head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceSwedish Police Authority (Polismyndigheten)
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Sweden passport photo size is 35 × 45 mm. Photo is usually taken at the authority on site; if a preparatory file is needed, use a neutral plain light background without shadows. 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 | Photo is usually taken at the authority on site; if a preparatory file is needed, use a neutral plain light background without shadows. |
| Pose | Full face, head centred, no tilt or rotation. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | Eyes must be fully visible; no tinted lenses or strong reflections. See full rules → |
| Lighting | Shadows, overexposure, and reflections not permitted. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| Attire | Neutral clothing 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 |
In Sweden you bring no photograph for a passport or national ID card: the Police say the «photographing for passports and national ID cards takes place at the time of application at the police passport offices», which gives good quality and rules out someone using another person's photo to get a passport illegally — and it is the same for children («must I bring a photo of my child? No, the photographing takes place at the passport office»).
The digital image the police take must meet regulation PMFS 2021:3, chapter 2, section 1: the face straight from the front, the whole head visible and centred in the picture; a relaxed, neutral expression; a light background and an evenly lit face with no shadows or other disturbing elements in the background; the pupils clearly visible, with dark glasses only for medical reasons and no reflections in the glasses; the gaze towards the lens of the camera (exceptions for infants and for applicants who medically cannot); and no headwear — except for someone who wears it daily for religious or other special reasons, and even then it must not cover or shade the face. An annex to the regulation shows example photographs of what is and is not approved.
The passport and the national ID card carry a chip with the personal data, the photograph and the fingerprints. No size in millimetres is published, because the police take the picture.
Examples and mistakes
A photo that will be accepted, next to the six most common reasons Sweden passport photos get rejected.
Typical reasons a photo is rejected under the rules Swedish Police Authority (Polismyndigheten) publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A head not straight to the camera or not centred, an expression that is not relaxed and neutral | Face the camera straight with the whole head in the frame and a neutral expression. |
| Dark glasses (without a medical reason), reflections in the glasses, or pupils that are not clearly visible | Take off dark glasses; use clear lenses without reflections, or none. |
| Headwear without a daily religious or other special reason, or headwear that covers or shades the face | Remove headwear; religious headwear must leave the face uncovered and unshaded. |
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 Swedish passport or national ID card is applied for in person at a police passport office, where the police take the photograph, the fingerprints and the signature; you bring identification, not a photo.
polisen.se — passport and national ID card; book a time at your nearest passport office
No photo to bring, for children too.
Authority page| Authority | Swedish Police Authority (Polismyndigheten) |
|---|---|
| Source | Swedish passport and national ID card application guidance |
| Verified |
Questions
You bring no photo: the police take it at the passport office. It must be straight from the front with the whole head visible and centred, a relaxed neutral expression, a light background, even light without shadows, pupils clearly visible, no dark or reflecting glasses and no headwear except for daily religious or other special reasons, never covering or shading the face.
No: the police say the photographing takes place at the application at the police passport offices, which guarantees quality and rules out the use of someone else's photo; the same applies to children.
Yes if the pupils are clearly visible and there are no reflections in the glasses; dark glasses only when required for medical reasons.
No size is published, because the police take the digital image at the application; the regulation PMFS 2021:3 only sets the pose, expression, background (light), glasses and headwear.
The recommended size for the Sweden passport photo is 35 × 45 mm. The head occupies 70–80% of the photo height.
Photo is usually taken at the authority on site; if a preparatory file is needed, use a neutral plain light background without shadows. Behind you there should be only a plain wall: no pattern, shadows or objects. Any light wall at home will do — the tool sets the exact background colour.
Most passport offices ask for a photo taken within the last six months. It should look like you today: after a new haircut or beard, take a new one.
We refund the payment in full. Email us within 14 days of purchase with your order number and the rejection notice from the Sweden authority — the refund policy page has the details.
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: national ID card, residence card.