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France Passport Photo Size & Requirements

A French passport photo is 35 × 45 mm. This is a requirements reference — what to check a studio's work against, and how to get a photo that is accepted.

Source: official France guidance, checked 2026-08-26.

No France rule is recorded here for whether edited photos are accepted, eye line and print resolution, plus 1 more, so this tool cannot check them. Check the official guidance.

These are automated checks, not an approval. The issuing authority decides whether your photo is accepted.

How to get a photo France accepts

No crop, resize or background fix changes the rule above, so this is the route that works.

  1. Use an approved photographer or booth

    The photo must come from a photographe habilité or a booth running a system approved by the Ministry of the Interior. Approved booths carry a blue sticker showing it.

  2. Do not ask for a white background

    France forbids a white background outright — le fond blanc est interdit. It must be plain and light instead: light grey or light blue. Every other country here either requires or permits white, so this is the single most common way a photo that would pass anywhere else is refused in France.

  3. Take the requirements below with you

    A studio that does passport work every day can still hand you the wrong country's frame. The size, background and expression rules on this page are what you check the result against before you leave.

French passport photo requirements

Photo size
35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 in)
Head height
70–80% of photo height, chin to crown
Eye line
Not published by this authority
Resolution
Not published by this authorityThis tool uses 300 dpi (413 × 531 pixels) as an assumption.
Background
plain, light-coloured (light blue or light grey, for example). A WHITE background is explicitly forbidden.
Expression
Neutral, mouth closed — no smiling
Glasses
Allowed if the eyes are clear, with no glare or tint
Ears
Must be visible
Head coverings
head must be bare - no hat, scarf or headband. No religious exception is stated on the page.
Photo you took yourself
Not accepted — see above
Edited photos
Not published by this authority

Taken from the official France guidance, last checked . Where a row says the authority publishes nothing, that is what it means — not that anything goes.

Common reasons French passport photos get rejected

  1. Taking the photo yourself

    France does not accept a photo you supply. This is the single most likely reason an otherwise good photo is refused here, and no amount of cropping fixes it.

  2. Using a white background

    Unusually, France does not accept white. plain, light-coloured (light blue or light grey, for example). A WHITE background is explicitly forbidden.

  3. Head too large or too small in the frame

    Chin to crown must be 70–80% of the photo height. Standing too close to the camera is the usual cause, and it also distorts your features.

  4. Smiling

    France requires a neutral expression with the mouth closed. A closed-mouth smile still counts as an expression here.

  5. Glare or heavy frames on glasses

    Glasses are allowed, but reflections on the lenses and frames crossing the eyes are both rejection reasons. Removing them avoids the risk entirely.

  6. Hair covering the ears

    France requires the ears to be visible, which is unusual — tie long hair back.

  7. Shadows on the face or behind the head

    Standing close to a wall throws a shadow onto it, and overhead lighting casts shadows into the eye sockets. Move away from the wall and face a window.

  8. A blurry or low-resolution photo

    Cropping tightly into a small photo is the usual cause. Start from a full-resolution photo taken a couple of metres away rather than enlarging a small one.

  9. Something else in the frame

    Another person, a hand steadying a child, a chair back, a toy, headphones, or a face covering. Authorities list these individually because they see them constantly — the photo must show you alone, with your whole face visible.

  10. A photo that is too old

    Most authorities require a photo taken within the last six months, and one that still looks like you.

French passport photo questions

What size is a French passport photo?
35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 inches).
How big should my head be in a French passport photo?
Chin to the top of your head must measure between 70% and 80% of the photo's height.
Can you smile in a French passport photo?
No. France requires a neutral expression with your mouth closed.
Can you wear glasses in a French passport photo?
Glasses are allowed, provided your eyes are clearly visible with no glare and the frames do not cover them. Tinted lenses and sunglasses are not accepted.
What background does a French passport photo need?
plain, light-coloured (light blue or light grey, for example). A WHITE background is explicitly forbidden.
Can I take my own French passport photo?
No. France does not accept a photo supplied by the applicant. Check the official guidance for how photos must be taken.
Can I wear a head covering in a French passport photo?
Head must be bare - no hat, scarf or headband. No religious exception is stated on the page..
What does France not specify?
No published rule was found for whether edited photos are accepted, eye line, print resolution and an exact background colour. That does not mean anything is acceptable — it means the authority has not stated a figure, so check its own guidance and err on the cautious side.
Where do these French requirements come from?
They were read from the official guidance at https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F10619, last checked on 2026-08-26. Requirements change, so confirm against that page before you apply.

This is a summary of published guidance, not advice. France’s issuing authority decides whether your photo is accepted. This site is not affiliated with any government.