Reviewed against German Federal Foreign Office guidance on 19 August 2026
German mission guidance uses a 35 × 45 mm photo on photo-quality paper, with a 32–36 mm face height, neutral expression, open eyes, and a real white or light background. The exact number of photos depends on your mission and visa route.
The checker stays on your device and reads only image dimensions. It does not edit the photo.
Free 35:45 ratio check
We read only its pixel dimensions to compare the crop with the 35 × 45 mm. The image is not uploaded, edited, or stored.
Physical photo
35 × 45 mm
Printed on photo-quality paper.
Face height
32–36 mm
About 70%–80% of the image.
Photo quantity
Check your mission
Official lists can ask for one or two.
Digitally altered passport photos cannot be accepted, according to current German mission checklists. PassPhoto keeps the Germany route requirements-only: it does not crop, resize, retouch, replace the background, or store the photo. Use a real light background when possible and check your mission checklist.
Biometric checklist
These points come from the German mission visa FAQ and official photo template. Your responsible mission's route-specific document list remains authoritative.
Printed size
Printed on photo-quality paper; a digital file alone is not the same thing.
Face height
The full face occupies about 70%–80% of the photo.
Head position
Full-face view, directly facing the camera, with the nose on the centre line.
Expression
Both eyes must be open and clearly visible.
Background
Plain, uniform, and evenly lit without shadows.
Image treatment
German mission checklists say digitally altered photos are not accepted.
Choose your application route
The biometric photo format is similar, but application channels and local document lists differ. Start with the visa type, then open the website of the German mission responsible for where you legally reside.
Up to 90 days
More than 90 days
Avoid the common pixel trap
A 35 × 45 mm print converted at 300 PPI is approximately 413 × 531 pixels. German official visa guidance specifies the physical print and composition instead of publishing one universal digital pixel or file-size limit.
The local checker can compare shape, but only a correctly produced print and the mission's review establish whether the photo meets the application requirement.
35:45 simplifies to 7:9, regardless of pixel count.
The required result is a 35 × 45 mm photo-quality print.
Use even light and a real plain background instead of software fixes.
Clear glasses may be worn when frames and glare do not cover the eyes.
Public result conflicts
Current public results still show one-click Germany visa-photo converters, 413 x 531 pixel presets, automatic background changers, and acceptance-style wording. The reviewed German mission checklists instead control the physical print, local copy count, appointment route, and no-digital-alteration rule.
Background tools
Background replacement conflicts with mission wording that digitally altered passport photos cannot be accepted.
Pixel presets
German official pages reviewed here specify a 35 x 45 mm print and biometric composition, not one universal upload size.
Acceptance claims
PassPhoto checks only the local image ratio and does not claim German mission compliance, acceptance, printing, or submission.
Why the local checklist matters
These examples are both official. They demonstrate why PassPhoto does not claim one universal copy count for every applicant.
Schengen example
The German mission in Doha asks visitor-visa applicants for one recent 35 × 45 mm photo, no older than three months and not digitally altered.
View official checklistSchengen example
The German mission in Harare asks visitor-visa applicants for two recent 35 × 45 mm photos with the same no-alteration note.
View official checklistNational visa example
The UK German mission lists two 35 × 45 mm biometric photos for university study and still requires an appointment after online document review.
View official checklistClear answers
German mission guidance specifies a 35 x 45 mm printed photo on photo-quality paper. The face should be 32 to 36 mm high from chin to crown and occupy about 70% to 80% of the photo.
German official visa guidance specifies a physical 35 x 45 mm print, not one universal pixel size. About 413 x 531 pixels is only the mathematical conversion at 300 PPI. It does not prove print size or satisfy a portal-specific digital requirement.
Check the document list for your visa category and the German mission or visa centre responsible for your residence. Official German pages differ: one mission asks for one 35 x 45 mm photo for a Schengen visitor visa, while another asks for two. Some national visa routes also request two.
Many current German mission checklists require a photo taken within the last three months, while some local lists use six months. Use the shorter period when preparing a new photo and follow the exact checklist for your application location.
No. Current German mission checklists state that digitally altered biometric photos cannot be accepted. PassPhoto keeps Germany requirements-only and does not route Germany applicants into background replacement, retouching, resizing, or crop export. Take a new photo against a real light background and follow your mission checklist.
Clear glasses are permitted in the German mission photo FAQ when no part of the eyes is covered. The official template also requires the eyes to remain clearly visible, so avoid glare, tinted lenses, and heavy frames over the eyes.
Not entirely. The Federal Foreign Office says 28 long-term national visa purposes are available through the Consular Services Portal, but an in-person appointment is still required for biometric data and original-document checks. Schengen visa applications cannot yet be accepted through that portal.
No. It checks only whether a digital image has approximately the same width-to-height ratio as a 35 x 45 mm print. It cannot verify physical size, print quality, face height, age, lighting, background, retouching, number of copies, or your mission’s application instructions.
Before printing
Confirm photo quantity, recency, appointment location, and whether your route starts in the Consular Services Portal.
PassPhoto does not print or submit photos. Confirm the physical size and copy count with your responsible German mission, arrange the required photo-quality prints, and provide them through the official application route yourself.