PHOTO GUIDE

Switzerland Schengen Visa Photo Requirements (Type C)

Photo requirements for a Switzerland short-stay Schengen visa (Type C): the photo size, background, and face-position conditions to meet for the application. The width is 35 mm with the required face proportion on a plain light-coloured background.

Checked: 2026-07-13

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Key photo requirements

Print size: 35 mm in width. The Swiss FDFA Photograph Requirements sheet and the ICAO MRTD Photo Guidelines (the standard the FDFA Schengen visa page links to) fix the width at 35 mm with the face at 70–80% of the picture. Neither source states a face-height value in millimetres; the 70–80% ratio is the primary sizing rule. This service prepares a 35×45 mm print within that width range.
Age of photo: no more than 6 months old and matching your current appearance. The Swiss FDFA Photograph Requirements sheet states 'Not more than 6 months old', and the ICAO guidelines state the same 6-month maximum.
Background and pose: a plain, light-coloured / neutral, monochromatic background with no pattern and no shadows; look straight at the camera with a neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open and visible, and both edges of the face clearly shown.
Glasses and head covering: eyes fully visible with no tinted, reflective, or sunglasses-style lenses and no frames covering the eyes; head covering allowed only for religious or medical reasons with the full face from chin to forehead still clear.
Schengen membership: Switzerland is not an EU member but is part of the Schengen area through the Schengen/Dublin association agreement (in force 12 December 2008). These rules apply to a short-stay Schengen visa (Type C, 90 days within a 180-day period). National visas (Type D) follow a different document list.
Copies and submission: the number of prints and the submission route depend on the Swiss mission that accepts your application. Several individual Swiss missions additionally require a white background on top of the FDFA standard — confirm the checklist of the Swiss mission responsible for your place of residence before you print.

Photo size and shooting rules

These are the photo rules for a Switzerland short-stay Schengen visa (Type C) — the visa for short stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period. Switzerland is not an EU member but is part of the Schengen area through the Schengen/Dublin association agreement (in force 12 December 2008). National visas (Type D) for longer stays, residence, work, or study follow a different document list on the FDFA portal and are not covered here.

The Swiss FDFA treats the ICAO MRTD Photo Guidelines as the substantive photograph standard: the FDFA 'Application for Schengen visa and procedure' page lists 'Photograph quality' and links directly to the ICAO guidelines rather than publishing a Switzerland-specific millimetre table. The FDFA Photograph Requirements sheet specifies 35 mm in width with the required face proportion, a photo no more than 6 months old, a plain light-coloured background, full colour with natural skin tones, sharp focus, and a high-quality print on photo-quality paper. Neither the FDFA sheet nor the ICAO guidelines states a face-height value in millimetres; the 70–80% ratio is the primary sizing rule, and the commonly cited 32–36 mm chin-to-crown figure is a derived value, not a number stated in the Swiss official sources. The common shooting rules below are drawn from the same sheet and Schengen/ICAO guidance.

The number of prints and the exact submission steps are set by the Swiss mission that accepts applications where you live. Individual Swiss missions may add mission-specific photo requirements on top of the FDFA standard — for example, a white background. Confirm the live checklist on the official Swiss mission page for your country of residence before you book or print.

Recency: no more than 6 months old; must look like you today.
Quality: colour, sharp focus, high quality, no creases or ink marks. Digital captures printed on photo-quality paper at high resolution.
Background: plain light-coloured (a plain light grey can work if even). Avoid busy scenes and strong shadows on the face or behind the head.
Lighting: even light, natural skin tones, appropriate brightness and contrast; no flash reflection on skin, no red-eye.
Pose and expression: look straight at the camera; face square-on, not tilted; eyes open and not covered by hair; neutral expression, mouth closed; alone in the frame.
Glasses: eyes fully visible; no tinted lenses; no flash reflection on the lenses; frames must not cover the eyes. Remove glasses if those conditions are hard to meet.
Head covering: only for religious reasons, and the full face from chin to forehead and both edges of the face must still be clear.
Editing: keep brightness and crop adjustments that do not change how you look. Avoid contour reshaping, eye or nose changes, and heavy beauty filters. The photo must remain realistic with natural skin tones.

Photos for children

Children need a photograph that meets the same quality rules as adults: a recent photo, a plain light-coloured background, the child alone in the frame, eyes open and visible, a neutral expression with mouth closed, and both edges of the face clearly shown. Switzerland does not publish a Switzerland-specific age-banded child face-size table (unlike Germany or the Netherlands, whose national ID-document photo standards define age bands). The ICAO MRTD Photo Guidelines that the FDFA Schengen visa procedure page links to are the reference standard for child photos as well, and they do not publish numeric child face ranges either.

Because there is no Switzerland-specific child face-size table, apply the same face-ratio rule and 35 mm width as for adults unless the accepting mission's checklist says otherwise. Babies and very young children who cannot sit unaided may be supported, but no supporting hands, toys, or other objects may appear in the frame.

Fingerprint and live-photo capture rules for children (for example, that under-12s are exempt from fingerprints) are part of the application/biometrics process rather than the photograph specification. The office that accepts your application can confirm the current biometric procedure for children.

Illustration of preparing a child visa photo

Common mistakes and how to fix them

These are the mistakes to avoid with a Switzerland visa photo, and how to fix them.

Switzerland-specific risks: width outside 35 mm; face under 70% or over 80% of the picture; patterned, dark, or non-neutral background; shadows on the face or behind the head; a black-and-white print instead of full colour with natural skin tones; tinted or reflective glasses; head covering other than religious or medical; tilted head or portrait-style framing; photo older than 6 months; low-resolution print that is not on photo-quality paper.

Mission-level variant to watch: the FDFA global standard requires a plain light-coloured background, but several Swiss missions additionally require white. If your accepting mission requires white, a light grey that meets the FDFA standard can still be rejected at that mission — check the mission checklist before you print.

Head cut off or tilted: retake with more distance, face square-on to the camera, both edges of the face visible.
Uneven colour, shadows, or blow-out on the background: use a plain light background and even light so the face and the back of the head stay free of hard shadows.
Glasses glare: remove glasses if practical, or use clear lenses and lighting that shows the pupils fully.
Old photo: replace any portrait older than six months or that no longer matches your appearance.
Heavy beauty filters: start again from a natural image; do not change face shape or skin texture.
Pixelated print: export a high-resolution colour file and print on photo-quality paper.

Illustration of common visa photo mistakes

Create your Switzerland digital photo

Create a digital JPEG for your Switzerland visa application in your browser.

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What this tool creates

the required face photo (for printing)

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Check before you apply

Photo requirements can change. Before you submit, re-check the Swiss FDFA Photograph Requirements sheet, the ICAO MRTD Photo Guidelines the FDFA Schengen visa page links to, and the checklist of the Swiss mission that will accept your application.

shoumei.org helps users prepare photo files based on publicly available requirements. It does not submit visa applications, and it is not an official government service, Schengen authority, embassy, consulate, VFS Global, TLScontact, or BLS International service. Please verify the latest requirements with the official embassy, consulate, or visa application center before submitting.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What size is a Switzerland Schengen visa photo?

The Swiss FDFA Photograph Requirements sheet specifies 35 mm in width with the face at 70–80% of the picture. Neither the FDFA sheet nor the ICAO MRTD Photo Guidelines it links to states a face-height value in millimetres; the 70–80% ratio is the primary sizing rule. This page prepares a print at that 35×45 mm width range. Confirm the live checklist of the Swiss mission that accepts your application before you submit.

Can I reuse a photo from another application?

Only if it already meets every rule: 35 mm width, the required face proportion, a plain light-coloured background, taken within 6 months, matching your current appearance, in full colour, and with no tinted or reflective glasses. Matching the outer size alone is not enough, and the photo must still look like you today.

What background colour is required?

At the FDFA global standard, a plain, light-coloured / neutral, monochromatic background with no pattern and no shadows is required. White is not mandated at the global FDFA level; however, several individual Swiss missions explicitly require a white background for the printed photo. Check the checklist of the mission that will accept your application.

Is a white background required at every Swiss mission?

No. The Swiss FDFA Photograph Requirements sheet and the ICAO guidelines specify a neutral / monochromatic light background, not white. White is required by some individual missions as a mission-level application of the FDFA rule, not by the country-level standard. If you are unsure which rule applies, white is the safest practical choice — but confirm the mission checklist before you print.

May I wear glasses?

Only if the eyes are fully visible with no flash reflection on the lenses, no tinted lenses, and no frames covering the eyes. Otherwise remove the glasses for the photo.

Can I take the photo with a smartphone?

The Swiss FDFA sources do not name a required camera. If you use a smartphone, the final print must still meet every rule: 35 mm width, the required face proportion, sharp focus, even lighting, a plain light-coloured background, full colour with natural skin tones, and high resolution on photo-quality paper.

Do the same rules apply to children?

Yes for quality: a recent photo, a plain light-coloured background, the child alone in the frame, eyes open and visible, and a neutral expression. Switzerland does not publish a Switzerland-specific age-banded child face-size table; apply the same face-ratio rule and 35 mm width as for adults unless the mission checklist says otherwise. Fingerprint exemptions for children under 12 are part of the application process, not the photo specification.