head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceGov.pl / MSWiA
Verified
Quick answer: A Poland ID card photo must be 35 × 45 mm. Uniform light background with even lighting. 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 | Uniform light background with even lighting. |
| Pose | Strictly full face position, maintaining vertical symmetry. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | No dark glasses; eyebrows and pupils must be clearly visible. See full rules → |
| Lighting | Shadows, overexposure, and reflections not permitted. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| Attire | Face from the crown to the upper part of the shoulders must be fully visible. |
| Digital resolution | Minimum 492 × 633 px |
| File format | JPEG · sRGB / 24-bit |
| File size | max 2.5 MB Compress photo to 2 MB — Poland ID card → |
| 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 |
Poland ID card (dowód osobisty) photos are administered through gov.pl by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration (MSWiA). The format is a 35 × 45 mm colour photo in which the face occupies 70-80% of the frame, showing the whole head from the crown plus the upper shoulders; gov.pl publishes no millimetre head height and no head-margin figure for this document.
Background white, evenly lit, free of shadows and decorative elements, with only the applicant in the picture. Photo no earlier than 6 months before the application, sharp, naturally contrasted, reproducing natural skin colour.
For an online application the file must be at least 492 × 633 px and no larger than 2.5 MB, keeping the proportion of a 35 × 45 mm photo — that is a minimum, not a fixed size; applying at an office you bring a printed 35 × 45 mm photo instead. Corrective glasses are allowed if the eyes are clearly visible, the frames do not cover the eyebrows and the lenses do not reflect light; dark lenses only with a disability certificate.
Contact lenses are allowed only if they do not change the natural shape or colour of the eyes. Polish photo booths are calibrated to produce the correct format.
Religious head covering is allowed with a certificate from a religious community registered in Poland, and the whole face oval and the ear line must stay uncovered.
Examples and mistakes
A photo that will be accepted, next to the six most common reasons Poland ID card photos get rejected.
Common reasons a document photo is rejected, checked against the requirements Gov.pl / MSWiA publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Online file below 492 × 633 px or over 2.5 MB | Re-export at 492 × 633 px or larger, under 2.5 MB, keeping the 35 × 45 proportion |
| Tinted glasses or frame covering eyes | Re-shoot without glasses or with thin clear-lens frame |
| Religious head covering without community certificate | Submit certificate from registered religious community |
| Photo older than 6 months | Re-shoot |
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: 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.
| Authority | Gov.pl / MSWiA |
|---|---|
| Source | Polish passport and ID photo rules |
| Verified |
Questions
The Poland ID card photo must be 35 × 45 mm. The head must occupy 70–80% of the photo height. The photo should look like you do day to day.
Uniform light background with even lighting. A plain, evenly lit wall without shadows or pattern is enough — the tool sets the required background colour.
Yes. Stand against a plain light wall facing a window, and take the photo with a timer or ask someone to help. The tool crops it to size, fixes the background and checks the framing.
For this document the photo must be no older than 6 months. If your hair, beard or face has changed noticeably since then, take a new one.
No dark glasses; eyebrows and pupils must be clearly visible. If you keep them on, tilt them slightly downwards by lifting the arms a little above your ears: this usually moves reflections of a window or lamp off the lenses.
We refund the payment in full. Email us within 14 days of purchase with your order number and the rejection notice from the Poland authority.
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: passport.