Quick answer: A Germany passport 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, head centred, no tilt or rotation. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | Eyes must be fully visible; no tinting or reflections. See full rules → |
| Lighting | No shadows or uneven lighting. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| Attire | Neutral clothing; face and shoulder line must be distinguishable from the background. |
| Digital resolution | Check the authority portal before digital upload |
| File format | JPEG · sRGB / 24-bit |
| File size | Check the authority portal before upload |
German passport photo verification follows the BSI TR-03121 biometric standard — Germany's national implementation of ICAO 9303 — which is the most technically prescriptive in the EU. The standard specifies exact head geometry (32-36mm chin-to-crown), uniform 70-80% brightness light-grey background, and specific eye-line positioning (60-70% from bottom of frame). Since 1 May 2025, normal German passport and ID applications require digital-only Lichtbilder captured either at the Bürgeramt with the office's dedicated camera, or by an approved photo service provider who transfers the image via secure cloud delivery directly to Bundesdruckerei. Self-printed or self-uploaded photos are no longer accepted for new applications. Bundesdruckerei runs the image through automated BSI TR-03121 compliance checks before personalising the chip. Photos that pass the auto-check go directly to production; flagged photos are returned to the Bürgeramt for retake. Match scores from this reference image are checked at every German e-Gate crossing.
| 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 passport 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.
Use a blank white wall or tape a white bedsheet flat — avoid creases. Stand at least 50 cm from the surface so your shadow does not fall onto it. Patterned wallpaper or any textured surface creates a gradient that fails the automated background check, even if it looks white to the eye.
Face a large window during daylight hours. Even, frontal, diffused natural light produces the cleanest indoor result. Never use on-camera flash — it creates hard shadows on the background and washes out facial geometry. Turn off any coloured indoor light sources.
Extend your chin slightly forward and downward — this elongates the neck and sharpens the jawline. Keep your head level: the camera must be exactly at eye height. Tilting up or down distorts the biometric head-height ratio.
Keep both shoulders square to the camera. Passport standards require a straight-on stance — turned shoulders shift the perceived centre of the face and will cause the automated alignment check to fail.
Eyes must be fully visible; no tinting or reflections In practice, the biometric scanner flags even minor glare invisible to the naked eye. Removing glasses before shooting is the only option that eliminates the risk entirely.
Look directly into the lens. Keep a completely neutral expression — no smile, raised eyebrows or squinting. Mouth closed and relaxed. Biometric matching calibrates against the neutral reference stored in the passport chip; any muscular movement lowers the match confidence score.
Avoid white or very light tops — they merge with the white background and make the shoulder outline hard to detect. Deep solid tones work best: navy, dark teal, burgundy or charcoal. No uniforms, hats or accessories that cover the face or neck.
Groom your beard one or two days before shooting — a freshly trimmed beard photographs with the cleanest edge definition. If shaving completely, do so the morning of the shoot and apply a calming balm to reduce redness, which can alter the skin-tone map used by background removal.
German passport applications are processed by Bürgeramt offices (citizen registry offices) at the municipal level. Since 1 May 2025, only digital photo capture is accepted.
Search at bund.de or your city's website (e.g. service.berlin.de)
Photo captured digitally at the office (free) OR via approved Lichtbild service (€15-25)
Authority pageYour local German embassy or consulate
Photo standards identical; consulate uses approved local Lichtbild service
Authority pageThe required background is Plain light background. Even a slightly off-white, grey or cream tone may fail the automated colour check used by passport submission systems. Shadows from the subject onto the wall behind them are the most common cause of this rejection.
The head must be straight and centred. A tilt of even 3–5 degrees is flagged by the ICAO face-alignment algorithm used in Germany passport biometric verification. Place the camera at exactly eye level and centre your face horizontally.
Both eyes must be fully visible and clearly open. Glasses glare, a fringe across one eye, or a shadow from overhead lighting across the eye area are automatic rejection triggers in the biometric check.
Biometric matching calibrates against a neutral reference stored in the passport chip. A smile or even a slightly parted mouth shifts facial geometry and lowers the match confidence score, causing the application to be returned.
The digital file must be at minimum 600 × 600 px and free of motion blur or JPEG compression artefacts. Overexposed highlights on the forehead or cheeks erase facial geometry the biometric scanner needs to read.
Most passport authorities require a recent photo taken within the last six months. Even if your appearance has not changed, the application is delayed until a new photo is provided.
The head must occupy the specified percentage of the photo height (see the spec table above). Too close (face fills the frame) or too far (head appears small) both fail at the automated dimension check.
Since May 1, 2025 all biometric photos for German passports, identity cards (Personalausweis), and electronic residence permits (eAT) must be supplied digitally via approved cloud delivery to Bundesdruckerei. The QR code on your studio Lichtbild proves the photo originated from a certified Fotostudio with eAT-Bestätigung — meeting BSI TR-03121 quality criteria. Printed photos are no longer accepted at most Bürgerämter.
Yes. Most Bürgerämter have approved photo-terminal stations (often Speed Capture or similar) where the QR-coded photo is generated on-site for €5-10 instead of the €15-20 a studio charges. Verify availability when booking your appointment.
According to Bundesdruckerei figures published April 2026, the rejected-photo rate dropped from approximately 8% (printed era) to under 2% (digital QR-code era). The change tightened BSI TR-03121 compliance and removed the courier-to-Bundesdruckerei step, speeding total passport delivery by 1-3 business days.
The Germany passport photo must be 35 × 45 mm. The head must occupy 71–80% of the photo height.
Plain light background. No gradients, textures, shadows or objects behind the subject are permitted. The tool removes background shadows automatically, but starting with a flat, evenly lit wall gives the best result.
Yes. Stand in front of a flat white wall in good natural light, face the light source and use the rear camera of your phone with a 3-second timer. The tool handles the crop, background normalisation and compliance check against the Germany biometric standard.
Most passport authorities require the photo to be taken within the last six months. Do not reuse an older portrait even if your appearance has not changed — many submission systems check the photo timestamp against the application date.
Anfas.Pro provides a 14-day full refund if the photo is rejected by the Germany authority and you supply the official rejection notice. The refund covers the €4.99 download fee in full. See the refund policy page for the exact process.
Eyes must be fully visible; no tinting or reflections. In practice, the biometric scanner at submission points flags even minor lens glare that looks fine to the naked eye. Removing glasses before shooting is the only option that eliminates the risk entirely.
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.