Baby passport photo: how to get it right at home
Published
The easiest way to get a passport photo for your baby is at home: lying down, in daylight and with your smartphone. In a photo booth, it usually fails because a baby can neither sit up nor hold their head. And your supporting hand must not be visible in the photo.
More and more orders at Photo Express are for babies and toddlers. In this guide, you will find out when your child needs a photo of their own, which requirements apply in Switzerland and how to take the picture in just a few minutes.
When does a baby need their own passport photo?
You will mainly need your own photo for an identity card issued by your municipality and for foreign documents. Even a newborn needs their own identity document to travel. Whether you have to bring a photo depends on the document and the canton.
| Document | Where to apply | Own photo required? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity card only | Municipality of residence or cantonal passport office, depending on the canton | At the municipality, yes: a printed photo of 35 × 45 mm, no older than one year. Some municipalities accept a digital photo. |
| Swiss passport or combined offer (passport and ID card) | Cantonal passport office | Usually not, the photo is taken on site. Some cantons allow you to bring a digital colour photo, which you must state when applying. |
| Foreign passport, visa | Consulate, embassy or visa centre | Yes, according to the requirements of the country concerned. |
In the canton of Zurich, an identity card for children is valid for five years and costs 35 francs including postage (fact sheet of the Zurich cantonal passport office, in German). Each municipality decides whether your baby has to come to the counter in person. It is best to ask in advance (fedpol: applying for a passport and ID card).
Which requirements apply to baby photos in Switzerland?
Babies follow the same basic rules as adults, with a few exceptions. According to the fedpol photo specification chart, small children do not have to meet every requirement. Deviations are accepted in particular for looking into the camera, a neutral expression and head size.
| Criterion | Adults | Babies and toddlers |
|---|---|---|
| Format | 35 × 45 mm | 35 × 45 mm |
| Face height (chin to crown) | 29 to 34 mm | at least 23 mm (children under 11), deviations tolerated |
| Looking into the camera | mandatory | deviations accepted |
| Facial expression | neutral, mouth closed | deviations accepted |
| Eyes | open and clearly visible | also open |
| Other people, hands, objects | not allowed | not allowed, even for children |
| Head covering | not allowed | not allowed, so no hat and no hairband |
| Background | plain, neutral, no shadows | same |
| Age of the photo | no more than one year | no more than one year |
Important: closed eyes are not listed as an exception in the photo specification chart. So take the photo while your baby is awake. A dummy also counts as an object in front of the face and must be removed before the photo is taken.
For foreign passports and visas, the rules of the country concerned apply. For an overview of the general criteria, see our guide to ICAO-compliant photos.
Step by step: taking your baby's photo at home
The best way is to photograph your baby lying down, from above and with two people. That way, nobody needs to support the head and it stays still on its own.
- Choose the right moment. After sleeping and feeding, most babies are awake and content. Allow a few minutes and several attempts.
- Prepare the surface. Lay your baby on a smooth, light, plain blanket without creases or patterns. A blanket on the bed or on the floor is the safest option.
- Make sure the light is good. Use daylight from a window, but no direct sunlight and no flash. Make sure neither you nor the phone casts a shadow on the face.
- Keep the face clear. Remove the dummy, hat, hairband, comforter and toys. Briefly wipe away any milk or dribble.
- Take the photo from above. Hold your smartphone with both hands, parallel to the face, directly above the head. Do not get too close, so that the head and shoulders are fully in the frame and the face does not look distorted.
- Attract your baby's attention. A second person makes a sound or shows a rattle right next to the phone so that your baby looks up. Hands and arms stay out of the frame.
- Take several shots. Choose the photo in which the eyes are open, the head is straight and the mouth is closed if possible.
Never leave your baby unattended on a raised surface such as a changing table while taking the photo.
The most common mistakes in baby photos
Typical reasons for rejection are visible hands, shadows or closed eyes. Check these points before you submit the photo:
- Hand or arm in the picture: Take the photo lying down, so no support is needed.
- Shadows on the face: Turn towards the window until your own shadow no longer falls on your baby.
- Dummy, hat or comforter: Anything that is not part of your child has to come out of the picture.
- Closed eyes: Wait until your baby is awake and take several shots.
- Head turned to the side: Draw your baby's gaze upwards with a sound right next to the phone.
- Busy surface: Creases, patterns or pillows make it harder to separate the head cleanly from the background.
- Taken too close: If the head is cut off or the face looks distorted, take a step back.
- Outdated photo: The photo must be no more than one year old. As babies change quickly, it is worth taking a new picture shortly before you apply.
How it works with Photo Express
With Photo Express, you create your baby's photo at home and only pay once you have seen the finished result. You do not need an account.
- Choose your document: for example "EU Passport / ID" (35 × 45 mm) for a Swiss identity card, a foreign passport or a US visa photo.
- Take the photo: Follow the guided capture and photograph your baby as described above.
- Check the result: Photo Express crops the photo to the selected format, removes the background automatically and checks common quality criteria.
- Download or order prints: The digital file costs CHF 8.90. Printed photos sent by post to a Swiss address cost CHF 14.90, including the file (Prints and delivery).
Thanks to automatic background removal, a simple light blanket is all you need as a surface. If an authority rejects the photo because of insufficient photo quality, you can request a full refund within 60 days of purchase (Refund). Your photos are processed in Switzerland.
Frequently asked questions about baby passport photos
Does a newborn need their own identity document?
Yes, every child needs their own identity document from birth to travel abroad. For an identity card from your municipality, you will need a recent passport photo.
Can my baby have their eyes closed in the passport photo?
For Swiss identity documents, the eyes should be open. The exceptions for small children relate to looking into the camera, facial expression and head size, not to closed eyes.
Can I hold my baby for the photo?
Only if your hands are not visible in the photo. It is easier to lay your baby on a light blanket and take the picture from above.
Can the dummy be in the photo?
No. A dummy counts as an object in front of the face and must be removed for the photo.
How old can my baby's passport photo be?
No more than one year. As babies change quickly, it is best to take the photo shortly before you apply.
Can I submit the baby photo digitally?
Some municipalities accept a digital photo for the identity card, and some cantons do so for the passport. Ask in advance. With Photo Express, you get the digital file and, if you like, printed photos by post.
How much does an identity card for a baby cost?
In the canton of Zurich, an identity card for children costs 35 francs including postage. It is valid for five years.
