head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceGuichet.lu and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg (Passport, Visa and Legalisation Office)
Verified
Quick answer: A Luxembourg passport photo must be 35 × 45 mm. Plain light background without textures, shadows, or foreign objects. 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, shadows, or foreign objects. |
| Pose | Full face, head centred, no tilt or rotation. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | No tinted lenses or reflections; frame must not cover the eyes. See full rules → |
| Lighting | Shadows, overexposure, and reflections not permitted. |
| 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 |
For a Luxembourg passport the photograph is mostly not something you bring. When the application is lodged at the Passport, Visa and Legalisation Office (BPVL) or at the commune, Guichet.lu says an identity photograph is taken at the counter; a photo by a professional photographer that meets ICAO norms is only asked for «éventuellement» (where applicable).
From abroad you supply a recent photograph meeting the ICAO criteria. Those criteria are the ones Guichet.lu publishes as ICAO Doc 9303: taken within the last six months; no more than 45 × 35 mm (height by width), so a 35 × 45 mm print; a close-up of the head and the top of the shoulders with the face filling 70–80 % of the height; sharp, without ink marks or creases; a clear, plain background; even light with no shadows or reflections; a neutral expression with the mouth closed; and no head covering unless the national authority approves it for religious, medical or cultural reasons.
Examples and mistakes
A photo that will be accepted, next to the six most common reasons Luxembourg passport photos get rejected.
Typical reasons a photo is rejected under the rules Guichet.lu and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg (Passport, Visa and Legalisation Office) publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Photo older than six months, or larger than 45 × 35 mm | Take a new 35 × 45 mm photo within six months. |
| The face too small or too large for 70–80 % of the height | Frame the head and top of the shoulders so that the face fills 70–80 % of the height. |
| A busy background, shadows or reflections on the face, or red-eye | Use a clear, plain background with even light and no flash on the face. |
| Tinted lenses, reflections on the glasses, frames over the eyes, or hair over the eyes | Keep the eyes fully visible: clear lenses, no reflection, hair away. |
| A head covering without approval, head tilted, mouth open, or another person in the picture | Face the camera squarely, alone, with a neutral expression and the mouth closed. |
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 Luxembourg passport is requested at the Passport, Visa and Legalisation Office (BPVL) in Luxembourg City or at the commune of residence, where the photo is taken at the counter; from abroad it is requested through a Luxembourg diplomatic mission with a recent ICAO photograph.
BPVL, 6 rue de l'Ancien Athénée, L-1144 Luxembourg (passports are collected there)
The identity photo is taken at the counter; a professional ICAO photo only «éventuellement».
Authority pageWith a residence certificate or card and a recent photo to the ICAO criteria
A recent photograph meeting ICAO criteria, also for a minor.
Authority page| Authority | Guichet.lu and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg (Passport, Visa and Legalisation Office) |
|---|---|
| Source | Luxembourg passport application guidance |
| Verified |
Questions
The ICAO rules Guichet.lu publishes: taken within six months, no more than 45 × 35 mm (so a 35 × 45 mm print), a close-up with the face at 70–80 % of the height, sharp, on a clear plain background with even light, eyes open and visible, neutral expression with the mouth closed, no tinted lenses and no head covering unless approved for religious, medical or cultural reasons.
Usually not in Luxembourg: when the application is made at the BPVL or at a commune, the identity photo is taken at the counter, and a photographer's photo is only asked «éventuellement». From abroad you supply a recent photograph meeting the ICAO criteria.
35 mm wide by 45 mm high: Guichet.lu's ICAO rules say the photograph must not exceed 45 × 35 mm in height and width. Frame it so that the face takes 70–80 % of the height.
A clear, plain background with uniform lighting (no shadows or reflections, no red-eye), and a neutral expression with the mouth closed, looking straight at the camera with the head straight. The pages read name no exact colour, so use a plain white or very light background.
The Luxembourg passport photo must be 35 × 45 mm. The head must occupy 70–80% 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 Luxembourg 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.
Yes. The same 35 × 45 mm format and head size apply to: ID card, residence permit.