Photo specifications for Schengen countries and rest of the world

Print Size, Expression & Attire

The photographs must be:

No more than 6-months old
35-45mm in width
Close up of your head and top of your shoulders so that your face takes up 70 -80% of the photograph
In sharp focus and clear
Of high quality with no ink marks or creases
Show you looking directly at the camera
Show your skin tones naturally
Have appropriate brightness and contrast
Be printed on high quality paper, and at high resolution Photographs taken with a digital camera must be high quality color and printed on photo-quality paper
Be color neutral
Show your eyes open and clearly visible-no hair across your eyes
Show you facing square on to the camera, not looking over one shoulder (portrait style) or tilted, and showing both edges of your face clearly
Be taken with a plain light-colored background
Be taken with uniform lighting and not show shadows or flash reflections on your face and no red eye
Show you alone (no chair backs, toys or other people visible), looking at the camera with a neutral expression and your mouth closed

If you wear glasses:

Head coverings:

Are not permitted except for religious reasons, but your facial features from bottom of chin to top of forehead and both edges of your face must be clearly shown