SwitzerlandSwitzerland Schengen Visa Photo Requirements: 35 x 45 mm ICAO Photo, Light Background, Pasted Not Stapled
Swiss embassies ask for one ICAO photo under 6 months old, 35 x 45 mm, on a white or light background, pasted on the visa form — not stapled.
Key points
5 points- One recent photo, taken within the last 6 months, ICAO-compliant, in colour, with no shadows.
- Size 35 x 45 mm (Dhaka, UAE); India and South Africa write 35–40 mm wide; Tanzania 36 x 47 mm with a 32–36 mm head.
- White or light plain background; face 70–80 % of the picture.
- Glasses only with clear, untinted lenses and no reflections; head coverings only for religious reasons.
- The photo is pasted on the form — stapled or pinned pictures are not accepted (India); Senegal asks for two.
Switzerland is in Schengen, so its short-stay visa follows the common ICAO photo rules. But each Swiss embassy and its visa centre publishes its own checklist, and the wording differs a little. Below are the photo lines quoted from Swiss representations (eda.admin.ch) and the VFS Global checklists that work for them.
The common rule
- One recent photo, taken within the last 6 months.
- ICAO-compliant, in colour, with no shadows.
- 35 x 45 mm — “standard ICAO dimensions”, as the Swiss Embassy in Dhaka puts it.
- White or light background.
How each representation words it
| Where | Photo line |
|---|---|
| Dhaka | 1 photo, under 6 months, ICAO, white or light background, colour, no shadows, 35 x 45 mm |
| UAE (VFS) | 1 photo, under 6 months, 3.5 x 4.5 cm, light background, glued on the form |
| India (VFS) | 1 photo, white background, under 6 months, 35–40 mm wide, not copied or scanned, pasted — stapled or pinned not accepted |
| Tanzania | 1 colour photo, under 6 months, plain white, 36 mm wide x 47 mm high, 32–36 mm from chin to top of head (hair excluded) |
| Kosovo | 1 colour passport-size photo, under 6 months, to ICAO specifications |
| Senegal | 2 recent identical passport photos on a white background, for the embassy archive |
Face, glasses and head coverings (South Africa)
- Close-up of head and shoulders, the face 70–80 % of the picture; sharp, no spots or creases, printed on high-quality paper.
- Monochromatic light background, uniform lighting, no shadows, flash reflections or red eyes.
- Eyes open, no hair across them; looking straight at the camera; neutral expression, mouth closed.
- Glasses only if the eyes are clearly seen, with no reflections and no tinted lenses; frames may not cover the eyes (heavy frames best avoided).
- Head coverings only for religious reasons, with the face from chin to forehead and both edges visible.
- Only the applicant — no chair backs, toys or other people.
Our Switzerland Schengen visa photo tool builds a 35 x 45 mm ICAO photo on a light background.
04Questions
5 answers01What size is a Swiss visa photo?
35 x 45 mm in most checklists; VFS India and South Africa write 35–40 mm wide, and the embassy in Tanzania asks for 36 x 47 mm.
02How many photos do I need?
One in most checklists; the embassy in Senegal asks for two identical photos.
03Can I staple the photo to the form?
No. The India checklist says stapled or pinned pictures cannot be accepted — paste it.
04What background colour?
White or light, plain, with no shadows.
05Can I wear glasses?
Only if the eyes are clearly visible, with no reflections and no tinted lenses.
05Official sources
- Swiss Embassy in Dhaka (FDFA) — Schengen visa checklist (PDF)
eda.admin.ch - Swiss representation in South Africa (FDFA) — visa photograph requirements (PDF)
eda.admin.ch - Swiss Embassy in Tanzania (FDFA) — Schengen visa requirements (PDF)
eda.admin.ch - VFS Global — Swiss Schengen visa checklist, India (PDF)
vfsglobal.com - VFS Global — Swiss visa checklist, UAE (PDF)
vfsglobal.com
Author: Yevhen Kravchenko. Published . Checked against official sources on .
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