PortugalPortugal Visa Photo Requirements: 35 x 45 mm, White Background, Face 70–80 %, Digital 240x320 px, 120 KB
Portugal asks for one passport-type photo: colour, 35 x 45 mm, white or light background, under 6 months. VFS UAE wants a 240 x 320 px JPEG up to 120 KB.
In this article · 5 sections
Key points
5 points- Portugal’s Foreign Ministry lists «one passport-type photograph» for a short-stay Schengen visa.
- VFS USA: a recent colour photo, 35 x 45 mm, light (white or off-white) background, not more than 6 months old, stuck on the form.
- BLS Morocco and VFS UAE: face 70–80 % of the photo, white or light plain background.
- VFS UAE digital file: at least 240 x 320 px, 3:4, up to 120 KB, 300 dpi, JPEG only.
- No sunglasses; head covering only for religious reasons; thick frames best avoided.
For a short-stay Schengen visa Portugal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists “one passport-type photograph” next to the form, the passport, the return booking and travel insurance. The details of that photo are in the checklists of the visa centres that take applications for Portugal — VFS Global and BLS International. They agree on the basics and differ in small things.
The basics
- Colour, 35 x 45 mm, recent — not more than 6 months old.
- White or light (off-white) plain background; dark, busy or patterned backgrounds are not accepted (VFS Nigeria).
- Full face, looking straight into the lens, eyes open, mouth closed, not smiling.
- Printed on photographic paper and stuck on the application form.
Differences between visa centres
| Centre | What it adds |
|---|---|
| VFS USA | 35 x 45 mm, light background, no sunglasses, hat or head covering unless for religious belief or ethnic background. The US checklist PDF writes “not more than 5 months old”. If the photo fails, new photos are taken in the booth at the centre. |
| BLS Morocco | Face 70–80 % of the photo, white background, no ink marks or creases, high-quality paper; thick frames best avoided. The centre may refuse the whole file if the photo does not follow the rules. |
| VFS UAE | ICAO norm, plain light background, face 70–80 %. Digital image: at least 240 x 320 px (235 x 320 is invalid), 3:4, up to 120 KB, 300 dpi, JPEG only. |
| VFS Nigeria | Face about 60–70 % of the photo, white background only, crown to chin shown, ears preferably visible. |
| VFS Goa (D2 visa) | 2 photos, white background, under 6 months, 35–40 mm wide; one pasted on the form, one clipped to the passport; no staples or pins. |
If you upload a digital photo
Check the size before you upload: the UAE checklist treats 235 x 320 px as invalid and sets a 120 KB ceiling. A 3:4 JPEG of 240 x 320 px or larger, saved under 120 KB, meets it.
Our Portugal visa photo tool makes a 35 x 45 mm photo on a white background and a file you can upload.
04Questions
5 answers01What size is a Portugal visa photo?
35 x 45 mm, in colour. VFS Goa writes 35–40 mm wide for the D2 visa.
02How many photos do I need?
One for a short-stay Schengen visa (Foreign Ministry list); VFS Goa asks for two for the D2 visa.
03What are the digital photo limits?
VFS UAE: at least 240 x 320 px, 3:4, up to 120 KB, 300 dpi, JPEG only.
04What background colour?
White or light (off-white), plain. Dark, busy or patterned backgrounds are not accepted.
05What happens if my photo is wrong?
VFS USA treats the application as incomplete and takes new photos in the booth; BLS Morocco may refuse the whole file.
05Official sources
- Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Schengen short-stay visa: supporting documents
vistos.mne.gov.pt - VFS Global — Portugal visa information, USA
vfsglobal.com - VFS Global — Portugal visa information, UAE (photo specifications)
vfsglobal.com - BLS International — Portugal Schengen visa in Morocco (photo specifications)
blsinternational.com
Author: Yevhen Kravchenko. Published . Checked against official sources on .
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Make your photo to the current rules
Pick your document and upload a selfie — we crop it to size, replace the background and check it. Free. The sizes come from the same official sources as the news.