head 58–67 %
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14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceMinistry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands — Dutch embassies and the Dutch government's photo specification (Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations)
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Netherlands Schengen visa photo size is 35 × 45 mm. Plain light background; note: IND warns against clothing that blends with a light grey background. Head occupies 58–67% of photo height (26–30 mm chin to crown). Neutral expression, clear lenses only, 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 | Plain light background; note: IND warns against clothing that blends with a light grey background. |
| Pose | Full face, head centred. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, eyes open. |
| Glasses | Eyes must be fully visible; no tinted lenses or strong reflections. See full rules → |
| Lighting | Shadows, overexposure, and reflections not permitted. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| Attire | Fully white or light grey clothing is not recommended — the background is light grey. |
| 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 Dutch Schengen visa the embassy's checklist asks for «a passport photo that meets Dutch passport requirements», which «cannot have been taken more than 6 months ago and must bear a clear resemblance». The Dutch government's passport photo specification is the standard: «35 mm x 45 mm (width x height)» in colour — black and white is not allowed — with the face «between 16 mm and 20 mm from ear to ear» and, for ages 11 and above, «between 26 mm and 30 mm from chin to crown»; the photo is «printed on high-quality, smooth photo paper», sharp, undamaged, not a copy and «unaltered by computer software», at «minimum 400 dpi». The background is «light grey, light blue or white», plain and of one colour, with enough contrast with the head; the head faces forward, the eyes are level and the shoulders straight, the expression is neutral with the mouth closed, and the head is uncovered — a plain, single-colour head covering is accepted only for religion or belief. Glasses are the applicant's choice, but the eyes must be fully visible with no glare or shadow; ears do not have to be visible «as long as the width of the face is visible»; a beard, a wig, makeup, earrings and facial piercings are permitted. Babies and children under six are exempt from the position and expression rules. The Dutch application is made in person, and the documents are presented in Dutch, English, French or Spanish.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Netherlands Schengen 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 of the Netherlands — Dutch embassies and the Dutch government's photo specification (Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations) publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A photo older than six months or without a clear resemblance to the applicant | A photo of the last six months that clearly resembles the applicant. |
| A black-and-white, blurred, damaged, copied or computer-altered photo, or one on thin or rough paper | A sharp colour photo, unaltered, on smooth high-quality photo paper at 400 dpi. |
| A background that is not plain light grey, light blue or white, or that fades or has shadows | A plain, uniform light grey, light blue or white background with no shadows. |
| A head that is tilted, a face not fully visible, a smile or an open mouth, or glasses with glare or tinted lenses | A straight head, a neutral expression with the mouth closed and clear glasses without glare (or none). |
| A face or head of the wrong size (face not 16–20 mm wide and 26–30 mm long) or not centred | A centred head with the face 16–20 mm wide and 26–30 mm from chin to crown. |
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.
Clear lenses only, no glare
If you wear glasses, check the shot: no glare on the lenses, eyes clearly visible.
Neutral expression, 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 Dutch Schengen visa is applied for in person at the Dutch embassy or consulate or its visa application centre, with the signed form, the passport, one photo that meets the Dutch passport photo rules and the documents on the checklist.
netherlandsworldwide.nl — the page of the mission that handles your country
A passport photo that meets Dutch passport requirements, taken within six months.
Authority pageQuestions
The checklist asks for a photo that meets Dutch passport requirements: 35 mm x 45 mm, in colour, with the face 26–30 mm from chin to crown and 16–20 mm wide.
Light grey, light blue or white, plain and of one colour, with sufficient contrast with the head.
It is up to the applicant, but the eyes must be fully visible with fully transparent lenses and no glare or shadow.
No more than six months old at the time of the application, and it must bear a clear resemblance to the applicant.
The recommended size for the Netherlands Schengen visa photo is 35 × 45 mm. The head occupies 58–67% of the photo height. Many consulates also require a specific digital file size — see the spec table above for full details.
Plain light background; note: IND warns against clothing that blends with a light grey background. 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 Netherlands 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.
Eyes must be fully visible; no tinted lenses or strong reflections. 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: EU blue card, EU long-term residence permit, national visa (Type D), refugee travel document, residence card, residence card for family member of an EU citizen.