Photo for a Schengen visa
Published
EU / Schengen
Whether your parents are coming from India for a visit, your partner is joining you through family reunification, or you need a return visa after your permit has expired: a visa for Switzerland or another Schengen state requires the biometric 35 × 45 mm format under the ICAO standard. This page covers the requirements, what Swiss representations ask for in practice and when no photo is needed at all.
Key facts
- Format: 35 × 45 mm, colour, borderless
- Face height (chin to crown): 32 to 36 mm, i.e. 70 to 80% of the photo
- Light, plain background; Swiss representations specify white in their checklists
- No more than six months old
- Not copied or scanned; glued to the form rather than stapled
- You do not need a photo for EES and ETIAS
Create your Schengen visa photo now – CHF 8.90 digital, CHF 14.90 with prints by post
What are the photo requirements?
For the photo, the EU Visa Code refers to ICAO standard 9303, which also applies to passports. Swiss representations link to the same guidelines.
| Criterion | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Size | 35 × 45 mm, a width of 35 to 40 mm is permitted |
| Face | 32 to 36 mm from chin to crown |
| Background | Light, plain, evenly lit; Swiss checklists require white |
| Pose | Facing the camera, head straight, alone in the picture |
| Face | Eyes open and visible, mouth closed, neutral expression |
| Glasses | No tinted lenses, no reflections, no frames across the eyes |
| Head covering | Only for religious reasons, face visible from chin to forehead |
| Age of photo | Six months at most |
| Original on photo paper, no copy, no scan, not stapled |
Who in Switzerland needs a Schengen visa photo?
If you hold a valid Swiss residence permit, you can travel within the Schengen area without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. A visa photo is mainly needed by these people:
- Visitors from abroad. Relatives or friends apply for the visa at the Swiss representation in their country. If required, the person issuing the invitation signs a declaration of sponsorship (Verpflichtungserklärung) at the cantonal migration office. The photo is needed by the invited person, not by the host.
- Family reunification. For the national D visa, Swiss representations usually require four photos: three on the forms and one attached to the passport.
- Return visa. If your residence permit card has expired or been lost, you apply to the canton for a return visa before travelling. The canton of Thurgau requires a recent 35 × 45 mm photo for this, and Zurich and Thurgau charge up to CHF 90.
Photo and biometrics at the Swiss representation
For a Swiss Schengen visa, you hand in a printed photo that you glue to the application form. In addition, a facial image and fingerprints are taken when you apply; children under twelve do not give fingerprints. The biometric data remains valid for 59 months.
Depending on the country, applications are accepted by an external service provider such as VFS Global. The checklists of the Swiss representations ask for a passport photo with a white background, no more than six months old, 35 to 40 mm wide, neither copied nor scanned.
Visa fees at a glance
These fees are charged by the authorities and visa centres, and you pay them directly there. Photo Express is not a visa agency: we only supply the photo and do not submit visa applications.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Schengen visa, adults | EUR 90, in the local currency of the representation |
| Children aged 6 to 12 | EUR 45 |
| Children under 6 | Free of charge |
| Return visa from the canton (Zurich, Thurgau) | up to CHF 90 |
The service fee charged by an external service provider may not exceed half of the visa fee.
EES and ETIAS: no photo needed
- EES, the Entry/Exit System, has been fully operational since April 2026. Your facial image and fingerprints are captured at the border, so you do not bring a photo. Swiss and EU citizens and residence permit holders are exempt.
- ETIAS, the future travel authorisation for visa-exempt third-country nationals, is not yet operational. The application is made online and, as things currently stand, does not require a photo.
An online platform for Schengen visas has been adopted but is not yet operational. Until then, the printed photo remains the rule.
The most common reasons for rejection
- Face too small or too large because the photo was cropped from a different format
- Shadows on the face or background, red-eye, flash reflections
- Busy or dark background
- Glasses with reflections or tinted lenses, hair over the eyes
- Copy or scan instead of an original print, photo stapled to the form
- Photo too old
Photo Express automatically checks the crop, head size, background and sharpness before you pay. If an authority rejects your photo because of insufficient photo quality, we refund the full amount.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Schengen visa photo the same as a Swiss passport photo?
The format is the same, 35 × 45 mm. For the visa, however, the ICAO standard requires a larger face, 32 to 36 mm from chin to crown.
Which background colour is correct?
The EU rules require a light, plain background. The checklists of the Swiss representations specify white.
Is the photo taken at the representation?
The facial image for the biometrics is captured when you apply. You still need to bring the printed photo for the form.
Do I need a photo for ETIAS?
No. ETIAS is not yet operational, and the online application does not include a photo.
Does Photo Express apply for the visa for me?
No. Photo Express is a photo service, not a visa agency or an authority. We supply the photo in the right format. You submit the application yourself to the responsible representation or on the official portal, and you pay the visa fees there.
How much does the photo cost at Photo Express?
CHF 8.90 for the digital file, CHF 14.90 for printed photos sent by post to a Swiss address, digital file included. You pay only after you have seen the result.
Take the photo and prepare your application
Choose the “EU / Schengen Visa” format, take the picture with your phone and have the prints sent to your home. Relatives abroad can also take their photo with Photo Express and have the file printed at a photo lab where they live; delivery by post is only available to Swiss addresses. No account, no waiting, processing in Switzerland.
