Germany · passport
German passport (Reisepass) photo — digital rules
Since 1 May 2025 the German passport photo is digital-only: paper prints are no longer accepted. The Passbild standard itself is unchanged — 35×45 mm proportions (827×1063 pixels at 600 DPI), face filling 70–80% of the frame, light grey uniform background, neutral expression.
- Size
- 35×45 mm
- Digital file
- 827×1063 px JPEG
- Background
- light grey
- 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: There is no self-upload for the Reisepass: the photo is either taken at the Behörde's self-service terminal (about €6) or transmitted by a certified photographer through the secure official channel. A compliant self-made photo can't be submitted directly for the passport — but the same Passbild works for the Führerschein and other German uses that still take prints, and knowing your framing passes saves a wasted appointment.
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 Germany Passport (Reisepass) photo?
A German passport photo is a biometric Passbild — 35×45 mm proportions with the face filling 70–80% of the frame against a light grey background, digitally referenced at 827×1063 pixels and 600 DPI. Since 1 May 2025 it exists only as a digital object: paper prints are no longer accepted for the Reisepass.
The photo is created at a self-service terminal at the Behörde (about €6) or taken by a certified photographer who transmits it through the secured official channel. That makes Germany one of the few countries where a compliant self-made photo cannot be submitted for the passport itself — though the identical standard still governs documents that do accept prints.
This page measures your photo against that geometry live in your browser, so you know it's compliant before your appointment — and tells you honestly how the photo actually reaches the authority.
Germany Passport (Reisepass) photo requirements
| Size | 35×45 mm · 827×1063 px @600 DPI |
|---|---|
| Digital file | 827×1063px JPEG |
| Background | light grey |
| Head height | 70–80% of frame height |
| Digital upload | accepted |
| Background editing | not permitted — we keep you compliant by not touching it |
- Since 1 May 2025 paper photos are no longer accepted: the photo is created digitally at a Behörde self-service terminal (~€6) or transmitted by a certified photographer via secure cloud — there is no citizen self-upload (verified July 2026).
- Passbild geometry: 35×45 mm proportions, 827×1063 px at 600 DPI, head 70–80%, light grey background.
Source: official requirements · verified 2026-07
What you get for €5.99
- High-resolution file in the exact spec (827×1063px)
- 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 — 827×1063px
- Plain light grey 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
Can I bring my own photo for a German passport?
Not anymore. Since May 2025 authorities only accept digitally transmitted photos — created at the on-site terminal or sent by a certified photographer via secure cloud. Printed photos and citizen uploads are not accepted for the passport itself.
What is the German passport photo standard?
The biometric Passbild: 35×45 mm proportions, digital reference 827×1063 pixels at 600 DPI, head 70–80% of frame height, light grey uniform background, neutral expression, no shadows.
Why check my photo here if I can't submit it?
Two reasons: the same Passbild standard still applies to documents that do accept prints — the Führerschein among them — and checking your framing, background and lighting against the standard tells you what the terminal or studio result needs to look like before you pay for it.
Are glasses allowed?
Yes, if the eyes are clearly visible with no glare or tinted lenses and the frames don't cover the eyes. When in doubt, take the photo without glasses.
Is the ID card (Personalausweis) the same?
The Personalausweis uses the same Passbild standard and the same digital-only regime — it has its own page covering the ID-card specifics.
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