German Passport Photo at a Mission Abroad (45 x 35 mm paper): size and requirements
The German Passport Photo at a Mission Abroad size is 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 inches). Schattenfreier Hintergrund, einfarbig, deutlicher Kontrast zu Gesicht und Haaren (plain, shadow-free, clear contrast); head 70 to 80 percent of the photo height. Last verified 2026-10-07 against Bundesministerium des Innern (BMI).
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.
Requirements at a glance
- Size
- 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 inches)
- Head height
- Head 70 to 80 percent of the photo height (Das Gesicht nimmt 70 bis 80 % der Höhe des Fotos ein (face from the tip of the chin to the top of the head))
- Background
- schattenfreier Hintergrund, einfarbig, deutlicher Kontrast zu Gesicht und Haaren (plain, shadow-free, clear contrast)
- Expression
- Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open, looking at the camera
- Glasses
- Allowed without glare or tint
- Head covering
- Only for religious or medical reasons; full face visible
- Prints needed
- 1
- We deliver
- 827 x 1063 px (600 DPI), plus a 4 x 6 inch print sheet
What trips people up
- CheckThe paper route exists only abroad and only until the mission has its own photo terminal; check the consulate's checklist before printing.
- CheckThe photo must be portrait, borderless, exactly 45 x 35 mm (im Hochformat und ohne Rand); cut cleanly, no white margin.
- CheckPhotographers abroad cannot use the German cloud upload; the mission scans the paper print and records the photo as 'nicht verifizierbar', which is normal.
- CheckThe Fotomustertafel does not name a colour; it wants a plain background with clear contrast to face and hair, and lists 'Hintergrund ohne Kontrast' as a rejection. With fair hair a pure white background risks exactly that, which is why we default to light grey.
Source and verification
Read from the official page and translated by us. Last checked 2026-10-07 at Bundesministerium des Innern (BMI).
Das Foto zeigt das Gesicht von der Kinnspitze bis zum oberen Kopfende. Beide Gesichtshälften sind deutlich erkennbar. Das Gesicht nimmt 70 bis 80 % der Höhe des Fotos ein.
Bei der Beantragung im Ausland dürfen weiterhin herkömmliche, papierbasierte Passbilder in der Größe 45 Millimeter x 35 Millimeter im Hochformat und ohne Rand akzeptiert werden.
In diesem Fall trägt die Passbehörde im Passregister als lichtbildaufnehmende Stelle nach § 21 Absatz 2 Nummer 16 des Passgesetzes „nicht verifizierbar“ ein.
Der schattenfreie Hintergrund ist einfarbig und bildet zum Gesicht sowie zu den Haaren einen deutlichen Kontrast.
Quotes are in German and translated on the page. Geometry from the BMI Fotomustertafel (source.url). The abroad exception is quoted from the Personalausweisportal FAQ (sources/de/personalausweisportal-biometrie-faq.txt) and from PassV § 16 (3), https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/passv_2007/__16.html (read via the r.jina.ai text proxy; gesetze-im-internet.de did not answer direct requests). 'Mit Retuschen/Filter' and 'Weichzeichnen' are listed rejections, hence editing unaltered-required. No maximum photo age is stated. Head coverings: the Fotomustertafel names religious reasons only and PassV § 16 (2) says 'insbesondere aus religiösen Gründen'; our type has no religious-only value. Light grey is our rendering choice, not a stated colour.
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.
Frequently asked questions
