Germany photo requirements
Germany photo requirements are set by Bundesministerium des Innern (BMI) / Pass- und Ausweisbehörden. We publish 5 documents: 2 passports, 1 ID card, 1 residence permit and 1 driving licence. The most common print size is 35 x 45 mm (1.38 in x 1.77 in). Each page quotes the official rule for size, head height, background and file, links the source we read, and shows the date we last checked it (most recently 2026-10-07).
Passports
- German Passport Photo (Reisepass, digital-only since May 2025)For a Reisepass applied for at a Pass- or Bürgeramt inside Germany, where only a digital photo captured by a registered photographer or the authority's own terminal is accepted. Not for applications at a German embassy or consulate abroad, which still take a 45 x 35 mm paper photo.35 x 45 mmschattenfreier Hintergrundverified 2026-10-07
- German Passport Photo at a Mission Abroad (45 x 35 mm paper)For a Reisepass or Personalausweis applied for at a German embassy, consulate or honorary consul outside Germany, where a 45 x 35 mm borderless paper photo is still accepted. Not for applications inside Germany, which take digital photos only.35 x 45 mmschattenfreier Hintergrundverified 2026-10-07
ID cards
Driving licences
Residence permits
Authorities and portals
- Passport authority
- Bundesministerium des Innern (BMI) / Pass- und Ausweisbehörden
- Sources we read
- Bundesministerium des Innern (BMI); Bundesministerium des Innern (BMI); Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung § 21
We are an independent service, not a government website. Applying for a passport or visa is done with your government; we only prepare the photo.