Belgium Passport Photo Requirements 2026: 35x45 mm Size, ICAO Rules, and a Plain Light Background
Belgium passport photo requirements from FPS Foreign Affairs: exact 35x45 mm format, 25-35 mm face height, ICAO composition rules, plain light background, and what makes Belgian photos fail.
Overview
Belgian passport photos have to satisfy both the 35 × 45 mm print format used by Belgian missions and the broader ICAO facial-composition rules enforced by municipalities and consular posts. In practice, that means the photo can look simple, but the crop, expression, and visibility rules are strict.
The safest approach is to treat a Belgian passport photo as a formal biometric portrait: neutral expression, mouth closed, head and shoulders straight, face fully uncovered, and a plain light background with no shadowing.
Official Specifications
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Document | Passport |
| Size | 35 × 45 mm |
| Background | Light / neutral |
| Head height | 25–35 mm |
| Note | Belgian passport photos must follow ICAO composition rules on a plain, uniform light background. Belgian missions also use the 35×45 mm format with a 25–35 mm face height. |
Belgian mission guidance uses a 35 × 45 mm photograph and states that the face, including the hair area used for the official crop, should measure between 25 mm and 35 mm. FPS Foreign Affairs also states that Belgian passport photos must comply with ICAO standards and will be refused if they do not.
| Requirement | Belgium passport rule |
|---|---|
| Print size | 35 × 45 mm |
| Face height | 25–35 mm |
| Background | Plain, uniform, light |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth shut, no smiling |
| Eyes | Clearly visible, no tinted or reflective glasses |
Belgian ICAO Checklist
The official FPS Foreign Affairs page boils Belgian passport quality control down to four points. If any one of these fails, the municipality or consular post can refuse the photo before the application moves forward.
- Neutral expression: mouth closed, no visible smile.
- Head and shoulders straight: face square to the camera, not rotated or tilted.
- Face fully uncovered: forehead, chin, and the sides of the face towards the ears must stay visible.
- Eyes perfectly visible: avoid tinted lenses, heavy reflections, or oversized frames near the eyeline.
Background and Quality Rules
Belgian consular photo sheets call for a plain light background and reject photographs that show shadows or visible colour changes behind the head. That means the easiest safe setup is a matte off-white or light-grey wall with even frontal lighting.
Avoid overexposed white walls
A wall can be light without being blown out. If the background clips to pure white while the face is still dark, Belgian offices can treat the image as poor-quality even if the nominal colour looks acceptable.
How to Make It with Passlens
- Choose the Belgium Passport preset in Passlens.
- Upload a front-facing portrait with shoulders square and your mouth closed.
- Use Auto fit to keep the face within the Belgian 25–35 mm range.
- Keep or replace the background with a plain light tone and remove any visible wall shadows.
- Export at print quality for a 35 × 45 mm output.