head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceNorwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) and the Royal Norwegian embassies (norway.no)
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Norway visa photo size is 35 × 45 mm. Plain white background. 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 white background. Make photo background white — Norway visa → |
| Pose | Strictly full face, head without rotation or tilt, shoulders level. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | Clear glasses only, no reflections; sunglasses prohibited. See full rules → |
| Lighting | Shadows on the face and background not permitted. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| Attire | Neutral clothing, shoulders visible, 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 Norwegian Schengen visa, the Directorate of Immigration (UDI) says you do not need to bring a photo: the police or the foreign service mission takes a picture of you when you arrive for your appointment, and this applies to everyone, children included. The picture must meet the same requirements as facial photographs in passports and national ID cards: your face as it looks today, both eyes, both eyebrows and both ears entirely visible, the eyes directed at the lens, a neutral expression with the mouth closed, the face and the background evenly lit, taken from the front, and no glasses or headgear — religious or medical headgear is allowed if it does not cover any part of the face; scarves, bags and outerwear are removed.
Some Royal Norwegian embassy checklists still ask for a printed photograph: Algeria (2026) «one photograph glued to the application form, not older than 6 months, white background, 35 × 45 mm», Nigeria «one passport photo not older than six months, white background, 3.5 × 4.5 cm». Check the list of your mission before you print.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Norway 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 Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) and the Royal Norwegian embassies (norway.no) publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Glasses or headgear worn at the appointment, or ears and eyebrows hidden by hair | Take glasses and headgear off and tuck the hair away from ears and eyebrows. |
| A non-neutral expression, an open mouth, or eyes not toward the lens | Look at the lens with a neutral expression and the mouth closed. |
| A printed photo (where a list asks for one) that is not 35 × 45 mm, not white-backed, or older than six months | Print a fresh 35 × 45 mm photograph on a white background. |
| Uneven light, shadows on the face or the background | Use even light on the face and the background. |
How to take it
Background: plain white
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 Norwegian Schengen visa is applied for through the UDI application portal (my.udi.no), then the form and documents are handed in at the Norwegian embassy or visa centre of your country, where the photograph is taken at the appointment unless the list asks for a print.
my.udi.no — book the appointment at the mission or visa centre that covers you
Photo taken at the appointment; embassy lists may ask one 35 × 45 mm print on white.
Authority page| Authority | Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) and the Royal Norwegian embassies (norway.no) |
|---|---|
| Source | Checklist for Schengen visa — Nigeria: documents for all applicants (photograph) |
| Verified |
Questions
UDI says no: the police or the foreign service mission takes your picture at the appointment, for everyone including children. Some embassy checklists (Algeria 2026, Nigeria) still ask for one printed photograph, so check your mission's list.
The passport and ID-card rules: your face as it looks today, from the front, both eyes, both eyebrows and both ears entirely visible, eyes toward the lens, a neutral expression with the mouth closed, even light on face and background, no glasses or headgear. Where a print is asked: 35 × 45 mm, white background, not older than 6 months.
Where a printed photo is asked, 35 × 45 mm (written 3.5 × 4.5 cm in Nigeria); UDI gives no size because the photo is taken at the appointment.
No: UDI says glasses and headgear are not to be worn; headgear for religious or special reasons is allowed if it covers no part of the face.
The recommended size for the Norway visa photo is 35 × 45 mm. The head occupies 70–80% of the photo height. Many consulates also require a specific digital file size — see the spec table above for full details.
Plain white 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 or off-white shade 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 Norway 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.
Clear glasses only, no reflections; sunglasses prohibited. 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.
1 identical photographs, 35 × 45 mm each, taken within the last 6 months.
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: Schengen visa.