What should a photo be like for a visa to Germany in 2021?

Why is it important

Firstly, German officials are among the most pedantic. Therefore, following the rules is very important for them. An incorrectly taken photo for a visa, even if it was taken at a visa center (consulate, embassy), can become a problem at the border: despite the correct execution of other documents and the presence of a visa, they may not be allowed into the country.

The second thing you need to understand is that the photo requirements for Schengen and national visas are the same. Therefore, follow these rules in any case. However, the number of photos may differ - we will talk about this below.

Finally, thirdly, you should not rely on the professionalism of photographers.
I would like to believe that they know exactly the visa requirements, but what if they don’t? What if you don't check the accuracy of the photos and it turns out later? You won’t like the result - you’ll have to take a photo again, sign up (if necessary) and submit documents (and rewrite the forms).

For the State Services website: how to take and upload a photo?

You can also submit an application through the state portal. Often, the production of a new document is refused due to an incorrectly taken photo.

But if all the requirements are met, even an image taken on a phone can be accepted. Moreover, now the resolution of cameras on smartphones is high.

The resulting image must meet the following parameters:

• have an aspect ratio of 3.5*4.5 cm;
• size no more than 5 MB;
• JPEG, BMP or PNG format;
• resolution of at least 300 dpi.

The most optimal ratio for a finished photograph is 1240*1560 pixels.

You can upload a photo to the State Services portal by following these steps:

1. Click on the “Upload photo” button.
2. Check that the photo meets the technical parameters.
3. Select the desired image.
4. Upload it to the site. In the window you will be able to check whether your passport photo meets the technical requirements, crop it and turn it over.

Quantity and photo requirements

When submitting documentation to obtain a visa stamp, the applicant must submit 2 identical color photographs. In this case, photographs must meet the following requirements:

• Image size no more than 35x45 mm.
• The height of the face from the roots of the hair to the chin should be at the level of 32-36 mm.
• The photo is taken exclusively from the front.
• The outline of the face should occupy at least 70% of the photo. The visa applicant does not need to worry about this, since this is done by the photographer using a special program.

The eyes in the image cannot be closed, they must be clearly visible. You cannot submit a photo with a red-eye effect for a visa. The mouth should also be closed. The person's gaze should be directed strictly towards the camera lens.

Template for rating a photo

Head position

The head is positioned straight, it is forbidden to tilt, tilt the head or turn. In addition, to take the correct photo for a visa to Germany, you do not need to smile, your face must be calm and neutral . The nose is located in the middle of the face in the photograph.

Photo quality

To submit documents for Schengen, you must adhere to the following rules regarding photo quality:

• Not older than 6 months Size 35 X 45 mm Colored.
• Black and white photographs are not acceptable.
• The photograph should show the top of the head and the top of the shoulders. Thus, the face should occupy 70-80% of the photo
• Crisp, clear and in focus
• High quality, no stains, bends, cracks or other defects.
• The gaze should be directed towards the camera lens
• Colors should reflect natural skin tone
• The photo must have appropriate brightness and contrast
• The photo must be printed on high-resolution photo paper
• Photos taken with a digital camera must be in color, high resolution, and printed on photo paper.

Please note that if you have previously submitted this photo image for Schengen, it may not be accepted and you may be asked to replace it with a more recent image. Sharpness and contrast should be within normal limits. Do not submit overexposed or overly dark images.

It is acceptable to retouch a photo, but such effects can only be used within the norm (even out the tone of the face, straighten the hair a little) . However, in this way you cannot radically change your appearance, for example, change the shape of your eyes, nose, etc. Otherwise, problems may arise at the border checkpoint.

Lighting, background

Photo requirements for a visa to Germany in 2021:

• It is not acceptable to submit a card with glare or shadows.
• The background of the card is light and always monochromatic.

Glasses, clothing items

You cannot take pictures wearing dark glasses. You can take photographs wearing glasses with transparent lenses if a person has poor eyesight, but the glasses should not even slightly cover the face, and the lenses should not leave glare or spots on the photo. Since the applicant's face must be clearly visible in the image, it is better to pull the hair back or into an updo .

As for scarves and other headdresses, photographs can be taken in them only if this meets the religious requirements of the employee. In this case, the citizen’s face must be clearly visible. Photos in which a scarf or other headdress covers some area of ​​the face are not acceptable.

All about biometric data

Let's consider three options for biometric data: fingerprints, a retinal scan and a biometric photo.

Fingerprints

Now everyone who issues a passport with a built-in microchip is required to submit fingerprints. Such new type passports are issued to citizens for 10 years; they allow you to find out (read) all the information about a person: his last name, first name, patronymic, date of birth, etc.

The fingerprinting procedure is called dactyloscopy. It allows you to take fingerprints from both hands. The procedure itself should not cause any inconvenience; it goes quickly enough. Most often, the index fingers are chosen for fingerprinting. But if there are any cuts, scars, or injuries, then the employee can choose other fingers.

Photo: https://pixabay.com/vectors/fingerprint-touch-crime-criminal-150159/

Fingerprints submitted for a Schengen visa or foreign passport allow identification. The procedure not only controls movement, but also confirms the person’s identity. This procedure protects the interests of the passport owner. It allows you to prove that the passport is not fake and belongs to a specific person.

If you want to get a new type of foreign passport, you will have to take fingerprints in any case. If you do not want to undergo the fingerprinting procedure, then it will be possible to obtain only an old-style passport, which is issued for 5 years.

But the situation with obtaining a Schengen visa is different. All citizens over 12 years of age must undergo fingerprinting if they want to obtain a Schengen visa.

Why are fingerprints required for a Schengen visa? This was done in order to prevent a large flow of people who would cross the border illegally. The most important information can be collected by fingerprinting. If there was a detention, the visa will allow you to determine for what purpose the documents were drawn up, where the registration took place, etc.

There is a category of citizens who are not subject to the fingerprinting procedure. If we talk about ordinary citizens, these are children under 12 years old. Also, fingerprints are not taken from presidents and members of their families. Special cases are people who do not have arms or have damaged fingers and hands.

If at the time of submitting documents a citizen has any injuries that require long-term healing, then the procedure can be performed later. But at the moment it will not be possible to obtain a visa. In this regard, experts always recommend preparing a visa in advance so that your trip is not in jeopardy.

Retinal scan

The authentication method itself was invented back in the 59s. It was at that time that the uniqueness of the blood vessels of the eye was determined. The reliability of the retinal scanning method itself is higher than fingerprinting. But the device that can perform scanning differs in size from the device for fingerprints. It is clear that the cost of such equipment is higher.

The pattern of the blood vessels of the eye is individual for each person, and even in twins it cannot be repeated. Hence the high cost of the method and its reliability. It is almost impossible to deceive the device. If there is a failure during the procedure, then this is one case in a million. Retinal scanning can be used to access various cells and vaults. But this can be done if there are no serious eye diseases.

Photo: https://pixabay.com/photos/eye-green-pupil-iris-tabs-retina-1190430/

What is the essence of the scanning procedure? Low-intensity infrared radiation is used, which scans the retina. The signal that the rays send comes from several hundred points of the eye. Today's scanners, which are more advanced, can direct a soft laser. For the procedure to be successful, you need to sit as close to the device as possible and not move. The gaze is directed to a certain fixed point and they sit in this position for about a minute. Then the results are recorded and processed.

Biometric photo

Biometrics for a Schengen visa is something that is now indispensable for obtaining a visa. And biometric photo is an innovation that was introduced by the Schengen Community. All guests entering Schengen territory are required to take biometric photographs. A standard digital photograph will not be suitable for such cases as obtaining a visa. A biometric photograph must have special parameters.

1. The photo must be 3.5 cm by 4.5 cm in size. Photos of other sizes will not be accepted.
2. The background should be light (white, beige), and the photo itself should be color.
3. You are not allowed to smile or laugh in the photo. Optimal: neutral facial expression, mouth closed.
4. The face in the photo should occupy 70% of the entire photo. The location of the face must also be specific so that all indentations are observed. It can do anything
5. Photos taken a year ago will not be suitable. Photos must be no more than 3 months old.
6. Calculating the distance between the pupils is a biometric parameter. This is what helps prevent cases of passport forgery and fraud.

Where and how to take a photo

To obtain a photo for a Schengen visa to Germany, you should choose one of the following methods:

However, it is worth considering that if you take photos yourself, there is a high probability that the photo will not be accepted at the visa center. Then you will have to go through the procedure again and pay for it in full.

If you want to take the photo yourself

These days, most people have a good digital camera and a personal computer at home, allowing them to take and edit images themselves. If you make this decision, we recommend that you follow these guidelines:

• Adjust your lighting to avoid shadows that could obscure or distort your face;
• The higher the resolution, the better;
• Try not to retouch too much - it will be noticeable, and the photo may not be accepted;
• Use a photo printer for printing.

We recommend that you follow these simple tips, and there should be no problems with obtaining a foreign passport.

Photos of children

For children under the age of majority, all requirements for photographs are the same, but for children under 10 years of age there are some special features:

• Immigration services allow deviations in the head position of babies (due to their age, they cannot always sit quietly).
• Children are not allowed to be photographed with toys.
• It is prohibited to include a parent's hands or the back of a chair in the photo.

The main thing is that the photo is relevant. Officially, the rules are the same - the photo must be taken no more than six months ago.

However, children grow very quickly and the face changes with growth. Our advice: take photographs of children immediately before applying for a visa.

Thanks to the fact that in 2021 photographs are taken at visa centers, taking a photo of your child will not be difficult.

What is a biometric photo

Biometric requirements appeared in the Schengen countries to create a uniform standard for photographs in documents. It’s just that earlier, for example, in Germany, the face was always photographed in 3/4 on a German passport - i.e. the face looked slightly to the side (one ear was visible, but the other was not), and it was allowed to smile full-mouth (and at passport control or in the police, rarely did anyone smile as much as in the passport photo).

Thus, a biometric photograph for a visa is an ordinary photo of normal quality, taken in any photo studio (even if it is 0.5 square meters under the stairs), with a large face, without glare from glasses, quite contrasting and clear.

Is it necessary to paste a photo into the application form?

There are no differences for national visas to Germany: three photos are provided, two of which are pasted into the appropriate place on the application form, and the remaining one is submitted to the embassy (consulate) separately.

There are slight differences when applying for Schengen visas:

1. Citizens of Ukraine and Belarus need to provide two photographs, one of which must be pasted in.
2. Russian citizens paste one card into the application form and do not provide other photos.

Information taken from embassy websites and current at the time of publication. Since this parameter may change, it is better to check it with visa information on the portals of diplomatic departments immediately before submitting documents.

What is required for photographs for a new international passport?

When submitting documents yourself, you do not need to attach a paper photo. FMS employees will take photographs and fulfill all image requirements themselves - they already have all the necessary equipment for this.

If you submit your application remotely via the Internet, you will need to attach a digital photo. The requirements for it are not very demanding and are described in detail before the stage of uploading the image to the application form. This image will be kept in your personal file and will not be used on your passport.

This is important to know: Registration of a foreign passport through the MFC in 2021

Consequences of deviations from the conditions

Only if all the prescribed criteria are met will the photograph be accepted. Accordingly, if the requirements are ignored, the photo will be rejected, as will the entire application for a visa to Germany. You will have to start all over again, which will have a negative impact on saving the traveler’s finances and time.

So, the photo requirements for a visa to Germany have completely feasible characteristics. Therefore, the procedure for obtaining the right to cross the border of a foreign state should not present any special problems for a knowledgeable and responsible person.

In fact, it is not necessary to study each criterion separately - it is enough to trust either the professional employees of the photo studio, or specialists at the visa center, or employees of special agencies - it all depends on where the applicant considered it most optimal to take the image.

The latter, in turn, can help not only with photographs, but also with the rest of the package of documents. When choosing an assistant, it is recommended to be guided by the reputations and reviews of former clients - this will help avoid the formation of an erroneous attitude towards a particular organization.

Examples of bad photos

The biggest mistake many applicants make is always turning their head or smiling. Before going to the photographer, you need to pay special attention to your hair and clothes. If you wear bangs or loose hair, you should style it so that it does not hide your forehead or ears. Otherwise it will be considered a violation of the requirements.

Do not choose your work or home clothes for these purposes. In some countries, a person wearing a T-shirt, for example, is perceived as naked.

Don't forget about the background against which the shooting will take place. Make sure it is the correct color and there are no foreign objects on it. The visa photo parameters must not be violated.

Remember that the consulate’s decision to issue you a visa permit, and therefore the fate of the entire trip as a whole, depends on the accuracy of the photo.