Photo for a France visa and residence permit for Ukrainians (2026)

For any French document — a Schengen visa, a long-stay visa (visa de long séjour) or a residence permit (titre de séjour) — a single photo standard applies: an image of 35×45 mm, with a face 32–36 mm high, on a plain light background. This is the rule of the French government (service-public.gouv.fr), which complies with the ICAO/ISO biometric standard. Below are the exact parameters and where Ukrainians should submit their documents in 2026.

Photo requirements

• Size: 35×45 mm (3.5×4.5 cm), portrait orientation.
• Face height: 32–36 mm (3.2–3.6 cm) from chin to crown — that is 70–80% of the frame height.
• Space above the head: approximately 2–6 mm (an estimate based on the face proportion of 70–80% of the frame; French rules do not set it separately).
• Background: plain and light — light grey or light blue. A pure white background is not accepted.
• Facial expression: neutral, mouth closed, eyes open, looking straight at the camera.
• Head: straight, without tilt; the face uncovered, with hair not covering the eyes.
• Glasses: permitted only with thin frames, without tinted or coloured lenses and without glare; the safest option is to remove the glasses. Sunglasses are prohibited.
• Headwear: not permitted (except for justified religious reasons, in which case the face must be fully visible).
• Recency: the photo taken less than 6 months ago.
• Colour: a colour photo is strongly recommended; even lighting without shadows or glare.

Where to submit

• Schengen and long-stay visa: the application is registered on the France-Visas portal, and the documents and photo are submitted at a visa centre — depending on the country this is VFS Global or TLScontact. In most cases two identical paper photos are required, glued or attached to the form.
• Residence permit (titre de séjour): for many categories the application is submitted online via the ANEF platform. Instead of paper photos you enter a 22-character digital ePhoto code obtained at a certified booth (photomaton) or from an ANTS-accredited photographer. The code is valid for 6 months and is used for a single procedure only. The remaining cases are handled by the prefecture of your place of residence.

Why photos are rejected

• A white or coloured/uneven background, shadows behind the head.
• A face too large or too small (the 32–36 mm limits breached).
• A smile, an open mouth, closed or squinting eyes.
• Glare on glasses, thick frames, tinted lenses.
• An old photo (over 6 months), reuse of a previous one.
• Uneven lighting, shadows on the face, an image that is too dark or overexposed.
• A tilted head, hair over the eyes, headwear.

How to prepare the photo

Take a full-face photo in even daylight against a light grey or light blue wall, without shadows. Keep your head straight, look at the camera, close your mouth, and it is best to remove glasses. Check that the face occupies 70–80% of the frame and fits within 32–36 mm. For a residence permit, obtain an ePhoto code at an accredited ANTS booth. Before submitting, make sure the photo is recent (less than 6 months) and the background is plain and light.