Visa Photo Creator
A photo that won't get rejected
Photo non-compliance is one of the most common reasons a straightforward application comes back. The specifications differ by country in ways that are easy to miss — here they are, drawn to scale.
- Dimensions
- 35 × 45 mm
- Head height
- Head 70–80% of height
Schengen Area photo requirements
- Size
- 35 × 45 mm
- Background
- Light grey or off-white
- Taken within the last 6 months
- Neutral expression, mouth closed, both eyes open
- No glasses at all — this rule tightened in 2016 and catches most people
- Head centred and facing the camera squarely
Rejected for
When you apply through abizon, your photo is checked against this specification automatically before submission — an uncertain photo is flagged for human review rather than rejected outright.
Taking it
Four steps, using a phone
- 1
Stand facing a plain wall in even light
Daylight from a window in front of you, not behind. Overhead lighting is the single most common cause of the shadow that gets a photo rejected.
- 2
Have someone take it from 1.5 metres away
Arm's-length selfies distort facial proportions enough that automated checks flag them. Distance matters more than camera quality.
- 3
Neutral expression, eyes open, mouth closed
No smile. Remove glasses entirely — most countries now reject them outright rather than assessing glare case by case.
- 4
Upload it and let the checker crop
Our validator sizes it to the destination's specification, verifies head height and flags anything that would fail. You never crop it yourself.
Don't reuse an old photo
Apply with the photo already checked
Every application through abizon runs the photo against the destination's specification before it's submitted.