A French passport photo follows a stricter rulebook than most countries, and one rule surprises almost everyone: France forbids a white background. Applicants who bring a standard white-background photo from another country get rejected, and the passport is not issued until they supply a compliant photo.
This guide explains the French passport photo size, the full list of requirements, and the steps to follow through ANTS, the French agency that handles passport applications. It also covers French visa photos, where the rules differ and where you can prepare the photo yourself.
French passport photo size and requirements at a glance
The French government publishes one identity-photo standard for passports and national ID cards. It matches the 35×45 mm format that most Schengen countries use, but its background rule is stricter.
| Requirement | French passport photo rule |
|---|---|
| Photo size | 35 mm wide × 45 mm high |
| Face height | 32–36 mm, chin to top of skull (70–80% of the photo) |
| Background | Plain, light colour such as light blue or light grey. White is forbidden. |
| Photo age | Taken less than 6 months ago, and a good likeness |
| Colour | Colour strongly recommended |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open and looking at the lens |
| Head | Bare, straight, facing the camera |
| Number of photos | One photo for a passport or ID card application |
These figures come from Service-Public.fr, the official French government information site. Always confirm them there before you apply, because the administration can update the rules.
Can you make your own French passport photo at home?
Not for a French passport application. Service-Public states that a professional or a booth using a system approved by the Ministry of the Interior must take the photo. A photo you shoot with your phone and print yourself does not meet that condition, even when it matches every measurement.
You can still use a home setup for other purposes: to practise the framing, to check whether your glasses or hair cause problems, to prepare a French visa photo, or to build a 35×45 mm print sheet for documents that do not require an approved provider.
An online photo tool also cannot issue the official ePhoto code that ANTS uses with approved providers. When your application requires that code, get it from an approved photographer or booth.
How to get a French passport photo step by step
Find an approved provider. Use the ANTS search tool to locate a professional photographer or approved booth near you. Most photo booths in train stations, shopping centres and town halls use an approved system.
Prepare for the shoot. Pull your hair back from your face, keep your ears clear, wear a top that contrasts with a light background, and remove hats and headbands.
Take the photo and ask for the ePhoto code. Approved providers generate a digital code along with the prints, which links your photo to your online application.
Complete the online pre-application. Fill in the passport pre-application on the ANTS website and enter your photo details when it asks.
Buy the tax stamp. A French passport requires a timbre fiscal (tax stamp), which you can buy from a tobacconist or on the French tax website. The ID card does not need one.
Attend your appointment. Bring your supporting documents and your photo to the town hall (mairie) that handles passport applications.
French passport photo requirements in detail
The core rules fit in a table, but the details below decide whether the administration accepts or rejects your photo.
Background and lighting
Use a plain background in a light colour. Light blue and light grey both qualify.
Avoid white. France explicitly forbids a white background.
Light your face evenly, with no cast shadow on your face or on the background.
Avoid overexposure and underexposure. The photo needs clear contrast.
Face, hair and expression
Face the lens with your head straight and your eyes open and visible.
Keep your mouth closed with a neutral expression.
Keep your forehead, face and ears clear. A fringe works only when it does not cover your eyes.
Wear no hat, scarf or headband. France applies this rule to young children too.
Glasses and accessories
You do not have to wear glasses in the photo, and removing them is the safest choice.
If you keep them on, use thin frames that do not cover your eyes.
Avoid tinted or coloured lenses, and eliminate every reflection.
Skip class photos, scanned photos and adhesive photos. The administration refuses them.
French visa photo size and requirements
France follows the Schengen standard for visa photos. If you apply for a visa to France, you need a photo that measures 35×45 mm, shows your current appearance and was taken within the last 6 months. The head should measure 32–36 mm, and you should keep a neutral expression with your mouth closed.
This is the same size as the French passport photo, so a compliant 35×45 mm image works as a base for both. The background rule is where you must pay attention. The French passport standard bans white, while Schengen visa guidance generally asks for a plain, light background. Check the instructions on the official France-Visas site and from your consulate or visa centre, because they also tell you how many photos to supply.
A US passport photo does not work for a French visa. It measures 2×2 inches (51×51 mm), which is larger than the 35×45 mm Schengen format.
How to prepare a French passport-style photo at home
Use this process for a French visa photo, a practice shot or a print sheet. It does not replace the approved provider you need for a passport application.
Choose a plain light wall. Stand a metre in front of a light grey or light blue wall, or hang a plain sheet in that colour.
Face soft daylight. Stand opposite a window so light falls evenly on your face. Avoid overhead lamps and flash.
Ask someone else to shoot. Have a friend hold the phone at eye level, about 1.2–1.5 m (4–5 ft) away. Selfies distort your face.
Keep your pose neutral. Look straight at the lens, keep your head level, close your mouth and relax your expression.
Crop to 35×45 mm. Upload the photo to the passport photo maker and set the 35×45 mm size.
Check it. Run the result through the passport photo checker to confirm head size, tilt and lighting.
Print on a sheet. Place several photos on a 4×6 photo template and follow our guide on how to print passport photos.
Common reasons a French passport photo gets rejected
France rejects the photo, and the passport stays unissued, whenever the photo breaks a listed rule. Most rejections trace back to a handful of avoidable mistakes.
A white background, including photos made for another country
Head too small or too large, outside the 32–36 mm range
A photo older than 6 months or one that no longer looks like you
Shadows on the face or the background
A smile, an open mouth or a tilted head
Thick frames, tinted lenses or glare on glasses
Hair, a fringe or a head covering that hides the face or ears
A scanned, folded, creased or sticker-backed photo
Compare your photo against this list before your appointment. For rules in other countries, browse the passport photo directory.