French Passport Photo Requirements 2026: France 35x45, No White Background

Fast answer: French passport photo requirements

For a French passport photo, use a 35 x 45 mm image. The face height should be 32-36 mm from chin to crown. The background must be plain and light, such as light grey or light blue-grey. Do not use a white background; Service-Public says white is forbidden.

For passport or national ID filing in France, do not treat a normal home-edited JPEG as an approved official photo. Service-Public says the photo for an identity title must be taken by an authorised professional or in an approved booth. Use Passlens to check the crop and background before you follow the mairie, consulate, or ANTS route.

Overview

Searches for France passport photo or French passport photo requirements 2026 are usually trying to verify four things at once: the 35 x 45 mm size, the 32-36 mm face-height range, the current ANTS / mairie workflow, and the French exception that white backgrounds are not allowed. France uses a standard photo d’identité frame for passports, national ID cards (carte nationale d’identité), driving licences, and many residence-permit workflows, but the background and submission details are strict enough that generic passport-photo advice can send people in the wrong direction.

France is one of the few common passport-photo routes where a pure white background is explicitly forbidden. Use a plain light grey or light blue-grey background instead. That one rule explains a lot of failed searches for France passport photo requirements fond blanc interdit: people use a white wall because it works elsewhere, then discover that the French rule is different.

The short answer to French passport photo requirements 2026 is this: use 35 x 45 mm, keep the face in the 32-36 mm range, keep the eyes clearly visible, and use a light grey or blue-grey background instead of white. Then check the mairie, consulate, or ANTS instructions for the route you are actually using.

If you only need the short answer, France uses a 35 x 45 mm photo with a 32-36 mm face height, a light grey or blue-grey background, white forbidden, and an approved photo or e-photo route for the mairie, consulate, or ANTS workflow. If you are ready to make the file now, open the France passport preset in Passlens and then compare it with the route-specific checks below.

That also covers shorter queries like French passport photo, France passport photo size, French passport picture size, and format photo ANTS. Those searches usually mean the same thing: the applicant needs the 35 x 45 mm French identity-photo format and wants to avoid the common mistakes of using a pure white background, wearing glasses, or assuming a home-edited file is the same thing as an approved French identity-photo route.

If the query is just ANTS photo or format photo ANTS, the question is usually practical rather than abstract. For passport and ID-card applications in mainland France, Service-Public says you must provide the identity photo at filing, and the usual accepted route is an authorised photographer or approved photo booth. For driving-licence and some digital procedures, an e-photo code may be part of the ANTS flow. The crop and the submission path have to be understood together.

If you are comparing France with other 35 x 45 mm countries, do not stop at the outer size. The wider passport photo requirements by country guide is useful because France shares the familiar European frame but uses its own background rule, ANTS workflow, and identity-photo checks.

Quick answer: France passport photo requirements

The safest order is simple: choose the French document route first, then match the photo format. If you only copy a 35 x 45 mm crop from a generic size chart, you can still fail on the white-background rule or the approved-photo requirement.

Official French passport photo dimensions: quick answers

Searches such as French passport photo dimensions official, France passport photo requirements official, and French passport photo size in inches are usually trying to resolve the same practical question: what is the official French identity-photo frame, and can I safely prepare it outside a booth? Use the metric rule as the source of truth. Inch values are only rough conversions.

This is also why format photo ANTS searches should not be treated as a file-export question only. The image has to satisfy the same French identity-photo rules, but the official route may require an approved provider or an e-photo code depending on the document workflow.

French passport photo requirements 2026 checklist

• Size: exactly 35 x 45 mm.
• Face height: 32-36 mm from chin to crown.
• Background: light grey or blue-grey, never pure white.
• Expression: neutral, mouth closed, face fully visible.
• Glasses: removal is safest. If worn, the frame must not be thick or hide the eyes, and the lenses must not be tinted, coloured, or reflective.
• Submission route: use the route requested by your mairie, consulate, or ANTS flow; do not treat a normal edited JPEG as an approved e-photo code.

That checklist is the fastest answer to searches for French passport photo requirements 2026. The outer size matters, but the real French rejection risks are the no-white background rule, glasses, and whether the final photo matches the exact passport route rather than a generic EU identity-photo assumption.

Official Specifications

The photo must be 35 mm wide and 45 mm tall, printed on smooth, non-glossy photo paper. The face height from the bottom of the chin to the top of the skull must be between 32 mm and 36 mm. The photo must be recent, sharp, and properly exposed.

Background Requirements

French passport photo background color: quick answer

Use a plain light grey or light blue-grey background. Do not use a pure white wall, white studio sweep, dark backdrop, pattern, or gradient. Service-Public lists light blue and light grey as examples and says white is forbidden, so there is no single official hex code to copy. The practical aim is a clean, even background with enough contrast around the hair, face, and shoulders.

This is where France differs from most countries. The background must be a uniform light colour — but not white. The ANTS guidelines specify a light blue-grey or neutral grey background. Pure white backgrounds are explicitly listed as a rejection reason.

A white background can also wash out the edge of the face or hair in a small print, especially when the photo is overexposed. A soft grey or blue-grey background gives the image enough separation without turning the backdrop into a noticeable colour.

If you want the wider comparison of white, grey, and blue-grey passport backdrops, use the passport photo background color guide. For the French route specifically, the rule is simpler: do not submit a pure white background just because another country accepts it.

• Allowed: Light grey, light blue-grey, neutral light tones
• Not allowed: White, dark colours, patterns, gradients, coloured backgrounds (red, green, etc.)

Clothing and Appearance

French identity photo rules require a neutral, natural expression with the mouth closed. The face must be clearly visible, and the photo must accurately represent your current appearance.

• Glasses: You are not required to wear them. If you keep them on, the frame must not be thick or hide the eyes, and the lenses must not be tinted, coloured, or reflective. Removal is usually the cleaner choice.
• Head coverings: Not permitted except for documented religious reasons. The face must be entirely visible from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead.
• Expression: Neutral, relaxed. Mouth closed, no smiling. French guidelines specify “expression neutre”.
• Hair: Must not cover the face, eyes, or eyebrows. Hair should be arranged to reveal the ears if possible.
• Makeup: Subtle makeup is allowed. Heavy or theatrical makeup that alters your appearance is not.
• Piercings and jewelry: Visible facial piercings are allowed if they are part of your everyday appearance. Large earrings that could cast shadows should be avoided.

How to check a France passport photo with Passlens

Passlens is useful for checking the French crop, background colour, and print size before you pay for or submit a photo. For an official French passport or CNI application, follow the mairie, consulate, or ANTS instructions about whether the final photo must come from an approved professional, approved booth, or e-photo route.

1. Open Passlens and select the France Passport preset.
2. Take your photo with a neutral expression, or upload an existing portrait.
3. Passlens crops to 35 x 45 mm and validates face dimensions (32–36 mm).
4. Use the background cleanup step to preview a French blue-grey or light grey background - not white.
5. Review the compliance check for face centering, expression, and background colour.
6. Use the result as a sizing and background check, or for non-official copies. For passport/CNI filing, follow the accepted photo route given by the authority handling the application.

Where to Submit

French passport and ID applications are usually submitted at a mairie (town hall) equipped for identity documents, or at a French consulate if you are abroad. Applications are processed through the French identity-document system, with ANTS handling the online side of many routes.

For a mainland-France passport or CNI application, do not rely on a home-edited file unless the authority specifically accepts that route. Service-Public says you must provide the identity photo when filing the application. In practice, applicants usually use an authorised photographer or an approved photo booth. For driving-licence and other ANTS-linked procedures, an e-photo code may be requested instead.

If you are trying to prepare the digital side properly before the mairie step, keep the digital passport photo requirements guide nearby as well. France still starts from the classic 35 x 45 mm identity-photo standard, but ANTS and mairie workflows can still force you to think about the difference between a clean printed photo and an e-photo-ready submission path.

If your real task is a driving-licence renewal instead of a passport, use the France driving licence photo guide because the ANTS photo-signature path has its own practical steps even though the core identity-photo rules overlap.

• In person (mairie): Bring the identity photo requested by the mairie. In mainland France, the counter generally expects you to provide the photo rather than take it there.
• Approved photographer or booth: Use a professional or booth that states it is approved for French identity photos.
• E-photo system: When an ANTS route asks for an e-photo, use an approved provider that issues a code éphoto. A normal JPEG export is not the same thing as an official e-photo code.
• Online pre-application: Start your application at ants.gouv.fr before visiting the mairie.
• Consulates abroad: French citizens abroad apply through their local consulate.

Common Mistakes

ANTS automated verification is strict, and the unique French background rule trips up many applicants. Here are the most frequent rejection reasons:

• White background — The single most common mistake. France requires light grey or blue-grey, never white.
• Problem glasses — Thick frames, tinted lenses, coloured lenses, glare, or anything that hides the eyes.
• Smiling or mouth open — Must be a neutral expression.
• Face too small or too large — The 32–36 mm face height range is enforced.
• Overexposed photo — Often caused by flash or a white background. Results in washed-out features.
• Photo not recent — Must be taken within the last 6 months.
• Hair covering face — Forehead and eyebrows must be visible.
• Shadows — On face or background, caused by directional lighting.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the French passport photo requirements for 2026?

Use a 35 x 45 mm photo with a 32-36 mm face height, a light grey or blue-grey background, clearly visible eyes, and a neutral expression. Then confirm whether your mairie, consulate, or ANTS route needs a normal printed photo, an approved e-photo workflow, or another specific submission step.

Why can’t I use a white background for a French passport photo?

Because the official French identity-photo rules say the background must be plain and light, and that white is forbidden. Do not use a white wall or white studio sweep for a French passport photo even if another country accepts it.

What is an e-photo code?

An e-photo code is issued by an approved photographer or approved booth for ANTS-linked procedures. It is not just a cropped JPEG. If the form asks for a code, use a provider that is explicitly approved for that route.

Do I always need an ANTS e-photo code for a French passport application?

No. Some French passport appointments still work with compliant printed photos, while other mairie and ANTS-linked routes may steer you toward an e-photo code. The safe approach is to check the exact mairie instructions before the appointment, because the biometric photo rule stays stable even when the submission route changes.

Can I use the same 35x45 mm photo for France and another EU country?

Not safely by default. France shares the 35 x 45 mm frame with countries such as Germany, Ireland, and the UK, but its background rule is stricter because pure white is not allowed. The outer size may match while the actual submission rule still differs.

Is the same photo used for passport and carte d’identité?

Yes, both documents use the same 35 x 45 mm photo specification. You can use the same photo for both, but each application requires its own separate photo submission (you cannot reuse a previously submitted photo).

Can I use a photo from a French photomaton (photo booth)?

Yes, approved photomatons (marked with the ANTS-approved logo) produce compliant photos and can generate e-photo codes directly. However, not all photo booths are approved — look for the official certification sticker.

Sources

• Service-Public.fr — Quelle photo fournir pour un titre d’identité ?
• ANTS — Passport application portal
• Service-Public.fr — Can the passport or ID photo be taken at the counter?