Quick answer: A Switzerland id card photo must be 35 × 45 mm with uniform neutral background without shadows or foreign objects. Head occupies 64–76% of photo height (29–34 mm chin to crown). Neutral expression, glasses only if no glare. Last verified .
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| Format | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 64–76% of photo height |
| Head height (mm) | 29–34 mm chin to crown |
| Background | Uniform neutral background without shadows or foreign objects. |
| Pose | Full face, shoulders level, face directed directly into the camera. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | Glasses permitted only if eyes are fully visible and there are no reflections. See full rules → |
| Lighting | No shadows on face and background, no overexposure or print artefacts. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| Attire | No uniform; head covering permitted only for officially recognised exceptions. |
| Digital resolution | Check the authority portal before digital upload |
| File format | JPEG · sRGB / 24-bit |
| File size | Check the authority portal before upload |
Switzerland national ID card (Identitätskarte / Carte d'identité) photos are administered by **fedpol** through commune of residence offices. The format is 35×45mm with head 29-34mm (same NARROWER Swiss spec as passport). UNIQUE among Swiss documents: the ID card accepts EITHER color OR black-and-white photo (the Swiss passport requires color only). 5mm top-of-head margin, light grey background. Some communes accept digital photos or capture photos on-site; varies by canton. New biometric ID card with chip rolling out from November 2025.
| Authority | fedpol / Swiss Confederation |
|---|---|
| Source | Swiss accepted photos for passports and identity cards |
| Verified | |
| Confidence | Official — exact |
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Switzerland id card applications. The final decision always belongs to fedpol / Swiss Confederation, but these are the differences that most often determine whether a document photo is accepted.
Upload a portrait — the tool crops, removes the background and checks compliance against the 35 × 45 mm rule automatically.
Stand 1–2 metres from a light-coloured wall. Uniform neutral background without shadows or foreign objects. The photo will be printed on a card and viewed many times — any background imperfection is amplified at the small print size of an ID card.
Face a window for diffused natural light. Even illumination prevents shadows under the chin or beside the nose that look minor in preview but become prominent at card-print scale.
Camera at eye level, head straight, looking directly at the lens. Identity cards are checked at banks, polling stations and government offices over a 5–10 year validity — submit a photo that will still match in years to come.
Square shoulders, both visible in the frame, head and shoulders centred. Switzerland ID cards typically print the photo at a small fixed size — proportions matter more than absolute pixel resolution.
Glasses permitted only if eyes are fully visible and there are no reflections Identity cards have long validity periods. Removing glasses for the shoot prevents glare-related re-verification problems years from now.
Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. Identity cards must show your natural everyday appearance — neither a stylised portrait nor a candid photo. Imagine you are renewing a library card.
Dress as you would on a normal day. Avoid white or pale tops against light backgrounds. Solid dark colours work best. Religious head covering is allowed only where consistently worn in daily life and supported by your application.
The photo must reflect your current appearance. If your hair, beard or weight has changed significantly since you would naturally have a recent photo of yourself, take a new one for the application.
fedpol / Swiss Confederation publishes the following rejection codes. Knowing the exact code on your notice tells you precisely what to fix in the reshoot.
| Code | Reason | Fix |
|---|---|---|
CH-ID-01 |
Head outside 29-34mm | Re-shoot — Swiss narrower range |
CH-ID-02 |
Top-of-head margin not 5mm | Re-crop to fedpol exact spec |
CH-ID-03 |
White background (LIGHT GREY required) | Re-shoot against light grey backdrop |
CH-ID-04 |
Photo older than 6 months | Re-shoot |
Uniform neutral background without shadows or foreign objects is required. Identity cards print the photo at a small size — minor background colour issues become more visible at print scale than they appeared in the digital preview.
Head must be straight and centred. Even slight tilts fail the ICAO alignment check used by modern Switzerland ID card biometric systems.
ID cards must show your current everyday appearance. Significant changes to hair, beard, weight or facial features since the photo was taken cause rejection at the in-person submission stage.
Both eyes must be fully visible and clearly open. Glasses glare, hair across one eye, or shadow under the brow ridge all trigger rejection.
Identity card photos use the same biometric standard as passports — neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open and looking at the lens. Any smile or expression change causes rejection.
Blur, overexposure, low resolution or JPEG compression artefacts cause rejection. The card-printing system requires a minimum resolution on the shortest side — see the spec table above.
Even a small shadow gradient on the wall behind the subject — caused by the subject standing too close to the wall — fails the automated background uniformity check.
The Switzerland id card photo must be 35 × 45 mm. The head must occupy 64–76% of the photo height. The photo must reflect your current everyday appearance.
Uniform neutral background without shadows or foreign objects. Identity cards are used frequently in daily life — for banking, age verification and domestic travel — so the photo is scrutinised many times and minor background issues become more visible at print scale.
Yes. Stand against a flat light-coloured wall, face a window for even natural light, and use a phone with a timer. The tool handles the crop, background normalisation and ICAO alignment check automatically.
Identity card photos generally need to reflect your current appearance. Most authorities accept photos taken within the last six months, but significant changes to hair, beard or facial features since the photo was taken may require a new one.
Glasses permitted only if eyes are fully visible and there are no reflections. Removing glasses for the shoot is the safest option, especially given the long validity period of most identity cards. Glare that passes today may fail re-verification at a future biometric checkpoint.
Anfas.Pro provides a 14-day full refund if the Switzerland authority rejects the photo and you supply the rejection notice. The refund covers the €4.99 download fee in full.
Anfas.Pro is an independent tool and is not affiliated with any government authority. The final decision to accept or reject a document photo rests solely with the issuing authority. Requirements change — always verify on the official authority portal before submitting.