head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceOffice of Citizenship and Migration Affairs of Latvia (PMLP)
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Latvia passport photo size is 35 × 45 mm. Plain background without foreign objects; face centred. 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 background without foreign objects; face centred. |
| Pose | Face directly into the camera, head centred. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | No tinted lenses or reflections; frame must not cover the eyes. See full rules → |
| Lighting | No heavy shadows on the face or background. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| Attire | Neutral clothing 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 |
In Latvia the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP) says «photographs of both children and adults are taken at the divisions on the spot without additional fee» — so for a passport you normally bring no photograph. If you do not want to be photographed at the division and apply for a new personal identification document, you can hand in a photograph from a photo-salon: «only photographs made at professional photo-salons can be used for passports, which are confirmed by the photo-salon's stamp and date on the other side of the photograph», and «the photograph cannot be older than 3 months». «Photographs made at snapshot cabins are invalid!» — a photo-booth picture does not count.
The photograph must meet the other requirements of the regulations «On the Personal Identification Documents», which the page does not list and which give no size in millimetres on the PMLP page. For a child, the parents judge whether the child can sit alone or agree to be photographed at that moment; otherwise special photo cards must be submitted for the passport.
Examples and mistakes
A photo that will be accepted, next to the six most common reasons Latvia passport photos get rejected.
Typical reasons a photo is rejected under the rules Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs of Latvia (PMLP) publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A photograph from a snapshot cabin (photo booth) | Be photographed at the PMLP division, or use a professional photo-salon. |
| A salon photograph without the studio's stamp and date on the back, or older than three months | Ask the salon for the stamp and date on the back and use a photograph from the last three months. |
| A photograph that does not meet the regulations «On the Personal Identification Documents» | Be photographed at the division on the spot, or follow the regulation's requirements. |
How to take it
Background: plain, one colour
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 Latvian passport is applied for in person at a PMLP division, where the photograph is taken on the spot free of charge, unless you hand in a stamped photograph from a professional photo-salon.
pmlp.gov.lv — contacts of territorial divisions
A studio photo must carry the studio's stamp and date and be at most 3 months old; booth photos are invalid.
Authority page| Authority | Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs of Latvia (PMLP) |
|---|---|
| Source | Documents required to obtain an identity document |
| Verified |
Questions
The PMLP takes the photograph on the spot free of charge; if you bring one it must come from a professional photo-salon with the studio's stamp and date on the back, be at most 3 months old and meet the regulations «On the Personal Identification Documents»; snapshot-cabin photographs are invalid.
No, if you are photographed at the PMLP division — photographs of adults and children are taken there on the spot without an additional fee.
No: the PMLP says photographs made at snapshot cabins are invalid; only professional photo-salon photographs with a stamp and date can be used.
A photograph cannot be older than 3 months.
The recommended size for the Latvia passport photo is 35 × 45 mm. The head occupies 70–80% of the photo height.
Plain background without foreign objects; face centred. Behind you there should be only a plain wall: no pattern, shadows or objects. Any light wall at home will do — the tool sets the exact background colour.
We refund the payment in full. Email us within 14 days of purchase with your order number and the rejection notice from the Latvia authority — the refund policy page has the details.
No tinted lenses or reflections; frame must not cover the eyes. If you keep them on, tilt them slightly downwards by lifting the arms a little above your ears: this usually moves reflections of a window or lamp off the lenses.
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: EU blue card, EU long-term residence permit, ID card, residence card for family member of an EU citizen.