head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceMinistry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain (exteriores.gob.es) — consulates
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Spain 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 — Spain visa → |
| Pose | Strictly full face, head without rotation or tilt, shoulders level. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | No dark glasses or reflections. See full rules → |
| Lighting | Shadows on the face and background not permitted. |
| Head covering | Headwear must not hide the face. |
| 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 |
Spanish short-stay (Schengen) visa photographs are checked at intake by the Spanish consulate or embassy that receives the file — in Morocco, Algeria and the USA through the outsourced centre BLS Spain Visa. There is no single Spanish photo page for every country, and the centres do not word the rule alike.
The Washington consulate asks for one recent colour passport-size photo (taken within 6 months, matte or glossy paper, white or light plain background), glued or clipped to the form but never stapled. BLS Rabat and Tangier ask for two prints not older than 3 months on a white or off-white background, one stuck to the form and one handed over loose.
BLS Casablanca and Algiers describe the ICAO standard — under 6 months, face filling 70–80 % of the frame — and, for a photo sent as a file, at least 240 × 320 px, a 3:4 ratio, up to 120 KB, 300 dpi and JPEG only. The 35 × 45 mm print size used on this page is the Schengen standard (the Spanish mission in Astana lists 3.5 × 4.5 cm, or 3 × 4 cm).
A photo that does not meet the centre's rules makes the application incomplete.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Spain 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, European Union and Cooperation of Spain (exteriores.gob.es) — consulates publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Photo older than the centre allows (3 months in Rabat and Tangier, 6 months elsewhere) | Take a new photo within the last 3 months before the appointment — it is accepted at every centre listed here. |
| Dark, patterned or cluttered background; objects or people behind the head | Stand in front of a plain white or very light wall with nothing behind you; Washington refuses dark backgrounds outright. |
| Dark or reflective glasses, or a garment hiding the oval of the face | Take off sunglasses and tinted lenses; keep the whole face visible from chin to hairline. BLS Rabat allows a head covering only for religious or ethnic reasons. |
| Photo stapled to the form, or only one print where two are required | Glue the photo in the box on the form (or use a paper clip if Washington is your consulate) and bring a second loose print to Rabat and Tangier. BLS states that photos not meeting the requirements make the application incomplete. |
| Digital photo outside the BLS limits (size in pixels, ratio, file weight or format) | Save a JPEG of at least 240 × 320 px in a 3:4 ratio, up to 120 KB and 300 dpi. BLS gives the example that 235 × 320 px is invalid. |
| Smiling, tilted head, or a face not fully visible from the front | Look straight into the camera with a neutral expression and both sides of the face visible, as BLS Rabat (full face, non-smiling) and BLS Algiers (not tilted) describe. |
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.
Spain's Schengen visa is filed in person: at the outsourced centre BLS Spain Visa in Morocco, Algeria and the USA, or at the Spanish consulate in other countries. The photo is checked at intake, and the file is incomplete if it does not meet the centre's rules.
Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier — appointment on blsspainmorocco.com
Rabat and Tangier ask for two prints, one glued to the form and one loose; a photo booth meeting the requirements is in the centre. Casablanca describes the ICAO digital specification.
Authority pageAlgiers and Oran — appointment on algeria.blsspainvisa.com
The Algiers page gives the ICAO rules and the digital limits (240 × 320 px minimum, 3:4, 120 KB, 300 dpi, JPEG). The application is presented in person at the centre.
Authority page1660 L Street NW, Suite 216, Washington DC; 5455 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1011, Los Angeles
Both consulates ask for one photo glued to the form (Washington also accepts a clip, never a staple). The Los Angeles page also covers Arizona, Colorado and Utah.
Authority pageList of missions on exteriores.gob.es
Wording differs by mission: Astana lists 3.5 × 4.5 cm (or 3 × 4 cm) glued to the form, Nador asks for two photos meeting ICAO Doc 9303. Read your mission's list before printing.
Authority pageQuestions
A recent colour photo, passport-size (35 × 45 mm is the Schengen standard), printed on photo paper, with a white or light plain background, facing forward, with a neutral expression and the whole face visible. No dark or reflective glasses, no garment hiding the oval of the face, nothing or nobody behind your head. Glue it to the form (never staple it). Centres add their own limits on age and number of prints — see the rules by centre above.
Print 35 × 45 mm (3.5 × 4.5 cm), the Schengen standard. The Spanish mission in Astana lists «3,5x4,5 ó 3x4» cm, so 3 × 4 cm is also tolerated there, but 35 × 45 mm is safe everywhere. For a file, BLS asks for a 3:4 ratio of at least 240 × 320 px (up to 120 KB, JPEG).
In Rabat and Tangier, bring two colour prints not older than 3 months on a white or off-white background, taken full face without smiling; glue one to the form and hand over the second loose. Casablanca and Algiers describe the ICAO standard: under 6 months, face filling 70–80 % of the frame, one photo glued to the form. A photo booth meeting the rules is available at the Rabat centre. Photos that do not meet the rules make the application incomplete.
It depends on the centre: BLS Rabat and Tangier say not more than 3 months, the Washington consulate and BLS Casablanca and Algiers say within 6 months. Take the photo no earlier than 3 months before the appointment and it is valid in all of them.
Yes, provided the result meets the rules above. The BLS Rabat and Tangier pages say a photo booth meeting the requirements is available at the centre. Booth prints often come as four small copies on one strip, so check the colour, the plain background and the date before you cut them.
The visa file itself still carries a printed photo glued to the form. BLS Casablanca and Algiers publish digital limits for photos sent as a file: at least 240 × 320 px, a 3:4 ratio, up to 120 KB, 300 dpi and JPEG only (PNG, BMP, TIFF and GIF are refused).
The recommended size for the Spain 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 Spain 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 dark glasses or reflections. 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.
Yes. The same 35 × 45 mm format and head size apply to: Schengen visa.