head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceSwedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) and the Embassy of Sweden in Ankara
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Sweden Schengen 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 — Sweden Schengen visa → |
| Pose | Strictly full face, head without rotation or tilt, shoulders level. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | Clear glasses only, no reflections; sunglasses prohibited. See full rules → |
| Lighting | Shadows on the face and background not permitted. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| 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 |
For a Swedish Schengen visa the Swedish Migration Agency lists «a passport-sized photograph» among the documents, with the note «This only applies if a representative applies for you. The photo must be taken straight from the front and cannot be more than six months old» — for a visit to relatives or friends, a tourist visit, a business visit and medical treatment alike. The Embassy of Sweden in Ankara lists «1 photograph taken in the last six months, 35x45 mm in size with a white background» and adds that the «photo is not needed for applicants who apply in person», because the photograph is taken at the application. A representative can apply for you if you applied for an entry visa to Sweden or another Schengen country within the past five years and gave your fingerprints then; the representative needs a power of attorney, and the application must be submitted outside Sweden. The passport must be valid for at least three months after the return, issued within the last ten years and have at least two blank pages; the travel health insurance covers at least EUR 30 000 for the whole Schengen area. No head size, expression or glasses rule is published on these pages.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Sweden Schengen 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 Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) and the Embassy of Sweden in Ankara publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A photograph older than six months | A photograph taken in the last six months. |
| A photograph that is not taken straight from the front | A photograph taken straight from the front. |
| A print that is not 35 × 45 mm or not on a white background (Embassy in Ankara) | A 35 × 45 mm photograph on a white background. |
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.
A Swedish Schengen visa is applied for at a Swedish embassy or consulate-general, or at the mission of the Schengen country that represents Sweden, outside Sweden — in person (the photograph is taken there) or through a representative with a power of attorney, who hands in the photograph.
swedenabroad.se — the page of the mission for your country
A passport-sized photograph, straight from the front, six months at most — if a representative applies.
Authority page| Authority | Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) and the Embassy of Sweden in Ankara |
|---|---|
| Source | Visiting Sweden — required documents (Schengen visa): photograph |
| Verified |
Questions
The Embassy of Sweden in Ankara names 35 × 45 mm on a white background, taken in the last six months; the Migration Agency says «passport-sized», straight from the front, not more than six months old.
The Embassy in Ankara says the photo is not needed from applicants who apply in person; the Migration Agency asks for the photograph only if a representative applies for you.
Yes, if you gave your fingerprints for a visa to Sweden or another Schengen country within the past five years: a representative with a power of attorney can submit the application outside Sweden.
The recommended size for the Sweden Schengen 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 Sweden 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.
Clear glasses only, no reflections; sunglasses prohibited. 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.
1 identical photographs, 35 × 45 mm each, taken within the last 6 months.
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.