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Netherlands Passport Photo Size & Requirements

A Dutch passport photo is 35 × 45 mm. Crop and check yours below — the photo never leaves your device.

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

No Netherlands rule is recorded here for eye line and an exact background colour, so this tool cannot check them. Check the official guidance.

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

Dutch passport photo requirements

Photo size
35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 in)
Head height
57.8–66.7% of photo height, chin to crown
Eye line
Not published by this authority
Resolution
400 dpi
Background
light grey, light blue or white; plain, one colour and one shade, contrasting with the head
Expression
Neutral, mouth closed — no smiling
Glasses
Allowed if the eyes are clear, with no glare or tint
Ears
Not required to be visible
Head coverings
head uncovered, except for religion or belief, or medical hair loss; the covering must be plain, one colour, and contrast with the background
Photo you took yourself
Accepted
Edited photos
Not accepted, including edited backgrounds

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

Common reasons Dutch passport photos get rejected

  1. Editing the photo

    the Netherlands rejects photos altered with software, including replacing or tidying the background. Fix the lighting and the wall instead of the file.

  2. A background that is not plain

    the Netherlands asks for light grey, light blue or white; plain, one colour and one shade, contrasting with the head. Patterned wallpaper, door frames and furniture edges are common causes.

  3. Head too large or too small in the frame

    Chin to crown must be 57.8–66.7% of the photo height. Standing too close to the camera is the usual cause, and it also distorts your features.

  4. Smiling

    the Netherlands 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. 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.

  7. 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.

  8. 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.

  9. A photo that is too old

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

Dutch passport photo questions

What size is a Dutch passport photo?
35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 inches).
How big should my head be in a Dutch passport photo?
Chin to the top of your head must measure between 57.8% and 66.7% of the photo's height.
Can you smile in a Dutch passport photo?
No. the Netherlands requires a neutral expression with your mouth closed.
Can you wear glasses in a Dutch 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 Dutch passport photo need?
light grey, light blue or white; plain, one colour and one shade, contrasting with the head.
Can I wear a head covering in a Dutch passport photo?
Head uncovered, except for religion or belief, or medical hair loss; the covering must be plain, one colour, and contrast with the background.
What does the Netherlands not specify?
No published rule was found for eye line 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 Dutch requirements come from?
They were read from the official guidance at https://www.government.nl/topics/identification-documents/requirements-for-photos, last checked on 2026-08-26. Requirements change, so confirm against that page before you apply.

These are automated checks, not an approval. Netherlands’s issuing authority decides whether your photo is accepted. This site is not affiliated with any government.