head 64–76 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceFederal Office of Police fedpol (Swiss Confederation) and ch.ch
Verified
Quick answer: A Switzerland passport photo must be 35 × 45 mm. 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 .
Requirements
| Format | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 64–76% of photo heightICAO 9303: 70–80% |
| Head height (mm) | 29–34 mm chin to crownICAO 9303: 32–36 mm |
| 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. |
| 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 Swiss passport photograph is set out on a sample sheet from fedpol, the Federal Office of Police: an image of 35 × 45 mm without a border, with the face measuring 29–34 mm from chin to crown (at least 23 mm for children under 11), not older than one year, on a single-colour, uniform, neutral background without shadows and with a clear separation between background and head. The expression is neutral with the mouth closed — a friendly expression is expressly allowed — both eyes open at the same height and clearly visible, the head straight with the nose on the vertical centre line, shoulders straight.
Glasses are allowed only if the frames do not cover the eyes and the lenses do not reflect; tinted lenses and sunglasses are not. Head coverings are not allowed except for proven medical or religious reasons, with the face visible from the lower edge of the chin to the hairline.
The photo must be on smooth, unstructured photo paper with no creases, no rounded corners and no visible pixel structure. In practice ch.ch says the picture is usually taken at the passport office together with the other biometric data, while some cantons let you bring your own photo.
Examples and mistakes
A photo that will be accepted, next to the six most common reasons Switzerland passport photos get rejected.
Typical reasons a photo is rejected under the rules Federal Office of Police fedpol (Swiss Confederation) and ch.ch publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Overexposure, lack of contrast, face too small | Use even, contrasty light and keep the face 29–34 mm high from chin to crown. |
| Open mouth or a non-neutral expression; hand in the face; eyes closed; gaze to the side; not frontal | Face the camera squarely, eyes open, mouth closed, nothing in front of the face. |
| Frames covering the eyes, reflections on the lenses, hair over the face | Keep the eyes clear of frames and reflections, or take the glasses off; tie the hair back. |
| Non-neutral background, shadows on the face or behind the head, a background too light | Stand in front of a single-colour neutral background with a clear contrast to the head and no shadows. |
| Head covering, headband or hair band; another person or an object in the picture | Remove head coverings (exceptions only for medical or religious reasons) and keep the picture to one person. |
| Rounded corners, creases or dirt, visible pixel structure, a textured paper surface | Print on smooth photo paper (glossy or semi-matt), cut square and keep it clean. |
How to take it
Background: plain neutral
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: 64–76 % of the photo height (29–34 mm)
Camera at eye level, about a metre away; head and shoulders in the shot. The tool crops it to 35 × 45 mm.
Glasses only if 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 Swiss passport is applied for at the cantonal passport office (or the Swiss representation abroad), where the biometric data and usually the photograph are taken; your own photograph is accepted only in some cantons, under their conditions.
Book through your canton, listed on schweizerpass.admin.ch and ch.ch
Photo usually taken at the office; some cantons accept your own photo or a USB stick.
Authority page| Authority | Federal Office of Police fedpol (Swiss Confederation) and ch.ch |
|---|---|
| Source | Swiss accepted photos for passports and identity cards |
| Verified |
Questions
35 × 45 mm without a border, face 29–34 mm from chin to crown, not older than 1 year, a single-colour uniform neutral background without shadows, neutral expression with the mouth closed (a friendly expression is allowed), both eyes open and visible, no head covering except for proven medical or religious reasons, no uniform, on smooth photo paper.
35 × 45 mm without a border, according to the fedpol sample sheet; the face must measure at least 29 mm and at most 34 mm from chin to crown, and at least 23 mm for children under 11.
Yes, slightly: the fedpol sheet says the expression must be neutral with the mouth closed, but adds that a friendly expression is allowed. An open mouth is a reason to refuse the photo.
Yes, if the frames do not cover the eyes and the lenses do not reflect. Tinted lenses and sunglasses are not allowed, except darkened lenses for the visually impaired.
Usually not: according to ch.ch the picture is normally taken at the same time as the other biometric data at the cantonal office or the Swiss representation abroad. Some cantons let you use your own photo or one on a USB stick under their own conditions.
The Switzerland passport photo must be 35 × 45 mm. The head must occupy 64–76% of the photo height.
Uniform neutral background without shadows or foreign objects. 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.
Yes. A phone and a light wall near a window are enough. The rear camera is sharper than the front one, so ask someone to take the photo or use a 3-second timer. The tool crops it to size, fixes the background and checks it against the Switzerland passport photo rules.
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 Switzerland 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: driver's license, national visa (Type D), Schengen visa, visa.