passport photo 35x45 mm online maker

Passport photo 35×45 mm online — UK, Schengen, AU, NZ in one guide

The 35×45 mm passport photo (portrait orientation) is the standard for the UK (light grey/cream background), Schengen states (light grey ~RGB 220,220,220), Australia (white or off-white), New Zealand (light grey), Ireland (white), and the EU member states' national documents. The dimensions are identical across all of these — 35 mm wide, 45 mm tall — but the background color varies. complypic generates a 35×45 mm photo against the correct destination background for US$4.99 per spec.

Which destinations use 35×45 mm

United Kingdom (HMPO passport, visa): 35×45 mm, light grey or cream background, head 29–34 mm from chin to crown.

Schengen states — France (ANTS), Germany (BVA), Italy, Spain (BLS), Netherlands (IND), Belgium, Portugal, Austria, Greece, all 29: 35×45 mm, light grey (RGB ~220,220,220) for strict states (France, Germany, NL, BE), off-white acceptable for others.

Ireland (DFA passport): 35×45 mm, plain white or light cream background.

Australia (DFAT passport): 35–40 mm wide × 45–50 mm tall (with 35×45 fully acceptable), plain white or light grey background.

New Zealand (DIA passport, Immigration NZ): 35×45 mm, plain light grey background (NOT white — see our dedicated guide).

Switzerland (Swiss biometric passport): 35×45 mm, light grey background.

Several EU national IDs: French CNI, German Personalausweis, Spanish DNI — all use 35×45 mm with destination-specific backgrounds.

Background color by destination

Light grey (RGB ~220,220,220, #DCDCDC): France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, New Zealand, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark.

Off-white or light grey: Spain (BLS Spain accepts both), Italy, Portugal, Greece, most Schengen states with discretionary review.

Plain white (#FFFFFF): Ireland, Australia (also accepts grey), some Schengen states with lenient enforcement.

Cream or off-white: UK HMPO accepts both light grey and cream — slightly warmer than pure grey.

Net: light grey is universally accepted across all 35×45 mm destinations. Pure white passes most but is rejected by the strict Schengen states. complypic's per-destination template applies the correct background automatically.

Head height by destination

UK (HMPO): head 29–34 mm chin to crown (64–76% of frame height).

Schengen / France (ANTS): head 32–36 mm chin to crown (71–80% of frame height).

Germany (BVA): head 32–36 mm chin to crown, same as France.

Ireland: head 30–34 mm chin to crown.

Australia: head 32–36 mm chin to crown.

New Zealand: head 32–36 mm chin to crown.

Net: ranges overlap but exact targets differ. A photo cropped to 32 mm head height passes most 35×45 mm destinations. complypic adjusts per-destination.

Common 35×45 mm photo mistakes

Using the 35×45 mm dimensions but with a US-style white background: rejected by France, Germany, Netherlands consulates. Use light grey for those.

Using a Schengen-style grey background for a UK passport: borderline. UK accepts light grey but biases toward cream; pure Schengen grey reads as 'too grey' for some HMPO reviewers.

Using a US 2×2 photo (51×51 mm square) for a 35×45 destination: wrong aspect ratio. The face crop is different even if you re-crop to 35×45 — the head ends up positioned wrong.

Using a fotomatón (European photo booth) photo for the wrong destination: the fotomatón typically defaults to the local national spec (e.g., Spanish DNI). For a different destination, the background may be wrong color.

Head too small or too large: each destination has a tight head-height range. A 30 mm head passes UK but is small for Schengen; a 35 mm head passes Schengen but borderline for UK.

Generating 35×45 mm with complypic

Pick your destination from complypic's country list — UK passport, UK visa, Schengen France, Schengen Germany, Schengen Spain, Italy passport, Ireland passport, Australia passport, New Zealand passport, etc.

The template loads the destination's exact spec: 35×45 mm dimensions, correct background color, correct head-height target.

Upload your selfie. Preview before paying. US$4.99 per destination spec. If you need the same photo for two 35×45 destinations with the same background (e.g., France + Germany), one generation covers both. If the backgrounds differ (e.g., UK cream + Schengen grey), each is a separate US$4.99 generation.

Includes digital JPG and printable 4×6" sheet (two photos per sheet for the 35×45 mm format).

FAQ

Is a 35×45 mm photo the same as a UK passport photo?

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Same dimensions, possibly different background. UK accepts light grey or cream; Schengen prefers light grey; Ireland accepts white. The 35×45 mm dimension is universal but the destination color matters.

Can one 35×45 mm photo work for both UK and Schengen?

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Yes if the background is light grey — UK accepts it and Schengen requires it. complypic generates per-destination but if you select light grey for UK, the same file works for both.

What's the head height for 35×45 mm?

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Destination-dependent. UK 29–34 mm, Schengen and Germany 32–36 mm, Ireland 30–34 mm. The 35×45 mm dimensions are the same; the head-position target within those dimensions differs.

Does a US 2×2 inch photo work for any 35×45 mm destination?

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No. The dimensions are wrong (51×51 vs 35×45), the aspect ratio is wrong (square vs portrait), and the background color is typically wrong (white vs grey). Generate a separate 35×45 mm photo for each non-US destination.

Is the 35×45 mm spec the same as the EU ID card spec?

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Almost. The French CNI, German Personalausweis and Spanish DNI all use 35×45 mm portrait, but with the country's destination-specific background and rules. complypic's per-destination template handles each.

Related guides

UK passport

35×45 mm portrait, light grey or cream background, head 29-34 mm. Built for the HMPO digital renewal flow, first-time application and child passport — UK consulates worldwide.

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Last reviewed 2026-05-28Official complypic page →