Germany Visa Photo – 35x45 mm in 2025

How to Take a Visa Photo at Home

Lighting: Use natural or soft artificial light. Avoid shadows or direct sunlight.

Background: Stand against a plain white or very light wall.

Distance: Hold your phone or camera at eye level, about 1.5 m away.

Framing: Your face should occupy 70–80% of the image.

Posture: Sit or stand straight, keep a neutral expression.

With PhotoGov, even an ordinary selfie becomes an embassy-compliant biometric photo.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using passport-size (wrong format) instead of 35x45 mm

Wearing white tops that blend into background

Smiling or frowning

Glasses, shadows, or poor focus

Cropping too tightly or uneven framing

PhotoGov instantly checks and corrects every photo before download.

Can i take my visa picture at home?

So long as you’re willing to put in the effort to take a good photograph, there’s nothing stopping you from taking your visa picture at home. Simply follow these steps:

How to take a Germany Visa photo using a phone

So long as your smartphone has a good quality camera, you can certainly use it to take a picture for your visa. With that being said, however, selfies are not acceptable, so follow these steps:

How can i convert my photo to visa size?

While you can convert the size of pictures using a variety of methods, the best option is to use our visa photo tool - PhotoGov. That way, you can rest assured you’ll have a high-quality, properly sized end product, one that isn’t distorted or blurred by stretching or compressing.

I already have a digital visa photo. How do i print it?

If you have a digital photograph, unfortunately, you won’t just be able to print it out on printer paper. You specifically need a high-quality print on either matte or glossy photo paper. You can either achieve this by visiting any photo service or by using our tool to print your image off at home.

Where to get a visa photo

Pharmacies and drug stores

Well-known medicinal retail brands, namely Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid, proffer immediate passport photo solutions in-store. Do anticipate a charge, with most services priced around the $15 mark.

Shipping centers

Shipping giants like UPS, FedEx, and adjacent shipping facilities also cater to passport photo needs, mirroring the services of typical drugstores. At a going rate of around $15, it stands as a worthy alternative if you're considering external providers for your passport imagery.

Post offices and other passport acceptance agents

It's customary for post offices and agencies of a similar function to be equipped for passport applications, which includes offering photographic sessions. Maintaining the price consistency as observed earlier, you can typically expect a fee around the $15 ballpark.

Retail stores

Retail venues frequently host areas meant for passport photo shoots, assuring quality pictures in line with norms. Even though each establishment might set its own rate, you can usually anticipate a decent pricing range.