended. A photo that does not comply is rejected and the identity document is not issued.
Examples and mistakes
A photo that will be accepted, next to the six most common reasons France ID card photos get rejected.
Typical reasons a photo is rejected under the rules Service-Public.fr (DILA) and the French Ministry of the Interior publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A white background | Use a plain light blue or light grey background. |
| A photo older than 6 months, or not a good likeness | Have a new photo taken within 6 months that looks like you. |
| A face outside 3.2–3.6 cm (70–80 %), or a photo that is not 3.5 × 4.5 cm | Keep the photo 3.5 cm × 4.5 cm with the face 3.2–3.6 cm. |
| A covered head, hair over the face or ears, or an open mouth | Bare head, ears uncovered, neutral expression and mouth closed. |
| Thick frames, tinted or coloured lenses, reflections, or cast shadows | Take the glasses off or use thin frames with clear lenses and no reflection. |
How to take it
Background: light grey or light blue
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: 71–80 % 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 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 French identity card is applied for through the Ministry of the Interior's usual procedure; for the photo, one photograph taken by an approved professional or in an approved booth is enough. This page covers the photograph only.
Use the ANTS tool to find approved photographers and booths near you
One photo, 3.5 × 4.5 cm, face 3.2–3.6 cm, plain light background (white forbidden).
Authority page| Authority | Service-Public.fr (DILA) and the French Ministry of the Interior |
|---|---|
| Source | French identity photo rules for passport and national ID |
| Verified |
Questions
One photo taken within the last 6 months by an approved professional or booth, 3.5 × 4.5 cm with the face 3.2–3.6 cm (70–80 %), on a plain light-coloured background (white forbidden), bare head, neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open, ears uncovered, sharp and without shadows.
No: Service-Public.fr says the background must be plain and light-coloured, light blue or light grey for example, and that a white background is forbidden.
You need not; if you do, the frame must not be thick or hide the eyes, and the lenses must be neither tinted nor coloured and without reflection.
One only, for an identity card or a passport.
The France ID card photo must be 35 × 45 mm. The head must occupy 71–80% of the photo height. The photo should look like you do day to day.
Yes. Stand against a plain light wall facing a window, and take the photo with a timer or ask someone to help. The tool crops it to size, fixes the background and checks the framing.
Most offices accept a photo taken within the last six months. If your hair, beard or face has changed noticeably since then, take a new one.
We refund the payment in full. Email us within 14 days of purchase with your order number and the rejection notice from the France authority.
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: passport.