France Passport Photo Size: Official Specs and Guide

France's single most rejection-prone rule trips up almost everyone: the background cannot be white. ANTS (Agence Nationale des Titres Sécurisés) and Service-Public.fr require light gray or light blue — the opposite of most countries, which demand white — so a photo prepared abroad, in a booth, or with an app fails on sight. The print measures 35 x 45 mm (413 x 531 pixels at 300 DPI), and France wants a physical printed photo for passports, not a digital upload. An agréé photobooth or approved photographer issues an ePhoto with a 22-character digital code. Since the EES facial-recognition rollout (mid-2026), the mairie scrutinizes lighting and contrast more harshly than ever.

Here is every specification you need, how to prepare your photo with Pixotter, and the mistakes that cause French authorities to reject photos.

France Passport Photo Specifications

The values below are the current official requirements set by the French Ministry of the Interior and published by ANTS on Service-Public.fr (service-public.fr) and ants.gouv.fr. France's biometric scanning is automated and unforgiving, so every figure is a hard pass/fail check at the mairie.

Why France Is Stricter Than Most Countries

French passport photo rules stand out in a few specific ways.

Background color. Most countries accept a white background. The US requires white. The UK accepts light gray or white. France specifically rejects white and requires light gray or light blue instead. This catches people off guard — especially anyone accustomed to US or UK standards. If you used a photo booth or app that defaults to a pure white background, you will need a new photo. For more on background requirements across countries, see our passport photo background guide.

Face height range. France requires the face (chin to top of head) to be between 32 and 36 mm — a 4 mm window. Many countries give a wider tolerance. If the face is even slightly too small or too large in the frame, the photo will be rejected.

Glasses are technically allowed but a rejection trap. France permits prescription glasses in passport photos, but the conditions are so strict that approved photographers and photobooths routinely ask you to remove them anyway. There can be no glare or reflection on the lenses, no tint (even light transition lenses fail), no thick frames, and the frames cannot cover any part of your eyes. Because France's automated biometric scanning rejects the slightest reflection, the safe move is to take your glasses off — it costs seconds and avoids a three-to-four-week delay.

A printed photo, scanned at the mairie. Unlike countries that let you upload a digital file, France requires a physical photo for passports. You complete the pré-demande online via ANTS, but the photo itself is printed on professional photo paper and handed to the agent at your in-person mairie appointment, who scans it. The 22-character e-photo digital code you may see advertised is for driving licences and residence permits — not passports.

Schengen compatibility. France is a Schengen Area member. A photo that meets French passport requirements also meets Schengen visa photo requirements, so you can use the same photo for both. If you are applying for a Schengen visa through a French consulate, follow these French specs exactly.

How to Prepare Your France Passport Photo

Step 1: Take the Photo

Use a plain light gray or light blue backdrop. A light gray wall works. Avoid shadows — use even, front-facing light. Stand about 1.5 meters from the camera. Keep a neutral expression with your mouth closed. Remove your glasses.

Use a phone camera or any digital camera at the highest resolution setting. You need at least 413 x 531 pixels for the final crop — any modern phone camera provides far more than that.

Step 2: Crop to the Correct Framing

Open Pixotter Crop and drop your photo onto the page. Set a custom aspect ratio of 35:45 (equivalent to 7:9). Position the crop so that your face occupies 70–80% of the vertical space, with the area from chin to top of head filling roughly 32–36 mm of the final 45 mm height. Leave a small margin of background above your head.

A quick way to check: your face height should be about 71–80% of the total image height. In pixel terms, that means the chin-to-crown distance should be roughly 377–425 pixels in the final 531-pixel-tall image.

Step 3: Resize to Exact Dimensions

Open Pixotter Resize and drop the cropped photo. Set the dimensions to 413 x 531 pixels. Download the result. Because a French passport photo is submitted as a physical print, take this file to a photo lab and have it printed on professional photo paper at 35 x 45 mm — do not print it at home on plain paper, as the mairie will reject it. Keep the digital copy too: it is handy if you later need an e-photo for a driving licence or residence permit, where the 50–500 KB JPEG range applies.

Step 4: Verify the Result

Before submitting, check your photo against this list:

• Background is light gray or light blue — not white, not off-white
• Face height is 70–80% of the frame (32–36 mm chin to crown)
• Expression is neutral, mouth closed, eyes open and clearly visible
• No glasses (or, if worn, no glare, no tint, no thick frames)
• No hat, headband, or head covering
• No shadows on the face or background
• Crop matches 413 x 531 pixels, printed at 35 x 45 mm on photo paper
• Photo was taken within the last 6 months

Common Rejection Reasons

French mairies scan photos against automated biometric standards and reject anything other countries would wave through. Here are the most frequent causes:

White background. This is the single most common rejection for people who prepared their photo outside France. The background must be light gray or light blue — not white, not cream, not off-white.

Face too small or too large. The 32–36 mm face height requirement is strict. Photos taken at arm's length with a phone camera often produce a face that is too small in the frame. Photos from close up produce a face that is too large.

Glare or reflection on glasses. Glasses are permitted, but France's biometric scanner rejects the faintest reflection, any tint, or frames thick enough to mask the eyes. If you cannot guarantee perfectly clear lenses with no glare, remove your glasses before the photo is taken.

Visible headwear. Hats, headbands, and religious head coverings are not permitted for French passport photos. The head must be completely bare, with hair tucked back so the face edges are visible.

Shadows. Shadows on the face or background suggest uneven lighting. Use front-facing, diffused light and stand far enough from the background that your body does not cast a shadow on it.

Printed at home or on plain paper. France requires a photo printed on professional photo paper. A home-printer copy on standard paper, or a creased or marked print, will be refused at the mairie appointment.

Photo too old. If the photo was taken more than six months ago, it can be rejected — especially if your appearance has changed noticeably.

France vs Nearby Countries

If you travel frequently between France, the UK, and Schengen countries, note the differences:

France and the UK share the same print dimensions, but the background and face height rules differ. See our UK passport photo size guide for the full UK specification.

FAQ

What size is a French passport photo in pixels?

A French passport photo prints at 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 inches), which equals 413 x 531 pixels at 300 DPI. France follows the standard European format. You crop and size to those pixel dimensions, then print the photo on photo paper to bring to your mairie appointment.

Can I use a white background for a French passport photo?

No. France specifically requires a light gray or light blue background, and pure white is forbidden. A white background will be rejected even though it is accepted in many other countries including the US. This is the single most common reason French passport photos prepared abroad fail.

Are glasses allowed in French passport photos?

Technically yes, but France strongly discourages them. If you wear glasses there must be no glare or reflection on the lenses, no tint, and no thick frames, and the frames cannot cover any part of your eyes. Because France's automated biometric scanning rejects the faintest reflection, most approved French photographers ask you to take your glasses off.

Do I upload my photo on the ANTS website for a French passport?

No. The ANTS pré-demande online lets you fill in your details and buy the tax stamp, but it has no photo upload for passports. You bring a physical printed photo to your in-person mairie appointment, where an agent scans it into the system.

What is the 22-character ANTS e-photo code, and do I need it for a passport?

The e-photo is a digital identity photo with a 22-character alphanumeric code issued by an agréé photobooth or photographer. It is used for French driving licences and residence permits — not passports. For a passport, ignore the code and use the printed photos from the same sheet.

Can I use my French passport photo for a Schengen visa?

Yes. France is a Schengen Area member, and a photo that meets these French passport specs — 35 x 45 mm, light gray or light blue background, 32–36 mm face height — also satisfies Schengen visa requirements. If you apply for a Schengen visa through a French consulate, use exactly these specs. See our Schengen visa photo guide for the full breakdown.

Where can I get an approved French passport photo taken?

Use a photobooth displaying the blue "Agréé services en ligne ANTS" logo, or an approved photographer — these are calibrated to France's background and biometric standards. Outside France, ask a studio for the light gray background specifically. Alternatively, take the photo yourself and use Pixotter to crop and resize to the exact 413 x 531-pixel specification before printing.

How recent does a French passport photo need to be?

The photo must be taken within the last 6 months and resemble your current appearance. French authorities can reject a photo if you have changed noticeably since — for example, a major hairstyle change or the addition or removal of facial hair.

Can I smile in a French passport photo?

No. You must hold a neutral expression with your mouth fully closed and your eyes open and clearly visible. A slight, natural relaxation of the face is fine, but any visible smile — even a closed-mouth one — is grounds for rejection under French rules.

Can I wear a hat or head covering in a French passport photo?

No. France requires the head to be completely bare. Hats, caps, headbands, and religious head coverings such as hijabs or turbans are not permitted for French passport or national ID photos. Tuck your hair back so the edges of your face and your ears are visible.

How does the EES rollout affect French passport photos in 2026?

With the European Entry/Exit System (EES) activating at Schengen borders in mid-2026, physical passport stamping is being phased out and travellers are matched by automated facial recognition at airport gates. French mairies have responded by scrutinizing lighting, shadows, and contrast far more closely at the application stage — a photo that scanned fine a few years ago can now be refused for a faint shadow or uneven exposure. Use flat, even, front-facing light and confirm there are no shadows on your face or the light gray background before you submit.

What changed for French ID and passport photos in 2025?

From March 31, 2025, France launched a free early-renewal program for national ID cards to move citizens onto the electronic bank-card-format CNIe used by the France Identité app. Because people often renew their passport at the same appointment as their ID, town halls have tightened enforcement of ANTS photo sizing so the biometric chip maps correctly onto both documents. In practice this means the 32–36 mm face-height window and the light gray or light blue background are now checked more strictly than before.

Can French citizens living abroad upload a digital passport photo?

In most cases, no — but there is a France-specific exception. A procédure dématérialisée (fully digital procedure) expanded in late 2025 for French citizens living in select countries such as Canada and Portugal. Eligible expatriates do upload a digital photo file conforming to the 35 x 45 mm dimensions and complete a video-call interview, yet they are still required to mail the original paper photograph to their local consulate afterwards. Everyone applying inside France still hands a physical printed photo to the mairie agent in person.