head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceMinistry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary — Hungarian missions; VFS Global as the visa application centre
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Hungary visa photo size is 35 × 45 mm. Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. Head occupies 70–80% of photo height. Neutral expression, clear lenses only, no glare. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 70–80% of photo height |
| Background | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. |
| Pose | Strictly full face, head without rotation or tilt, shoulders level. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | Clear glasses only, no reflections; sunglasses prohibited. See full rules → |
| Lighting | Shadows on the face and background not permitted. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| Attire | Neutral clothing, shoulders visible, without uniform or distracting accessories. |
| 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 |
The photograph for a Hungarian Schengen visa is described on the pages of the Hungarian embassies and of VFS Global, the visa application centre: one recent colour passport photo of 35 × 45 mm (3.5 × 4.5 cm), sharp, clear and contrasting, printed on high-quality paper, on a white background, no older than 6 months, taken en face with the face taking up 70–80 % of the photo, the eyes and both sides of the face clearly visible from the top of the head to the shoulders, lips closed and hair not covering the face. The embassy in Pretoria says do not staple the photograph; the embassy in Riyadh asks for two photographs not stapled, ICAO standard.
Glasses are tolerated at some missions if the lenses are not tinted, the frames do not cover the eyes and there is no reflection, while VFS China asks to be without glasses; religious head-dresses are allowed if chin, forehead and both cheeks are clearly visible and there is no shadow on the face. First-time applicants give the photograph and fingerprints in person, and the photograph can be scanned or taken at the application.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Hungary 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 of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary — Hungarian missions; VFS Global as the visa application centre publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A background that is not white, or a black-and-white photograph | Use a colour photograph on a plain white background. |
| A photo older than 6 months, or one that is not sharp and contrasting | Take a sharp, contrasting photo within the last 6 months. |
| A face smaller than 70 % of the photo, or the head cropped | Show the whole head and the top of the shoulders with the face filling 70–80 %. |
| Tinted lenses, frames over the eyes, reflections, or hair covering the face | Take glasses off or use clear lenses with no reflection; keep hair off the face. |
| A stapled photograph, or the wrong number of copies | Do not staple; bring the number of photographs on the list of your mission. |
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: 70–80 % of the photo height
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 Hungarian Schengen visa is applied for at the Hungarian embassy or consulate, or the VFS Global visa application centre, that covers your place of residence; first-time applicants appear in person for the photograph and fingerprints.
The visa page of the Hungarian mission that covers you on mfa.gov.hu
One colour photograph 35 × 45 mm, white background, face 70–80 %, not stapled.
Authority pageThe VFS Global Hungary centre of your country
One photograph in China and India, two in Riyadh (Bahrain centre).
Authority page| Authority | Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary — Hungarian missions; VFS Global as the visa application centre |
|---|---|
| Source | Visa checklist — Embassy of Hungary in Pretoria |
| Verified |
Questions
One recent colour passport photo of 35 × 45 mm (3.5 × 4.5 cm), sharp and contrasting, on a white background, no older than 6 months, taken en face with the face taking up 70–80 % of the photo, lips closed, hair off the face, printed on quality paper and not stapled.
35 × 45 mm (3.5 × 4.5 cm) on the Pretoria, Bishkek and VFS China pages; VFS India writes «sized as for passports (35-40 mm wide)».
One at Pretoria, Bishkek, VFS China and VFS India; two on the Riyadh checklist and for an airport-transit visa in India. Count them on your mission's list.
It depends on the office: Pretoria and VFS India accept clear, untinted lenses with the frames off the eyes and no reflection; VFS China asks for no glasses. Taking them off satisfies every list.
No older than 6 months on every Hungarian page read.
The recommended size for the Hungary visa photo is 35 × 45 mm. The head occupies 70–80% of the photo height. Many consulates also require a specific digital file size — see the spec table above for full details.
Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. 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 Hungary 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.
Clear glasses only, no reflections; sunglasses prohibited. 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.
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.
Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. The face must stay fully visible from chin to forehead and on both sides, with no shadow across it.
Yes. The same 35 × 45 mm format and head size apply to: driver's license, EU blue card, EU long-term residence permit, ID card, residence card for family member of an EU citizen, Schengen visa.