head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceMinistry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic — Slovak embassies and consulates (mzv.sk)
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Slovakia 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 Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs has no single photo rule for the Schengen visa — every embassy writes its own line. Shanghai and Beijing ask for two colour photos of 3.5 × 4.5 cm on a white background; Ottawa for «one recent colour passport-size photograph (minimal size 3 × 3.5 cm)»; Pretoria for «1 passport size photo in colour — must not be attached to the application form»; Vienna for «a full-face colour photo conform to ICAO standards», and The Hague for a «recent full-face colour photo (passport size)». So the colour, a full face and an ICAO-style passport photo are common, while the number (one or two), the size and the white background change with the mission.
A 35 × 45 mm colour photo on a white background, taken in the last six months, face on, no headwear and no sunglasses fits the lists that give a size, and you take the number of photos and the final size from the list of the mission or visa centre that takes your application.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Slovakia 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 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic — Slovak embassies and consulates (mzv.sk) publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A black-and-white photo, or a photo that is not a full face | A colour photo with the full face. |
| The wrong number of photos for the mission (one where two are asked, or two where one is asked), or a photo attached where the mission says not to | Bring the number of photos the mission names and attach one only if the mission asks. |
| A background that is not white where the mission asks for white (Shanghai, Beijing) | A white background where the list says so. |
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 Slovak Schengen visa is applied for at a Slovak embassy or consulate or its visa application centre, with the form, the photo or photos as the mission lists them, the passport, insurance and the supporting documents.
mzv.sk — the visa page of the Slovak mission that covers your country
One or two colour photos as the mission lists them; 3.5 × 4.5 cm on white in Shanghai and Beijing.
Authority page| Authority | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic — Slovak embassies and consulates (mzv.sk) |
|---|---|
| Source | EU Schengen visa / biometric photo practice |
| Verified |
Questions
They depend on the Slovak mission: two colour photos of 3.5 × 4.5 cm on a white background (Shanghai, Beijing), one colour passport-size photo of at least 3 × 3.5 cm (Ottawa), one colour photo not attached to the form (Pretoria), a full-face colour photo that follows ICAO standards (Vienna).
There is no single size: 3.5 × 4.5 cm in Shanghai and Beijing, at least 3 × 3.5 cm in Ottawa; other missions say «passport size» or ICAO standards.
Two in Shanghai and Beijing, one in Ottawa, Pretoria, Vienna and The Hague — follow your own mission.
Yes: every mission page read asks for a colour photo, and most ask for a full face.
The recommended size for the Slovakia 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 Slovakia 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.