One specification, many consulates
The Schengen visa photo standard is set by the European Commission and applied across all 29 member states. In theory you submit the same photo whether you are applying through the German embassy in New Delhi or the Spanish consulate in Mumbai. In practice each consulate's local staff has discretion at the counter, which is why some applicants find a photo accepted in one office and refused in another. The base specification, however, is identical.
Print size and digital file
The Schengen print is 35 by 45 millimetres, with the photo printed on photo-quality paper. For online portals - including most VFS Global and TLScontact appointment systems - a digital JPEG sized to roughly 413 by 531 pixels at 300 DPI satisfies the dimension rule. File size limits vary by portal: VFS portals typically accept files up to 1 MB, some TLS portals are tighter at 240 KB. Colour, not black and white, and sRGB colour profile.
Head sizing and framing
Head height from chin to crown must occupy 70 to 80 percent of the frame height, which corresponds to 32 to 36 millimetres on the printed 45 millimetre tall photo. The head must be centred and the eyes positioned in the upper portion of the frame, with the chin not touching the bottom edge and at least a few millimetres of clearance above the top of the head. The portrait must be straight-on, no tilt and no rotation.
Background and lighting
Background must be plain light grey, white, or off-white. Pure white is accepted in most consulates but several - notably French and Italian missions - prefer light grey because it gives better edge separation from a fair-haired subject. No patterns, no objects, no other people in the frame. Lighting on the face must be even, with no shadows under the chin and no shadows on the background. Red-eye is an automatic rejection.
Expression, glasses, and headwear
Expression must be neutral with the mouth closed. Light natural smile is technically allowed but most consulates prefer fully neutral; when in doubt, go neutral. Both eyes open, looking at the camera, no hair across the eyes. Clear prescription glasses are still allowed across most of Schengen, provided there is no glare and the frames do not obscure the eyes - but Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark have effectively moved to a no-glasses preference in the last few years, and submitting without glasses is the lower-risk default. Religious head coverings are accepted with the full face visible from chin to forehead.
Recency and authenticity
Photo must be taken within the last six months. Heavily retouched, filtered, or AI-beautified photos are rejected, with consulates increasingly running upload-side checks for smoothing and background replacement. Two physical copies are usually requested at the in-person appointment in addition to the digital upload - bring identical prints, not two slightly different takes from the same session.
Per-country variations to know
Germany asks for a biometric-compliant photo and many consulates run a stricter geometry check than the Schengen baseline. France often accepts a slightly wider tonal range on the background. Italy is one of the most lenient on smile but strictest on dimensional accuracy. Spain accepts a neutral expression more readily than a smile. Across the bloc, the safest portrait is: light grey background, neutral expression, no glasses, head centred at 75 percent of frame height - that combination passes everywhere.