SpainSpain Schengen Visa Photo Requirements: 35 x 45 mm, White Background, Glued to the Form — What Consulates Ask
Spanish consulates ask for a recent colour passport-size photo (35 x 45 mm) on a white or light background, glued or clipped to the Schengen form.
Key points
5 points- Passport size, 35 x 45 mm; the Spanish mission in Astana lists 3.5 x 4.5 cm (or 3 x 4 cm).
- Recent colour photo on photo paper, white or light uniform background, facing forward.
- No dark or reflective glasses and no garment hiding the oval of the face.
- Washington: taken within 6 months, glued or clipped, not stapled; no dark background, no objects or people behind the head.
- BLS centres in Morocco and Algeria add their own lines: two photos, not older than 3 months (Rabat, Tangier) or a 240 x 320 px JPEG up to 120 KB (Casablanca, Algiers).
Spain does not run one central photo page for visas — each consulate and visa centre publishes its own checklist. The rules below are quoted from Spanish consulates (exteriores.gob.es) and the BLS visa centres that work for them. The core is the same everywhere: a recent colour passport photo on a light background.
What every Spanish consulate asks
- Passport size, colour, printed on photo paper (matte or glossy).
- White or light, clear, uniform background.
- Facing forward, without dark or reflective glasses, and without any garment concealing the full oval of the face.
- Glued to the application form (Los Angeles), or “glued or clipped (not stapled)” (Washington).
The Consulate in Nador asks for two recent photographs “ajustadas a los requisitos técnicos del Documento 9303 de la OACI” — that is, to the ICAO biometric standard.
Size: 35 x 45 mm
“Passport size” for a Schengen visa means 35 x 45 mm. The Spanish mission in Astana writes it out: 3.5 x 4.5 cm, and also accepts 3 x 4 cm.
What gets a photo refused in Washington
- Older than 6 months — the photo must reflect your current appearance.
- A dark background, or objects or people visible behind your head.
- Baby photos that show any part of the adult holding the child.
If you apply through BLS in Morocco or Algeria
| Centre | What it adds |
|---|---|
| Rabat, Tangier | Two photos not older than 3 months, white or off-white background, on photographic paper; one stuck on the form (not stapled), one loose. A photo booth is available at the centre. |
| Casablanca, Algiers | ICAO standard, photo under 6 months old, face 70–80 % of the frame. Digital file at least 240 x 320 px, ratio 3:4, up to 120 KB, 300 dpi, JPEG only. |
Short checklist
- 35 x 45 mm, colour, on photo paper, taken in the last 6 months (3 months in Rabat and Tangier).
- White or light plain background, nothing behind the head.
- Face forward, no dark glasses, the whole face oval visible.
- Glue or clip it to the form — do not staple.
Our Spain Schengen visa photo tool sets the 35 x 45 mm frame on a white background.
06Questions
5 answers01What size is a Spain visa photo?
Passport size, 35 x 45 mm. The Spanish mission in Astana also accepts 3 x 4 cm.
02What background colour is needed?
White or a light, clear, uniform background. A dark background is not accepted.
03Can I wear glasses?
Not dark or reflective glasses. Nothing may conceal the oval of the face.
04Can I staple the photo to the form?
No. Glue it, or clip it where the consulate allows clipping (Washington).
05How old can the photo be?
Up to 6 months (Washington, Casablanca, Algiers); BLS in Rabat and Tangier ask for no older than 3 months.
07Official sources
- Consulate General of Spain in Washington — Schengen visas
exteriores.gob.es - Consulate General of Spain in Los Angeles — Schengen visas
exteriores.gob.es - Consulate of Spain in Nador — Schengen visa requirements (PDF)
exteriores.gob.es - BLS Spain Visa Rabat — Schengen tourist visa: photograph
blsspainmorocco.com - BLS Spain Visa Algiers — tourist visa: photo specifications
algeria.blsspainvisa.com
Author: Yevhen Kravchenko. Published . Checked against official sources on .
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