Icelandic Passport Photo (photographed at the sýslumaður; home photos not accepted, ICAO 35 x 45 mm reference): size and requirements
The Icelandic Passport Photo size is 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 inches). Not stated; white is our rendering choice for the reference frame; head 70 to 80 percent of the photo height. Photo taken within the last 6 months. Last verified 2026-10-10 against Ísland.is (Stafrænt Ísland) for the Sýslumenn (district commissioners), 'Sækja um vegabréf', with the ICAO Doc 9303 Part 3 reference frame.
For an Icelandic passport (vegabréf) applied for on Ísland.is and completed at a district commissioner's (sýslumaður) office, by Icelandic citizens including children. The office always photographs you; a photo studio may e-mail a picture ahead, but files from the applicant are refused, so this page is a reference frame only. Not for the national ID card (nafnskírteini), a driving licence or a residence permit.
Book or walk in to a district commissioner's office within 30 days of applying and let them photograph you. Use this page only to rehearse the look. See all Iceland documents.
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 (no geometry published (the office photographs the applicant); ICAO Doc 9303 crown-to-chin 70 to 80 per cent of the 45 mm height applied as a reference)
- Background
- not stated; white is our rendering choice for the reference frame
- 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
- Photo age
- Taken within the last 6 months
- We deliver
- 413 x 531 px (300 DPI), plus a 4 x 6 inch print sheet
What trips people up
- CheckA new picture every time: 'Alltaf þarf að taka nýja mynd fyrir nýtt eða endurnýjað vegabréf.' (a new photo must always be taken for a new or renewed passport) and 'Alltaf þarf að taka mynd af umsækjanda hjá sýslumanni líka til samanburðar.' (the applicant is always photographed at the commissioner's office as well, for comparison).
- CheckStudio only, and only ahead of time: 'Hægt er að nota mynd frá ljósmyndastofu í vegabréf ef umsækjandi vill.' but 'Ljósmynd frá ljósmyndastofu þarf að hafa borist viðkomandi sýslumannsembætti áður en umsækjandi mætir í umsókn.' (the studio's photo must reach the office before you attend) and the studio itself must e-mail it.
- CheckNothing from you: 'Athugið að ekki er hægt að taka við myndum í tölvupósti frá umsækjanda eða á minnislykli.' (photos e-mailed by the applicant or on a memory stick cannot be accepted). A file from us therefore has no route in.
- CheckTiming: after applying online you must 'mæta í myndatöku innan 30 daga hjá embætti sýslumanna' (attend the photo session within 30 days); 'Almenn afhending er innan 4 daga og hraðafhending innan 2 daga frá því að umsækjandi kemur í myndatöku.'
- CheckFees and validity: '18 til 66 ára: 19.000 krónur.' for standard service (children, elderly and disabled 7.000), and 'Vegabréf gilda í tíu ár frá umsóknardegi en í fimm ár fyrir börn yngri en 18 ára.'
- CheckChildren: both custodians must approve the application (electronically on Ísland.is or on form V-901), one custodian attends the photo session with the child, and the child need not come to collect the passport.
- CheckEverything geometric on this page is the ICAO Doc 9303 reference ('Submitted portraits should be 45.0 mm x 35.0 mm (1.77 in x 1.38 in) in dimension.'), flagged as such; Ísland.is publishes no size because the office's camera sets it.
Source and verification
No national rule published; ICAO 9303 standard applies. Last checked 2026-10-10 at Ísland.is (Stafrænt Ísland) for the Sýslumenn (district commissioners), 'Sækja um vegabréf', with the ICAO Doc 9303 Part 3 reference frame.
Alltaf þarf að taka nýja mynd fyrir nýtt eða endurnýjað vegabréf.
Hægt er að nota mynd frá ljósmyndastofu í vegabréf ef umsækjandi vill.
Ljósmynd frá ljósmyndastofu þarf að hafa borist viðkomandi sýslumannsembætti áður en umsækjandi mætir í umsókn.
Alltaf þarf að taka mynd af umsækjanda hjá sýslumanni líka til samanburðar.
Athugið að ekki er hægt að taka við myndum í tölvupósti frá umsækjanda eða á minnislykli.
mæta í myndatöku innan 30 daga hjá embætti sýslumanna
Almenn afhending er innan 4 daga og hraðafhending innan 2 daga frá því að umsækjandi kemur í myndatöku.
18 til 66 ára: 19.000 krónur.
Vegabréf gilda í tíu ár frá umsóknardegi en í fimm ár fyrir börn yngri en 18 ára.
Submitted portraits should be 45.0 mm x 35.0 mm (1.77 in x 1.38 in) in dimension.
Quotes 1-9 are from source.url (sources/is/island-saekja-um-vegabref.txt, read live via r.jina.ai on 2026-10-10). Quote 10 is ICAO Doc 9303 Part 3 (sources/icao/icao-9303-part3-portrait-excerpt.txt, Wayback capture 2024-09-12). Ísland.is publishes no photo geometry; physical 35 x 45 mm, head 0.7-0.8, maxPhotoAgeMonths 6, background 'white', dpi 300, glasses and headCovering are ICAO-style defaults for the reference frame. Translations in parentheses are ours.
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.
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