head 64–76 %
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SourceSwiss embassies (FDFA) and VFS Global visa centres — Schengen visa checklists
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Switzerland Schengen visa photo size is 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 |
For a Swiss Schengen visa (type C) the photo rule is written on the checklist of the office where you apply — a Swiss embassy or its VFS Global centre — and the lists read here agree on one recent print, taken within the last six months, on a white or light background. Where they differ is the size and the number of copies: Dhaka asks for one ICAO-compliant colour photo, 35 × 45 mm, white or light background, no shadows; India wants one passport-size picture on a white background, 35–40 mm wide, «not copied or scanned», pasted on the application form — stapled or pinned pictures cannot be accepted; the UAE list asks for 3.5 × 4.5 cm on a light background, glued on the form, with head covers only for religious reasons and the face fully visible; Tanzania asks for a plain white background, 36 mm wide and 47 mm high, with 32–36 mm from chin to top of the head; Kosovo says «one colour photograph, passport size, matching ICAO specifications», and the Embassy in Senegal asks for two recent identical passport-type photographs on a white background «for our archive».
A 35 × 45 mm ICAO photograph on a plain white background fits most of these lists, but the width is 36 mm or 3.5 × 4.5 cm in some, so read yours.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Switzerland 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 Swiss embassies (FDFA) and VFS Global visa centres — Schengen visa checklists publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A size that is not the one of the office list (35 × 45 mm, 3.5 × 4.5 cm, 36 × 47 mm or 35–40 mm wide) | Read your office's checklist and print the size it states. |
| A photo older than six months | Take a new photo within six months before applying. |
| A background that is not white or light, or one with shadows | Use a plain white background and even light. |
| A stapled, pinned, copied or scanned picture where a print is pasted on the form | Paste a real print on the form as the list says. |
| One photo where the office asks for two identical ones | Bring the number of identical prints the list states. |
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 Schengen visa is applied for at the Swiss representation for your country or at its service provider (VFS Global in India and the UAE); the application form is filled in online or on paper and the printed photo is pasted on it.
The VFS Global Switzerland page of your country, with the checklist for your visa type
One photo within six months, glued on the form; 3.5 × 4.5 cm in the UAE, 35–40 mm wide in India.
Authority pageThe country page on eda.admin.ch with the visa checklist
One photo within six months (two identical in Senegal); 35 × 45 mm in Dhaka, 36 × 47 mm in Tanzania.
Authority page| Authority | Swiss embassies (FDFA) and VFS Global visa centres — Schengen visa checklists |
|---|---|
| Source | Swiss accepted photos for passports and identity cards |
| Verified |
Questions
One recent photo taken within six months on a white or light background, ICAO-compliant and in colour, with the face fully visible; the size and the number of copies are written on the checklist of the office where you apply — 35 × 45 mm in Dhaka, 3.5 × 4.5 cm in the UAE, 36 × 47 mm in Tanzania, 35–40 mm wide in India.
One on the lists of Dhaka, India, the UAE, Tanzania and Kosovo; two recent identical photographs on a white background at the Embassy in Senegal.
In India and the UAE yes: the print is pasted or glued on the application form, and in India stapled, pinned, copied or scanned pictures are refused.
Only for religious reasons, with the face fully visible — this is the wording of the UAE list and of the South Africa leaflet of the Swiss representation.
The recommended size for the Switzerland Schengen visa photo is 35 × 45 mm. The head occupies 64–76% of the photo height. Many consulates also require a specific digital file size — see the spec table above for full details.
Uniform neutral background without shadows or foreign objects. The background must be evenly lit with no shadow gradients, especially around the head. Consular automated pre-screening rejects photos with any wall texture 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 Switzerland 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.
Glasses permitted only if eyes are fully visible and there are no 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.
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), passport, visa.