head 58–67 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceGovernment of the Netherlands (NetherlandsWorldwide) and VFS Global Netherlands
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Netherlands visa photo size is 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 | 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 |
For a Dutch Schengen visa the government checklist asks for a photo that meets Dutch requirements: a colour photo, no more than 6 months old, 3.5 cm by 4.5 cm, on a white or light-coloured background — and adds that «if you are applying for a visa through an external service provider, you do not need to submit a photo; a digital photo will be taken at your appointment». The Dutch standard itself, written on the page for passports and identity cards, is stricter than most: 35 × 45 mm, the face 16–20 mm wide from ear to ear and 26–30 mm from chin to crown for ages 11 and over (19–30 mm under 11), in colour — «black and white photos are not allowed», a true likeness, sharp, unaltered by computer software, not a copy, printed on high-quality smooth photo paper at at least 400 dpi, on a plain, uniform background that is light grey, light blue or white with enough contrast with the head, even light without shadows or reflections, head facing forward, eyes level, shoulders straight, neutral expression, mouth closed, head uncovered with the face and eyes fully visible (ears need not be visible), and glasses only with transparent lenses and no glare or shadow.
A head covering is allowed only for religion or belief, or after medical hair loss, and must be plain and one colour; babies and children under 6 are exempt from the position and expression rules. The VFS Global checklist repeats «a passport photo that meets Dutch passport requirements… not more than 6 months ago».
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Netherlands 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 Government of the Netherlands (NetherlandsWorldwide) and VFS Global Netherlands publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A black-and-white photo, a photo retouched by software, or a copy | Use an unretouched original colour photo. |
| A face outside 26–30 mm chin to crown (16–20 mm wide) or a photo that is not 35 × 45 mm | Print 35 × 45 mm with the face 26–30 mm from chin to crown and centred. |
| A background that is not plain light grey, light blue or white, shadows, or reflection on the face or glasses | Use a plain uniform light background and even light without glare. |
| A photo older than six months, a hat, a tilted head, an open mouth or tinted lenses | Take a new photo within six months: bare head, straight, neutral, mouth closed, transparent lenses. |
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 Schengen visa is applied for at a Dutch embassy or consulate or through an external service provider such as VFS Global; through a provider you submit no photo and a digital photo is taken at the appointment.
netherlandsworldwide.nl — visa checklist for your purpose of travel
At an embassy: colour photo 3.5 × 4.5 cm to the Dutch standard within 6 months; through a provider: a digital photo is taken.
Authority page| Authority | Government of the Netherlands (NetherlandsWorldwide) and VFS Global Netherlands |
|---|---|
| Source | Dutch photo requirements for passports, ID cards and driving licences |
| Verified |
Questions
A colour photo that meets Dutch requirements: no more than 6 months old, 3.5 × 4.5 cm, white or light-coloured background — the Dutch standard asks for the face 26–30 mm from chin to crown, a plain uniform light background, neutral expression with the mouth closed and no hat. Through an external service provider no photo is submitted.
No: the Dutch checklist says that if you apply through an external service provider you do not need to submit a photo, and a digital photo is taken at your appointment.
3.5 cm by 4.5 cm (35 × 45 mm), with the face between 26 mm and 30 mm from chin to crown for ages 11 and over.
The visa checklist says white or light-coloured; the Dutch passport standard lists light grey, light blue or white, plain and uniform with sufficient contrast with the head.
The recommended size for the Netherlands 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.
Even light background without patterns. 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.
Glasses permitted only without reflections and without obscuring eyes. 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, ID card, passport.