What size is a German passport photo?
A German biometric passport photo is 35 x 45 mm in portrait format with no border, the face 32 to 36 mm from chin to crown (70 to 80% of the photo), on a plain light background, ideally neutral grey. Since 1 May 2025 offices inside Germany only accept photos sent digitally by a registered photographer or taken at the office. German missions abroad set their own process, so ask the embassy or consulate you apply to.
Germany Passport Photo at a glance
| Size | 35 × 45 mm, portrait, no border |
|---|---|
| Face height | 32 to 36 mm (70 to 80%); children under 10: 22 to 36 mm |
| Processing | In your browser; your files are not uploaded |
| Price | Free to use, no watermark |
| Download | First download free, then ₹49 for 2 months of unlimited downloads (US$3 outside India) |
| Files at once | 1 free, up to 30 with a plan |
| Works on | Chrome, Edge, Safari and Firefox on Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone |
How to use German Passport Photo (Biometric)
- Take a photo against a plain wall in even light, facing the camera, or pick a recent one.
- Click Select your photo. The size for this document is already chosen.
- Move and zoom the frame so the head fits the dashed oval. Use Make background white if the wall is not plain.
- Click Create passport photo and download the photo or the print sheet.
Digital photos only inside Germany
The city of Munich's Kreisverwaltungsreferat explains the rule plainly: since 1 May 2025, only digital biometric passport photos may be used for ID cards and passports, and printed photos are no longer accepted. The aim is forgery protection and better biometric quality. You have two options. A certified photo provider takes the photo digitally and gives you a DataMatrix code, the image is sent in encrypted form to the responsible authority, and you show the code at your appointment, with no printout needed. Your photographer must be connected to the digital transmission system. Alternatively, you can take the photo at a photo terminal in the citizens' office, where it goes straight into the authority's system and is not printed. A fee applies, and Munich advises planning 5 to 10 extra minutes.
Babies and young children
Munich says photo terminals are built for biometric photos, but a baby or young child may not manage a calm expression, a direct look and a correct head position at a machine. It recommends having the photo made beforehand by a certified studio and retrieved at the appointment through the DataMatrix code. Wiesbaden says children under 6 should use a certified studio or specialist shop.
Biometric requirements
The German Federal Foreign Office's biometric photo guidance, published on its Lima embassy page, describes the photo itself. The format is 3.5 x 4.5 cm with the face centred. The face height must take up 70 to 80% of the photo, which is 32 to 36 mm from chin to top of head, ignoring the hairstyle. The background should be plain, light and without a pattern, ideally neutral grey, with good contrast to the face and hair: medium grey for light hair, light grey for dark hair. There must be no shadows on the background, and no other persons or objects.
The expression must be neutral with the mouth closed, the head straight and the look direct. The eyes must be open and visible, not covered by hair or glasses frames. Glasses need no reflections and no tinted lenses or sunglasses. Head coverings are generally not allowed, with exceptions, in particular for religious reasons.
For children up to the age of 10 the face height may be 50 to 80% of the photo (22 to 36 mm). For infants and small children up to 6, the guidance also allows deviations in head position, expression, eyes, gaze and centring.
If you apply at an embassy or consulate outside Germany, ask that mission which photo format it takes, as the rules above describe applications to German authorities.
Source: City of Munich: Digital passport photos and Auswaertiges Amt: Biometric passport photo, checked October 2026.
German Passport Photo (Biometric) requirements at a glance
| Size | 35 × 45 mm, portrait, no border |
|---|---|
| Face height | 32 to 36 mm (70 to 80%); children under 10: 22 to 36 mm |
| Background | Plain and light, ideally neutral grey |
| Print quality | At least 600 dpi |
| Inside Germany | Digital only since 1 May 2025 (photographer upload or photo at the office) |
Rules checked on the official website in September 2026. Requirements can change, so confirm on the official page before you apply. Source: German Federal Foreign Office (Embassy Lima): biometric photos.
Important: rules inside Germany changed in 2025
Since 1 May 2025, citizens' offices in Germany no longer accept paper passport photos. The photo must be taken at the office or sent electronically by a registered photographer, who gives you a code. This tool cannot do that. If you apply at a German embassy or consulate abroad, check with that mission whether it accepts a printed photo before you print one. The tool is also useful for visa forms and other documents that follow the same 35 × 45 mm biometric format.
Biometric rules
Face the camera with a neutral expression and your mouth closed. Glasses are allowed if the lenses are not tinted, there are no reflections and the frame does not cover the eyes. Head coverings are only accepted as an exception, mainly for religious reasons. Print at 600 dpi or higher; the tool's files are 300 DPI at the exact size, so ask the photo shop for a high quality print.
How this tool helps
The tool crops your photo to the exact size above at 300 DPI, so a print comes out at the right physical size, and it can fill a 4 × 6 inch sheet with copies and cut lines for a photo shop. For online applications it makes a file with the exact pixel size and file size the form asks for. It cannot judge whether your expression, lighting or pose meets the rules, so check the photo against the list before you submit it.
FixDoks is an independent tool and is not affiliated with any government. You submit your application yourself on the official website.