head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourcePortuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its visa centres (BLS, VFS Global)
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Portugal visa photo size is 35 × 45 mm. Plain light 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 light background. |
| Pose | Full face, head centred, no tilt. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | No tinting or reflections; eyes must be fully visible. See full rules → |
| Lighting | No shadows on the face or background. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| Attire | Neutral clothing, without unnecessary 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 |
The Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists «one passport-type photograph» for a short-stay Schengen visa and leaves the details to the embassy or consulate and the service provider in your country. Those details are quite consistent: a colour photo of 35 × 45 mm (VFS Global USA: «35mmx45mm»; BLS Morocco: «3,5 x 4,5 cm»), taken within the last six months, on a plain white or light background, with the face taking up 70–80 % of the picture.
BLS Morocco spells out the rest — sharp and bright with good contrast, no ink marks or creases, printed in colour on high-quality, high-resolution paper, looking straight into the lens, the face clear of hair, eyes open and mouth closed, no shadows or red-eye, no head covering except a religious one, and thick-framed glasses best avoided — and warns that the centre may refuse the whole file if the photo breaks these rules. The print goes on the application form (VFS USA: «stick the photograph on the Visa Application Form»).
The number differs: one at the ministry and VFS USA, two at BLS Morocco and in India.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Portugal 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 Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its visa centres (BLS, VFS Global) publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Size or share of the face off the standard (35 × 45 mm, face at 70–80 %) | Print 35 × 45 mm with the head and shoulders filling the frame so that the face takes 70–80 %. |
| Background not white or light, or with shadows | Use a plain white background, evenly lit, with no shadow on the face. |
| Photo older than six months (five on one checklist) | Take a new photo shortly before applying, within five months to be safe. |
| Head covering that is not religious, sunglasses, thick-framed glasses, or red-eye and shadows | Remove hats and sunglasses, avoid heavy frames, and light the face evenly without flash glare. |
| Smiling, mouth open, eyes not open, or looking away from the lens | Look straight into the lens with a neutral face, eyes open and mouth closed, hair clear of the face. |
| A print with creases or ink marks, low resolution, or a digital file that is too small or not JPEG | Print in colour on high-quality paper at 300 dpi and keep it flat; for a digital image use JPEG of at least 240 × 320 pixels at 3 × 4 and no more than 120 KB. |
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.
A Portuguese Schengen visa is applied for through the Portuguese embassy or consulate that covers your country of residence, usually at the visa application centre it names (BLS International in Morocco, VFS Global in the USA, the UAE, Nigeria and India). The form is signed by you and the photo is stuck on it before the file is handed in.
Book on the BLS International site for Portugal in Morocco; the embassy in Rabat lists two identical white-background photos for the worker route
Two colour photos, 3.5 × 4.5 cm, white background, not older than 6 months, face at 70–80 %; the centre may refuse the whole file if the photo breaks the rules.
Authority pageThe centre that has jurisdiction over your place of residence; the USA page says every application is made in person
USA: one recent colour photo 35 × 45 mm on a white or off-white background, stuck on the form; if it fails, a new one is taken in the centre's booth.
Authority page| Authority | Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its visa centres (BLS, VFS Global) |
|---|---|
| Source | Schengen short-stay visa: supporting documents (vistos.mne.gov.pt) |
| Verified |
Questions
A recent colour photo of 35 × 45 mm, taken within the last six months, on a plain white (or light) background, with the face at 70–80 % of the picture. Look straight into the lens with a neutral face, eyes open and mouth closed; no hat except a religious one, no sunglasses, thick frames best avoided, and no shadows or red-eye. It is printed in colour on high-quality paper, with no creases, and stuck on the visa application form.
Yes. VFS Global USA names a colour photograph of 35 mm × 45 mm and the BLS checklist for Morocco 3.5 × 4.5 cm — the same size. The BLS photo specification writes «width 35 to 45 mm» and the Goa checklist 35–40 mm in width; the face should take 70–80 % of the picture. For an online upload, the VFS page for the UAE gives at least 240 × 320 pixels in a 3 × 4 proportion, no more than 120 KB, 300 dpi, JPEG only.
White. BLS Morocco says «the background must be white», the Embassy in Rabat lists photos on a white background, Nigeria asks for only a white background, and VFS USA accepts light (white or off-white). Use a plain white background lit evenly, with no shadows and no pattern.
It depends on the place of application. The Portuguese ministry and VFS USA ask for one photograph; BLS Morocco lists two colour photographs of 3.5 × 4.5 cm on a white background (the embassy in Rabat says one is glued on the form); the Goa checklist for the national visa asks for two, one pasted on the application and one clipped to the passport. Take one extra print to be safe.
Sunglasses are not allowed (VFS USA), and BLS Morocco asks you to avoid thick-framed glasses; whatever you wear must leave the eyes open, clear and free of glare or shadow. Do not smile: VFS USA asks for a non-smiling full face, and BLS asks for eyes open and mouth closed. Head coverings are forbidden except religious ones, provided the face stays visible.
The recommended size for the Portugal 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 light 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 Portugal 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.
No tinting or reflections; eyes must be fully visible. 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.