Quick answer: A Germany id card (personalausweis) photo must be 35 × 45 mm with plain light background. Head occupies 71–80% of photo height (32–36 mm chin to crown). Neutral expression, see glasses rule. Last verified .
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| Format | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 71–80% of photo height |
| Head height (mm) | 32–36 mm chin to crown |
| Background | Plain light background. |
| Pose | Full face, no tilt or rotation. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | Eyes fully visible, no reflections. See full rules → |
| Lighting | No shadows or reflections. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| Attire | Neutral clothing. |
| Digital resolution | Check the authority portal before digital upload |
| File format | JPEG · sRGB / 24-bit |
| File size | Check the authority portal before upload |
Germany national ID card (Personalausweis) photos are administered by the **Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI)** and local Bürgerämter. The format is 35×45mm with face 32-36mm (70-80% of frame). Germany-specific: LIGHT GREY background required — pure white is NOT accepted (different from many EU countries). Expression completely neutral, mouth closed, no raised eyebrows. CRITICAL: as of May 1, 2025, Personalausweis applications require digital biometric photo with QR code from certified provider or capture at Bürgeramt self-service terminal. The Personalausweis is a biometric chip card used as travel document within EU.
| Authority | Federal Foreign Office of Germany |
|---|---|
| Source | German Foreign Office biometric photo samples |
| Verified | |
| Confidence | Official — exact |
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Germany id card (personalausweis) applications. The final decision always belongs to Federal Foreign Office of Germany, but these are the differences that most often determine whether a document photo is accepted.
Upload a portrait — the tool crops, removes the background and checks compliance against the 35 × 45 mm rule automatically.
Stand 1–2 metres from a light-coloured wall. Plain light background. The photo will be printed on a card and viewed many times — any background imperfection is amplified at the small print size of an ID card.
Face a window for diffused natural light. Even illumination prevents shadows under the chin or beside the nose that look minor in preview but become prominent at card-print scale.
Camera at eye level, head straight, looking directly at the lens. Identity cards are checked at banks, polling stations and government offices over a 5–10 year validity — submit a photo that will still match in years to come.
Square shoulders, both visible in the frame, head and shoulders centred. Germany ID cards typically print the photo at a small fixed size — proportions matter more than absolute pixel resolution.
Eyes fully visible, no reflections Identity cards have long validity periods. Removing glasses for the shoot prevents glare-related re-verification problems years from now.
Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. Identity cards must show your natural everyday appearance — neither a stylised portrait nor a candid photo. Imagine you are renewing a library card.
Dress as you would on a normal day. Avoid white or pale tops against light backgrounds. Solid dark colours work best. Religious head covering is allowed only where consistently worn in daily life and supported by your application.
The photo must reflect your current appearance. If your hair, beard or weight has changed significantly since you would naturally have a recent photo of yourself, take a new one for the application.
Federal Foreign Office of Germany publishes the following rejection codes. Knowing the exact code on your notice tells you precisely what to fix in the reshoot.
| Code | Reason | Fix |
|---|---|---|
DE-ID-01 |
Photo from non-certified studio (post-May 2025) | Use certified Fotostudio with eAT-Bestätigung |
DE-ID-02 |
White background rejected (LIGHT GREY required) | Re-shoot against light grey backdrop |
DE-ID-03 |
Raised eyebrows or non-neutral expression | Re-shoot completely neutral |
DE-ID-04 |
Glasses worn | Re-shoot without glasses |
DE-ID-05 |
Head outside 32-36mm chin-to-crown | Re-shoot at correct distance |
Plain light background is required. Identity cards print the photo at a small size — minor background colour issues become more visible at print scale than they appeared in the digital preview.
Head must be straight and centred. Even slight tilts fail the ICAO alignment check used by modern Germany ID card biometric systems.
ID cards must show your current everyday appearance. Significant changes to hair, beard, weight or facial features since the photo was taken cause rejection at the in-person submission stage.
Both eyes must be fully visible and clearly open. Glasses glare, hair across one eye, or shadow under the brow ridge all trigger rejection.
Identity card photos use the same biometric standard as passports — neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open and looking at the lens. Any smile or expression change causes rejection.
Blur, overexposure, low resolution or JPEG compression artefacts cause rejection. The card-printing system requires a minimum resolution on the shortest side — see the spec table above.
Even a small shadow gradient on the wall behind the subject — caused by the subject standing too close to the wall — fails the automated background uniformity check.
The Germany id card (personalausweis) photo must be 35 × 45 mm. The head must occupy 71–80% of the photo height. The photo must reflect your current everyday appearance.
Plain light background. Identity cards are used frequently in daily life — for banking, age verification and domestic travel — so the photo is scrutinised many times and minor background issues become more visible at print scale.
Yes. Stand against a flat light-coloured wall, face a window for even natural light, and use a phone with a timer. The tool handles the crop, background normalisation and ICAO alignment check automatically.
Identity card photos generally need to reflect your current appearance. Most authorities accept photos taken within the last six months, but significant changes to hair, beard or facial features since the photo was taken may require a new one.
Eyes fully visible, no reflections. Removing glasses for the shoot is the safest option, especially given the long validity period of most identity cards. Glare that passes today may fail re-verification at a future biometric checkpoint.
Anfas.Pro provides a 14-day full refund if the Germany authority rejects the photo and you supply the rejection notice. The refund covers the €4.99 download fee in full.
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.