France Passport Photo Requirements 2026
Written and fact-checked by the PassportLayout team · Last verified:
Official requirements from the French government's Service-Public portal, checked against the source on the date above.
Quick Summary
35×45 mm photo, uniform light background — a white background is forbidden — neutral expression with mouth closed, face 32–36 mm from chin to crown, taken less than 6 months ago by an authorised professional or approved photo booth.
Photo Dimensions
A French passport photo measures 3.5 cm wide by 4.5 cm tall (35 × 45 mm) — the standard European format shared with the rest of the EU. The rules are set out on Service-Public.fr, the French administration's official portal, which draws its technical specifications from the Arrêté of 10 April 2007 on photographs for identity documents. The same photo norm covers passports, the carte nationale d'identité, and residence permits.
The print itself must be flawless: sharp, without creases, stains, or marks, and with correct brightness and contrast. A technically perfect pose on a damaged or badly exposed print will still be refused at the mairie.
Face and Head Size
The face must measure between 3.2 and 3.6 cm from the chin to the crown of the head — roughly 70 to 80% of the photo's height. Centre the head in the frame: France's guidance wants the face straight-on, undistorted, and fully visible, with both eyes open and clearly recognisable. Hair must not fall across the face, the ears should be visible, and nothing may cast a shadow over the features.
If your hair is voluminous, size the crop on the head itself rather than the hairstyle; what matters biometrically is the chin-to-crown distance, not the outer edge of the hair.
Background: White Is Forbidden
This is the rule that catches the most people out, especially anyone used to US or Indian specifications. In France the background must be uniform and light-coloured — pale blue or light grey work well — but the official guidance is blunt about the one colour you might expect to be safe: « le fond blanc est interdit » — the white background is prohibited. A white backdrop leaves too little contrast between the face, light hair, and the paper of the document, so photos shot against white are routinely refused.
The backdrop must also be free of shadows, patterns, and objects. If you bring photos taken abroad against a white wall, expect to be sent back for a new set.
Expression and Pose
The instruction on the official photo page is short and absolute: « l'expression doit être neutre et la bouche doit être fermée » — the expression must be neutral and the mouth closed. No smiling, no raised eyebrows, no tilted or turned head. Look directly into the lens with both eyes open; squinting, closed eyes, and red-eye all lead to refusal.
Glasses
Glasses are optional, and taking them off is the safest route. If you keep them on, the frames must not be thick and must not hide any part of the eyes, the lenses must be neither tinted nor coloured, and there must be no reflections on the glass. Sunglasses are out of the question. Photographers in France will usually simply ask you to remove them.
Attire and Head Coverings
The photo must be taken bareheaded (tête nue): hats, caps, scarves, and headbands are not accepted on French identity photos — a stricter line than many other countries take. Everyday clothing is fine as long as the face stays fully clear from chin to forehead. Choose a top that contrasts with the light backdrop so your outline stays crisp.
Photo Recency
The photo must be less than 6 months old and must faithfully represent your current appearance. If your face has changed noticeably — new facial hair, significant weight change, surgery — have a new photo taken even if the six-month window has not yet closed, because the desk officer compares the photo with the person standing in front of them.
Who Is Allowed to Take the Photo
France does not accept do-it-yourself prints for passports or identity cards. As required by the rules published on Service-Public.fr, the photo must be taken by an authorised professional or in a photo booth using a system approved by the Ministry of the Interior — look for the blue « agréé » sticker on Photomaton-style booths and studio windows.
Those same approved operators are the gateway to France's digital route: they can issue an ePhoto code — a digital photo paired with a digitised signature — which is used to attach your photo to certain online applications handled by the ANTS (the national agency for secure documents), such as the driving licence. For a passport or identity card, you hand over the printed photo at your mairie appointment; the pre-application (pré-demande) is completed online, but the photo itself stays physical.
Complete Specifications Table
| Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| Photo size | 35 × 45 mm (3.5 × 4.5 cm) |
| Face height | 32–36 mm from chin to crown (70–80% of frame) |
| Background | Uniform, light-coloured (pale blue or grey) — white forbidden |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth closed, looking straight at the camera |
| Glasses | Optional; thin frames, no tint, no reflections, eyes fully visible |
| Head covering | None — photo taken bareheaded |
| Recency | Less than 6 months old, resembling you today |
| Who takes it | Authorised professional or ministry-approved photo booth |
| Print quality | Sharp, no creases, stains, or marks; correct exposure |
| Legal basis | Arrêté of 10 April 2007 on identity document photos |
Common Rejection Reasons
- White background — the single most common surprise for applicants
- Smiling, open mouth, or any non-neutral expression
- Face height outside the 32–36 mm band
- Photo older than 6 months or no longer resembling the applicant
- Home-made or self-printed photo instead of an approved source
- Hair covering the face or shadows across the features
- Tinted lenses, thick frames, or reflections on glasses
- Hat, scarf, or headband worn in the photo
- Creased, stained, over- or under-exposed print
Tips for a Compliant French Photo
Go to an approved booth or photographer already knowing the traps: no white wall, no smile, glasses off, hair pushed clear of your eyebrows. Approved Photomaton booths guide you through the framing automatically and print a set of compliant photos in minutes — keep the unused ones, as they stay valid for six months across all French identity documents.
Where printed photos to the 35×45 mm French geometry are accepted without the approval requirement — visa applications to other countries, transport passes, school and work files — PassportLayout.online lets you frame the face at exactly 32–36 mm using its guide lines and print a full sheet at 300 DPI without your photo ever leaving your device.
Need a 35×45 mm French-format photo?
Crop to the exact French specification with the face at 32–36 mm and print a full sheet — free, private, in your browser.
Create your French passport photo — freeFrequently Asked Questions
Can a French passport photo have a white background?
No. France is one of the few countries that explicitly forbids a white background — the official guidance states plainly that 'le fond blanc est interdit'. Use a uniform, light-coloured backdrop instead, such as pale blue or light grey, with no shadows on it.
Can I take my French passport photo myself at home?
Not for a passport or national identity card. The photo must be taken by an authorised professional photographer or in a photo booth using a system approved by the Ministry of the Interior — approved booths and studios display the blue 'agréé' sticker. Home-printed photos are refused at the application desk.
Can I smile in a French passport photo?
No. The expression must be neutral and the mouth must be closed — 'l'expression doit être neutre et la bouche doit être fermée'. You must look straight at the camera, with your eyes open and clearly visible and your hair kept out of your face.
How recent must a French passport photo be?
The photo must have been taken less than 6 months before your application and must still look like you. It also needs to be in perfect physical condition: sharp, with no creases, stains, or marks, and with correct brightness and contrast.
Sources
- Service-Public.fr — Photo d'identité (F10619) — official French requirements for identity document photos, based on the Arrêté of 10 April 2007 (verified 7 July 2026)
- ICAO Doc 9303 — Machine Readable Travel Documents — international biometric portrait standard