The successful receipt of a Schengen visa largely depends on the correct execution of the package of documents submitted to the embassy or consulate simultaneously with the application for its issuance. This also applies to the photographs of the applicant when obtaining a Schengen visa.
Providing a photo for a Schengen visa is not an empty formality: after all, the visa form itself will eventually contain the image that you provided simultaneously with the application for its issuance. Therefore, it is very important that it meets all the requirements of the Schengen countries.
General requirements for photography
Since the Schengen visa is universal for all European countries, the requirements for the photo provided to obtain it are unified. So, the size of the photo should correspond to the standard 35 by 45 mm, the background used should be monochromatic, as a rule, light, the paper should be matte, and parameters such as contrast, sharpness and illumination are sufficient to form a clear image that allows unambiguously identifying its owner.
Special requirements are imposed on the image of a face in a photograph: it must occupy most of its surface area, ranging in height from 32 to 36 millimeters. In this case, the face should be located straight, in frontal view: tilt or turn of the head is not allowed, as this may complicate the identification of the person depicted in the photograph. The eyes should look straight into the lens and be open, the mouth should be closed, the facial expression should be neutral, without additional emotions, including a smile. In this case, the image in the photo must have a natural look and not contain any signs of editing.
Additional photography requirements
As a rule, the body accepting documents for a Schengen visa requires that the photograph provided by the applicant was taken recently, that is, it reflects his current appearance. This requirement also applies to the correspondence of the image of a person's appearance in ordinary life. So, for example, if he wears glasses, he can be photographed for a visa in them. However, it should be ensured that neither the frame nor the glasses of the glasses cover the eyes of the citizen, and they are clearly distinguishable. Of course, the photo must be clean, free of any traces of dirt and free from folds and scuffs.
While these requirements may seem complex and overwhelming, they are not difficult to meet. Indeed, to obtain a photo for a Schengen visa, people, as a rule, turn to specialized photo studios that are aware of all the requirements for such a photo. You just need to inform the staff that you plan to use the photo for obtaining a visa, and you will receive an image that meets all the necessary conditions, which you can provide to the consulate or embassy.
