Portuguese Passport Photo (Passaporte Eletrónico Português, taken at the counter): size and requirements
The Portuguese Passport Photo size is 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 inches). Not stated by IRN, gov.pt or the MNE; the counter camera uses its own backdrop. Light grey is our rendering choice; neither the authority nor the saved ICAO excerpt states a colour; head 70 to 80 percent of the photo height. Photo taken within the last 6 months. Last verified 2026-10-07 against Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado (IRN) via gov.pt and Ministério dos Negócios Estrangeiros (Portal das Comunidades), with ICAO Doc 9303.
For the Passaporte Eletrónico Português (PEP) requested in person at an IRN passport desk, Loja de Cidadão or Portuguese consulate, where the biometric photo is captured on the spot. Not for a Portuguese visa (printed photos) and not for the Cartão de Cidadão, which must already be valid when you apply.
The passport photo is taken at the IRN or consular counter when you apply in person. See the Portugal documents we can prepare.
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 Portuguese photo geometry is published (the photo is captured at the counter); ICAO Doc 9303: crown-to-chin 70 to 80 per cent of the image height)
- Background
- not stated by IRN, gov.pt or the MNE; the counter camera uses its own backdrop. Light grey is our rendering choice; neither the authority nor the saved ICAO excerpt states a colour
- 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
- 827 x 1063 px (600 DPI), plus a 4 x 6 inch print sheet
What trips people up
- CheckThe only document you bring is a valid Cartão de Cidadão (or Bilhete de Identidade); gov.pt and the consular portal list no photograph, because the PEP photo is captured at the desk.
- CheckOnly the holder in person may apply ('Só o próprio, presencialmente, pode requerer o passaporte'); for a minor both the child and the parent or guardian must be present.
- CheckThe consular portal requires the Cartão de Cidadão to be valid and up to date and says it cannot be replaced by another document, so renew the card first if it has expired.
- CheckIf a photo shop or website offers 'Portuguese passport photos', they are for a different purpose (for example a visa or a foreign document); the PEP itself does not take them.
Source and verification
No national rule published; ICAO 9303 standard applies. Last checked 2026-10-07 (archived copy dated 2024-09-12) at Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado (IRN) via gov.pt and Ministério dos Negócios Estrangeiros (Portal das Comunidades), with ICAO Doc 9303.
Para pedir o passaporte eletrónico português tem de levar consigo o Cartão de Cidadão ou Bilhete de Identidade.
Estar presente a pessoa para quem se pede o passaporte
Só o próprio, presencialmente, pode requerer o passaporte.
Cartão de Cidadão nacional válido e atualizado, independentemente da respetiva idade, o qual não pode ser substituído por outro documento.
Submitted portraits should be 45.0 mm x 35.0 mm (1.77 in x 1.38 in) in dimension.
The crown-to-chin portion of the facial image shall be 70 to 80 per cent of the longest dimension defined for Zone V, maintaining the aspect ratio between the crown-to-chin and ear-to-ear details of the face of the holder.
A submitted portrait shall have been captured within the last six months before application, as outlined in [ISO/IEC 39794-5].
Quotes 1-2 are in Portuguese from the gov.pt service page 'Pedir ou renovar o passaporte eletrónico português' (Atualizado 04.09.2026) at source.url (sources/pt/govpt-pedir-o-passaporte-eletronico.txt); quotes 3-4 from the MNE Portal das Comunidades page 'Passaporte Comum' https://portaldascomunidades.mne.gov.pt/pt/atendimento/no-estrangeiro/servicos-consulares/passaporte-comum (sources/pt/mne-comunidades-passaporte-comum.txt); both read via the r.jina.ai text proxy. Neither page lists a photograph among the documents required; the 'no' verdict is inferred from that and from the in-person requirement, since no Portuguese page states 'the photo is taken at the counter' in so many words. Quotes 5-7 are ICAO Doc 9303 Part 3 (sources/icao/, Wayback 2024-09-12) and supply the reference size, head fraction and the six-month maxPhotoAgeMonths only; neither gov.pt nor the MNE states a photo age. background 'light-grey' is our rendering choice (neither the authority nor the ICAO excerpt names a colour); glasses and head-covering values are ICAO-style defaults.
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
