France · id
French ID card (CNI) photo
The carte nationale d'identité photo follows the same AFNOR standard as the French passport: 35×45 mm, face 32–36 mm from chin to crown, light grey or light blue background — never white — with a neutral expression and mouth closed.
- Size
- 35×45 mm
- Digital file
- 413×531 px JPEG
- Background
- light grey or blue
- Head height
- 70–80%
- Price
- €5.99 · once
Select country and document
Step 1/3
Popular: · ·
- Head size62.4% · 50–69%
- Eye line61.2% · 56–69%
- Backgroundwhite · σ 6
- Lightingeven
- Resolution1832px
MEETS SPEC — ESTIMATED
Checked against the official specification — source cited on every document.
Worth knowing: CNI photos follow the photographer/booth-only regime — there is no self-upload and home prints aren't accepted. If you're preparing photos for a titre de séjour, a foreign visa from France, or a student card, those flows do accept compliant self-made photos and our full service applies.
How it works
01
Choose your document
58 documents across 29 destinations, each with the official specification built in.
02
Add your photo
Ten checks measure it live on your device — nothing is uploaded.
03
Pay once, download everything
Exact-spec file, print sheet and compliance report. One price, no subscription.
What is a France ID Card (CNI) photo?
The carte nationale d'identité photo shares the French passport's AFNOR standard: 35×45 mm, face 32–36 mm, light grey or light blue background — never white — with a neutral expression, taken within the last six months by a professional photographer or approved booth.
One compliant booth session covers passport and CNI alike, and can issue the e-photo code for online pre-demandes. The strictness pays for itself downstream: the CNIe is valid up to fifteen years for adults, so the photo standard is enforced hard at issue.
Like the passport, CNI photos must come from a professional photographer or an approved booth; self-printed photos are rejected. Use the free check to verify your setup meets the geometry before the booth, and the full service for documents that accept self-made photos.
France ID Card (CNI) photo requirements
| Size | 35×45 mm · 413×531 px @300 DPI |
|---|---|
| Digital file | 413×531px JPEG |
| Background | light grey or blue |
| Head height | 70–80% of frame height |
| Digital upload | not accepted — printed photos only |
| Background editing | not permitted — we keep you compliant by not touching it |
- The carte nationale d'identité uses the same regime as the passport: photographer or approved booth only (AFNOR), no self-printed photos, no self-upload.
- 35×45 mm, face 32–36 mm, light grey or light blue background — never white.
Source: official requirements · verified 2026-07
What you get for €5.99
- High-resolution file in the exact spec (413×531px)
- Compliance report — everything we measured, printable
- Print-ready 10×15 cm sheet with 4 copies and cut lines
one-time payment — no subscription
Photos that pass
- Exact dimensions — 413×531px
- Plain light grey or blue background, evenly lit
- Head filling 70–80% of the frame
- Taken in the last 6 months, neutral expression
Photos that get rejected
- Edited, filtered or AI-retouched photos
- Shadows on the face or background
- Busy walls, gradients or the wrong background colour
- Head too large, too small, or off-centre
- Glare on glasses or tinted lenses
- Old photos, or photos of printed photos
Why PassportClerk
Private by architecture
The free check runs on your device, and paid photos are deleted after 48 hours.
Measured, not guessed
Ten checks against the official specification — with the numbers shown, not a vague thumbs-up.
Exact files, first time
Correct pixels, DPI and file size for the portal, plus a print-ready sheet.
Fair by default
One price, no subscription. Wrong files? We fix them or refund you.
Frequently asked questions
Are CNI and passport photos the same?
Yes — one AFNOR standard covers both: 35×45 mm, face 32–36 mm, grey or blue background. A booth session that produces a compliant photo covers both applications.
Why is white background banned in France?
The standard requires contrast between the head and the backdrop for automated processing — overexposed white backgrounds defeat it. Light grey or light blue is required; our checker measures the actual shade.
Can I smile?
No — neutral expression, mouth closed, looking straight at the lens. Glasses should ideally come off; if worn, no thick frames, no glare, eyes fully visible.
How recent must the photo be?
Less than six months old and a true likeness — a booth photo from a previous application that no longer matches your appearance will be refused.
Compliance, honestly
- We validate your photo against the official rules — we never retouch your face, and we only normalize the background where the destination country permits it.
- Every requirement is cited from official government sources, with the verification date shown on the page.
- You get a measured report, not a guarantee — final acceptance always rests with the issuing authority.
official requirements · verified 2026-07