head 71–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceService-Public.fr / Ministère de l’Intérieur
Verified
Quick answer: A France passport 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 |
French passport photographs follow the rules published by Service-Public for the Ministry of the Interior (verified 11 March 2026). One photo is enough, taken less than six months ago and resembling you, by an authorised professional or in a booth using a system approved by the Ministry of the Interior.
It is 3.5 cm wide and 4.5 cm high, with the face 3.2–3.6 cm from chin to crown excluding hair (70–80 % of the photo), sharp, not folded, correctly exposed and without shadows on the face or the background. The background must be plain and light — light blue or light grey for example — and a white background is forbidden.
The head is bare and straight, facing the lens, with a neutral expression and the mouth closed, eyes open and perfectly visible, hair and fringe off the eyes, ears clear. A photo that does not meet the characteristics 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 passport photos get rejected.
Typical reasons a photo is rejected under the rules Service-Public.fr / Ministère de l’Intérieur publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| White background (forbidden), or a background that is not plain and light | Use a plain light-blue or light-grey background with no shadow behind you; do not use white. |
| Format not 3.5 × 4.5 cm, or face outside 3.2–3.6 cm from chin to crown | Have the photo cut at 3.5 × 4.5 cm with the face between 3.2 and 3.6 cm, measured without hair. |
| Hat, scarf or headband; hair covering the face or the eyes; ears hidden | Take off hats and scarves, push hair back so the face and the ears are clear, and keep a fringe above the eyes. |
| Thick frames, tinted or coloured lenses, or reflections on the glasses | Take the glasses off — they are not compulsory — or wear a thin frame with clear lenses that do not reflect. |
| Expression not neutral, mouth open, gaze not on the lens, or head not straight | Fix the lens, keep the mouth closed with a neutral face, and hold the head straight and facing the camera. |
| Blurred, folded or marked print; over- or under-exposed photo; shadows on the face or background; photo older than six months | Get a fresh, sharp print taken within the last six months, evenly exposed, flat and unmarked, without shadows on the face or behind it. |
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.
In France a passport is applied for in a town hall (mairie) equipped with a biometric station, by appointment; an online pre-application is optional. Abroad it goes through a French consulate. In both cases one photo meeting the standard is handed in.
Find an appointment with the search tool of the ANTS (France Titres); online pre-application is optional
One photo under six months old, taken by an authorised professional or in an approved booth, plus proof of address and your previous documents; the pre-application number or QR code if you made one.
Authority pageThe consulate that covers your residence — its page repeats the photo standard
The consulate of Abidjan states the same rules: a recent photo that resembles you on the day of filing and of collection, taken by a professional or in a booth with a system approved by the Ministry of the Interior; non-compliant photos are rejected.
Authority page| Authority | Service-Public.fr / Ministère de l’Intérieur |
|---|---|
| Source | French identity photo rules for passport and national ID |
| Verified |
Questions
One photo less than six months old that looks like you, 3.5 cm wide and 4.5 cm high, with the face 3.2–3.6 cm from chin to crown (70–80 %), sharp and unmarked. A plain light background — light blue or light grey — and not white. Head bare and straight facing the lens, neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open, hair and ears clear. It must be taken by an authorised professional or in an approved booth. A photo that does not comply is rejected and the document is not issued.
No. Service-Public states that the background must be plain and light-coloured, light blue or light grey for example, and that the white background is forbidden. This is the opposite of many other countries, so a photo made for another document with a white background has to be redone.
The rule on Service-Public is that the photo must be taken by an authorised professional or in a booth using a system approved by the Ministry of the Interior; the ANTS site has a search tool to find photographers and booths near you. French consulates abroad repeat the same wording.
You do not have to wear them. If you do, the frame must not be thick or mask your eyes, and the lenses must be neither tinted nor coloured and must show no reflection. The eyes must be open and perfectly visible; taking the glasses off is the simplest way to meet the rule.
One photo — Service-Public says only one photo is required for a passport or ID card application. In the general case Service-Public lists the passport at €86, paid as a tax stamp bought online, and the appointment is made in an equipped town hall through the ANTS search tool; an online pre-application is optional. Abroad, the consulate sets the procedure and fee.
The France passport photo must be 35 × 45 mm. The head must occupy 71–80% of the photo height.
Most passport offices ask for a photo taken within the last six months. It should look like you today: after a new haircut or beard, 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 — the refund policy page has the details.
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: ID card.