France · passport
French passport photo: the real rules
The French passport photo is 35×45 mm with the face measuring 32–36 mm from chin to crown, against a light grey or light blue background, and white is rejected. There is also a rule most sites skip: France requires the photo to come from a professional photographer or an approved booth under the AFNOR standard.
- 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, with the source cited on every document.
Worth knowing: Photos for French passports must come from an accredited photographer or approved booth ('agréé services en ligne' for e-photo). We don't pretend otherwise. A self-made compliant photo remains genuinely usable for foreign visa applications filed from France, many residence permits, student and transport cards, and the free check tells you whether your booth result will pass before you pay for it.
How our France Passport (Passeport) photo tool works
Add a photo you already have and we measure it against the official France Passport (Passeport) specification (35×45 mm, 413×531 px, light grey or blue background), then produce the exact files you need. Checking is free; you pay €5.99 only if you want the files.
Add your photo
A selfie or any recent photo of yourself, straight from your phone.
See every measurement
Ten checks run against the official spec and show you the numbers.
Fix what's off
Drag to reposition and zoom to resize, or retake the photo if something can't be fixed.
Download your files
Exact digital file, print-ready sheet and compliance report.
What is a France Passport (Passeport) photo?
A French passport photo is a 35×45 mm photograph with the face measuring 32–36 mm from chin to crown, or 70–80% of the frame, on a light grey or light blue background. White backgrounds are rejected. The expression must be neutral with the mouth closed, and the head bare except for religious coverings.
France's distinctive rule is provenance: under the AFNOR standard, photos must come from a professional photographer or an approved booth, which can also issue the digital e-photo code used by online ANTS procedures. Self-printed photos are refused at the mairie, making France one of the few countries where a compliant home photo cannot be submitted for the passport itself.
That means a self-printed photo can't be used for the passport itself. This page gives you the full specification, lets you pre-check your framing and background before paying a photographer or booth, and points to the many uses where a compliant self-made photo does work.
France Passport (Passeport) 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, so we leave yours as it is |
- France requires the photo to come from a professional photographer or an approved booth (norme AFNOR). A self-printed photo is not accepted for the passport itself.
- 35×45 mm, face 32–36 mm (70–80%), light grey or light blue background. White is rejected.
Source: official requirements · verified 2026-07
France Passport (Passeport) photos that pass the checks
Thin frames, no glare, eyes fully visible 
Even light, plain background, neutral expression 
Infant alone in frame, eyes open, plain sheet 
Religious head covering with the full face visible 
Hair back, forehead and both ears clear
France Passport (Passeport) photos that don't pass
Head tilted, hard shadow on the background 
Taken too far away, head too small in the frame 
Someone else's hand in the frame 
Patterned wall and furniture behind
Illustrative examples created for this guide. They are not customer photos, and not decisions by any authority.
What you get for €5.99
- High-resolution file in the exact spec (413×531px)
- Printable compliance report with everything we measured
- 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 use PassportClerk for your France Passport (Passeport) photo
- Convenience
- Make it at home from a photo you already have, without booking a studio or queueing for a booth. You get a print-ready sheet cut to the exact size, plus a digital copy to keep.
- Built from the official specification
- Every measurement on this page comes from the official France Passport (Passeport) requirements, and the source is linked, dated and re-checked.
- Works from any phone
- Nothing to install. A recent phone camera and a plain wall are enough.
- You see the numbers
- Head height, eye line, background and resolution are all measured and shown to you before you pay.
- Private, then deleted
- We only receive your photo if you buy, and everything is deleted within 48 hours.
If the files we produce don't match the specification on this page, we'll fix them or refund you. The decision on any application always rests with the issuing authority.
Frequently asked questions
Can I print my own French passport photo?
No. France accepts only photos from professional photographers or approved booths meeting the AFNOR standard. Home prints and pharmacy prints of your own file are rejected at the mairie.
What background colour is required?
Light grey or light blue, uniform and shadow-free. France is one of the few countries that explicitly rejects white backgrounds, because the head must contrast with the backdrop.
What are the size rules?
35×45 mm with the face (chin to crown) at 32–36 mm, roughly 70–80% of the frame, plus a neutral expression, mouth closed, bare head except for religious coverings, and no smiling.
What is an e-photo code?
Accredited photographers and booths can issue a digital code ('e-photo') that online ANTS procedures fetch directly. For the passport pre-demande it complements the printed photo you bring to the mairie appointment.
So what's this page for?
Preparation and everything else: check your framing, lighting and background against the AFNOR geometry before the booth visit, and use the full service for the documents that do accept self-made photos, such as foreign visas, many titres de séjour and student cards.
How we handle compliance
- We check 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.
- What you get is a report of measurements, not a guarantee. Final acceptance always rests with the issuing authority.
official requirements · verified 2026-07