Schengen Visa Photo Requirements - A Necessity for Visa Application Approval

Schengen refers to the collection of a total of 29 European countries which have completely removed restrictions across their borders. Residents and even travellers to such European countries can travel across borders without any kind of hassle like procuring a dedicated visa for every country. Applying for a visa for Europe from India can be made hassle-free by opting for a Schengen visa for unrestricted movement and inconvenient trips to different European countries on a single visa. Travellers must however follow all the dedicated guidelines and rules associated with visa applications. Out of all the prerequisites, a complete understanding of the photo specifications for a Schengen visa is a necessity for faster visa approval.

Following is a guide on the requisite photo specifications that travellers can follow for their Schengen visa application

Photo dimensions

The photo dimensions for Schengen visa are fixed and must be adhered to to get faster approval and to avoid any rejections. The photo must be 35 x 45 mm in size which is standard for all European countries and their local rules and guidelines. Moreover, the photo must include more than 80% of the applicant's face for better clarity of essential facial features.

Background specifications

Apart from the applicant’s face, various rules and guidelines must be followed for the background specifications of the photo for the Schengen visa. The background must be completely clean consisting of a single neutral colour like white. Moreover, the photo should be free from any noise, shadows, and other unnecessary objects in the background.

Print Quality

The applicants must even make sure the print quality of the photos is at least 600 DPI for maximum clarity. Complete care regarding colours and print quality is essential for approval of a Schengen visa. Moreover, the photo should be coloured and not black and white.

Rules related to facial expression

Apart from the overall quality of the photo, the applicants must take proper precautions regarding their facial expressions and head position. The applicants must look directly into the camera with neutral facial expressions. Moreover, the applicants must completely avoid wearing any accessories like sunglasses and eyewear.

Photo age

Last but not least, applicants must opt for a recently clicked photograph not older than six months from the date of the Schengen visa application. Applicants must even refrain from using their photos which have been used for other visa applications in the past.

Conclusion

Applicants must follow all the dedicated guidelines associated with their visa application photo to reduce the chances of visa rejections. Additional guidelines for a digital photo must be followed as well which includes the use of JPEG format with sizes ranging between 20 KB and 1MB. With various rules and guidelines, the applicants may feel burdened with adhering to all the necessary photo specifications for a Schengen visa. Therefore, they can opt for the services of reliable visa assistance companies like Atlys which can help with on-time visa applications and even approval. Guiding applicants and ensuring adherence to Schengen visa photo specifications, they handle every minute aspect of visa approval and avoid any delays.