head 58–67 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceMinistry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations of the Netherlands (government.nl)
Verified
Quick answer: A Netherlands passport photo must be 35 × 45 mm. Even light background without patterns. Head occupies 58–67% of photo height (26–30 mm chin to crown). Neutral expression, glasses only if no glare. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 58–67% of photo heightICAO 9303: 70–80% |
| Head height (mm) | 26–30 mm chin to crownICAO 9303: 32–36 mm |
| Background | Even light background without patterns. |
| Pose | Head fully in frame and strictly centred. |
| Expression | Natural neutral expression. |
| Glasses | Glasses permitted only without reflections and without obscuring eyes. See full rules → |
| Lighting | Photo must be sharp, with sufficient contrast, no shadows or digital alterations. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| Attire | The authority directly recommends dark clothing: the background is light grey/white, and light clothing blends into it too much. |
| 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 Dutch government sets one photo standard for passports, identity cards and driving licences: a 35 mm × 45 mm photo (width × height), in colour, a true likeness, no more than 6 months old at the date of application, sharp, undamaged, not a copy, unaltered by computer software, printed on high-quality, smooth photo paper at a minimum resolution of 400 dpi. The face is 16–20 mm wide (ears excluded) and 26–30 mm long from chin to crown for people of 11 and over (19–30 mm under 11), with the head shown in full and centred.
The background is plain light grey, light blue or white, all one colour and one shade, contrasting enough with the head. Lighting is even, with no shadow on the face or the background and no reflections; the head faces forward, eyes horizontal, head not tilted, shoulders straight, expression neutral, looking at the camera, mouth closed. Glasses are the applicant's choice, but they must be fully transparent with the eyes fully visible and no reflection or shadow; the head must be uncovered, with exceptions for religion or belief (plain, one-colour covering that contrasts with the background) or hair loss after medical treatment.
Beards, wigs, long fringes (not too long), earrings and make-up are allowed; a cap or hat is not. Children under 6 are exempt from the position and expression criteria.
Examples and mistakes
A photo that will be accepted, next to the six most common reasons Netherlands passport photos get rejected.
Typical reasons a photo is rejected under the rules Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations of the Netherlands (government.nl) publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A face outside 26–30 mm long or 16–20 mm wide, or a head not shown in full and centred | Frame the whole head centred with the face 26–30 mm from chin to crown on a 35 × 45 mm photo. |
| A blurred or low-contrast photo, a copy, an altered image, or a photo older than 6 months | Use a sharp unaltered colour print on smooth photo paper at 400 dpi, taken within 6 months. |
| Shadows or reflections on the face or background, or an uneven background | Use even light and a plain light grey, light blue or white background of one shade. |
| Eyes not fully visible (glasses with reflection or shadow), head tilted or open mouth | Use fully transparent lenses or none; keep the head straight with a neutral expression and the mouth closed. |
| A cap or hat, or a head covering that hides the face | Keep the head uncovered unless for religion or medical hair loss, in one plain colour with the face fully visible. |
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: 58–67 % of the photo height (26–30 mm)
Camera at eye level, about a metre away; head and shoulders in the shot. The tool crops it to 35 × 45 mm.
Glasses only if no glare
If you wear glasses, check the shot: no glare on the lenses, eyes clearly visible.
Natural neutral expression
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 Dutch passport is applied for with a photo that meets the 2020 specification guidelines of the ministry; the organisation that issues the document may ask for a medical certificate if you cannot meet all the requirements for physical or medical reasons. This page covers the photograph only.
government.nl — identification documents
Photo 35 × 45 mm, face 26–30 mm, no more than 6 months old.
Authority page| Authority | Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations of the Netherlands (government.nl) |
|---|---|
| Source | Dutch photo requirements for passports, ID cards and driving licences |
| Verified |
Questions
A 35 × 45 mm colour photo (width × height) no more than 6 months old, a true likeness, sharp and unaltered, on smooth photo paper at least 400 dpi; the face 16–20 mm wide and 26–30 mm from chin to crown (11 and over), a plain light grey, light blue or white background, head uncovered, neutral expression, mouth closed.
35 mm wide by 45 mm high, with the face 16–20 mm wide (without the ears) and 26–30 mm long from chin to crown for people of 11 and over (19–30 mm under 11).
Yes, it is your choice, if the glasses are fully transparent with the eyes fully visible, without reflection, distortion or shadow.
Light grey, light blue or white — plain, all one colour and shade, contrasting enough with the head.
The Netherlands passport photo must be 35 × 45 mm. The head must occupy 58–67% of the photo height.
Yes. A phone and a light wall near a window are enough. The rear camera is sharper than the front one, so ask someone to take the photo or use a 3-second timer. The tool crops it to size, fixes the background and checks it against the Netherlands passport photo rules.
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 Netherlands authority — the refund policy page has the details.
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, ID card, visa.