Skip to content

Norway passport photo 35 × 45 mm

Updated

Quick answer: This Norway passport preset uses 35 × 45 mm with evenly lit background. Head occupies 70–80% of photo height. Neutral expression, see glasses rule. It is based on official general guidance; verify the final submission route on the authority portal. Last verified .

Source-backedOfficial authority link
Free preview€4.99 to download HD
14-day refundIf rejected by authority
Official — generalVerified 2026-05-17
Create passport photo — free preview

No registration · result in 60 seconds

100% refund if the authority rejects the photo Refund policy →
Source: Norwegian Police
Compiled and cited by Yevhen Kravchenko — pending external review Last cited Editorial policy

Photo requirements

Format35 × 45 mm
Head height70–80% of photo height
BackgroundEvenly lit background.
PoseFull face, looking at the lens, head centred.
ExpressionNeutral expression, mouth closed.
GlassesDo not wear glasses; eyes and eyebrows must be fully visible. See full rules →
LightingShadows, overexposure, and reflections not permitted.
Head coveringDo not wear head coverings, except for officially permitted religious or special reasons without obscuring the face.
AttireNeutral clothing without uniform or distracting accessories.
Digital resolutionCheck the authority portal before digital upload
File formatJPEG · sRGB / 24-bit
File sizeCheck the authority portal before upload

How a passport photo is verified

Norway passport photos are administered by the **Norwegian Police (Politiet)**. The format is 35×45mm with head height specified at 34.5mm (precise spec, not a range). The head must occupy 75-80% of the image — slightly tighter than the typical 70-80% range used internationally. Glasses and headgear are not allowed. Both eyes, both eyebrows, and both ears must be fully visible. Photo must be taken within 6 months.

Local application route

AuthorityNorwegian Police
SourcePassports and ID cards for Norwegian citizens
Verified
ConfidenceOfficial — general
What the source confirms
  • Norway normally captures the passport photo during the appointment.
  • Norwegian Police guidance covers passports and national ID cards for Norwegian citizens.
  • UDI confirms that travel-document facial photos follow the same quality requirements as passports and national ID cards.
  • The facial image should show a current front view with visible facial features.
  • The profile is authority-capture/general because no applicant-supplied print-photo matrix is used for the normal route.
Still conservative because
  • The official English public source gives process and quality requirements but not a reusable applicant-supplied print-photo size matrix for passport office capture.

What makes a Norway passport photo accepted

One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Norway passport applications. The final decision always belongs to Norwegian Police, but these are the differences that most often determine whether a document photo is accepted.

Accepted Compliant Norway passport photo example (35 × 45 mm) — centered face, plain background, neutral expression, eyes open, even frontal lighting. Meets Norwegian Police biometric requirements.

Compliant Norway passport example (35 × 45 mm)

  • Face centred, looking directly into the lens
  • Plain background — no shadow, pattern or texture
  • Neutral expression, eyes open, mouth closed
  • No glasses, no hair across the face

Top 6 Norway passport rejection causes

Rejected Norway passport photo example — shadow on the wall behind the head, or background with a visible pattern or gradient. Norwegian Police would reject this for passport applications.
Background shadow Norway passport: Shadow on the wall behind the head, or background with a visible pattern or gradient
Rejected Norway passport photo example — visible smile with teeth or open mouth instead of a neutral expression. Norwegian Police would reject this for passport applications.
Smile / open mouth Norway passport: Visible smile with teeth or open mouth instead of a neutral expression
Rejected Norway passport photo example — glasses with a clearly visible light reflection covering part of the eye. Norwegian Police would reject this for passport applications.
Glasses with glare Norway passport: Glasses with a clearly visible light reflection covering part of the eye
Rejected Norway passport photo example — loose hair strands covering the eyes, eyebrows or part of the face. Norwegian Police would reject this for passport applications.
Hair across the face Norway passport: Loose hair strands covering the eyes, eyebrows or part of the face
Rejected Norway passport photo example — eyes looking to the side instead of directly into the camera lens. Norwegian Police would reject this for passport applications.
Eyes off-camera Norway passport: Eyes looking to the side instead of directly into the camera lens
Rejected Norway passport photo example — head tilted so the eye line is no longer horizontal. Norwegian Police would reject this for passport applications.
Head tilted Norway passport: Head tilted so the eye line is no longer horizontal
Current profile Format: 35 × 45 mm Head: 70–80% Background: Evenly lit background.

Prepare your Norway passport photo

Upload a portrait — the tool crops, removes the background and checks compliance against the 35 × 45 mm rule automatically.

How to take a Norway passport photo correctly

Background setup

Use a blank white wall or tape a white bedsheet flat — avoid creases. Stand at least 50 cm from the surface so your shadow does not fall onto it. Patterned wallpaper or any textured surface creates a gradient that fails the automated background check, even if it looks white to the eye.

Lighting

Face a large window during daylight hours. Even, frontal, diffused natural light produces the cleanest indoor result. Never use on-camera flash — it creates hard shadows on the background and washes out facial geometry. Turn off any coloured indoor light sources.

Chin and jaw position

Extend your chin slightly forward and downward — this elongates the neck and sharpens the jawline. Keep your head level: the camera must be exactly at eye height. Tilting up or down distorts the biometric head-height ratio.

Shoulder position

Keep both shoulders square to the camera. Passport standards require a straight-on stance — turned shoulders shift the perceived centre of the face and will cause the automated alignment check to fail.

Eyewear

Do not wear glasses; eyes and eyebrows must be fully visible In practice, the biometric scanner flags even minor glare invisible to the naked eye. Removing glasses before shooting is the only option that eliminates the risk entirely.

Expression and eyes

Look directly into the lens. Keep a completely neutral expression — no smile, raised eyebrows or squinting. Mouth closed and relaxed. Biometric matching calibrates against the neutral reference stored in the passport chip; any muscular movement lowers the match confidence score.

Attire and colours

Avoid white or very light tops — they merge with the white background and make the shoulder outline hard to detect. Deep solid tones work best: navy, dark teal, burgundy or charcoal. No uniforms, hats or accessories that cover the face or neck.

Beard and grooming

Groom your beard one or two days before shooting — a freshly trimmed beard photographs with the cleanest edge definition. If shaving completely, do so the morning of the shoot and apply a calming balm to reduce redness, which can alter the skin-tone map used by background removal.

Authority rejection codes

Norwegian Police publishes the following rejection codes. Knowing the exact code on your notice tells you precisely what to fix in the reshoot.

CodeReasonFix
NO-PS-01 Head height not 34.5mm Re-shoot at correct distance
NO-PS-02 Head outside 75-80% of image Re-crop tighter
NO-PS-03 Ears partially obscured by hair Re-shoot with hair tucked back
NO-PS-04 Glasses worn Re-shoot without glasses (no medical exception per Politiet)
NO-PS-05 Photo older than 6 months Re-shoot

Norway-specific things to know

Top reasons Norway passport photos get rejected

Frequently asked questions

This Norway passport preset uses 35 × 45 mm based on the official guidance available for this route. Use the 70–80% head-height profile unless the authority portal gives a more specific instruction.

Related documents

Compare

Photo rules & guides

Anfas.Pro is an independent tool and is not affiliated with any government authority. The final decision to accept or reject a document photo rests solely with the issuing authority. Requirements change — always verify on the official authority portal before submitting.