Austrian Passport (Passbehörde / Magistrat) vs. Foreign Visa Submissions
The Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) enforces strict biometric photo standards for all passport issuances:
Domestic Austrian Passport & Identity Cards
Austrian municipal passport offices (Passbehörde / Magistrat / Bezirkshauptmannschaft) mandate high-contrast biometric photography taken within the last 6 months.
- •Exact 35 × 45 mm (3.5 × 4.5 cm) photographic paper print (1 physical copy required)
- •Chin-to-crown face height: strictly 32 mm to 36 mm (70%–80% of total height)
- •Children under 8 years: relaxed head height range between 27 mm and 36 mm
- •Uniform light grey or plain white background without patterns, shadows, or textures
Schengen & Consular Visas for Travel to Austria
Are you a foreign national applying for an Austrian Schengen or National visa instead of renewing an Austrian citizen passport?
AUSTRIAN PASSPORT PHOTO REQUIREMENTS AT A GLANCE
Follow these key biometric rules to ensure your photo is accepted by the Austrian Passbehörde or Magistrat.
DIMENSIONS
Photo size: 35 × 45 mm
Head size: 31 – 36 mm
FACE POSITION & SIZE
Keep your head centered facing the lens directly. Maintain a neutral expression with mouth closed and eyes fully open.
BACKGROUND
Important Note
Austrian municipal passport offices (Passbehörde / Magistrat) strictly enforce the 35×45 mm dimensions and 32–36 mm face height standard. Photos must be printed on high-quality photographic paper with no digital filters.
Official Compliance Guarantee
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Austria Official Photo Specifications
Passgesetz 1992 (BGBl. Nr. 422/1992 i.d.g.F.), Passverordnung & ICAO Doc 9303 Part 3
Official government rule for application approvalBundesministerium für europäische und internationale Angelegenheiten (BMEIA) & Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI)
Application context: Austria Passport Applications
Quick reference: Austria passport photo specifications
Review all official photo specifications required by Austria embassies, consulates, and visa application centres worldwide.
| Specification | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Photo size (Paper) | 35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 in) |
| Digital resolution | 413 × 531 px @ 300 DPI |
| Face height | 31 – 36 mm (70–80% of total height) |
| File format & size | JPEG, 10 KB – 2 MB |
| Background colour | Light Gray or White |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open |
| Glasses policy | Not permitted (Medical exception only) |
| Recency | Taken within the last 6 months |
Official Austrian passport photo dimensions (35×45 mm)
Austrian passport photos must measure exactly 35 mm in width and 45 mm in height (3.5 × 4.5 cm / 1.38 × 1.77 in). Face height from the bottom of the chin to the crown must strictly measure between 32 mm and 36 mm (70%–80% of total height).
The background must be uniform light grey or plain white without shadows, patterns, or gradients. When renewing your passport at a municipal office (Passbehörde / Magistrat / Bezirkshauptmannschaft), 1 physical print on high-grade photographic paper is submitted.
Austrian passport size in mm, cm, and inches
| Unit | Width | Height | Face height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Millimetres (mm) | 35 mm | 45 mm | 31 – 36 mm |
| Centimetres (cm) | 3.5 cm | 4.5 cm | 3.1–3.6 cm |
| Inches (in) | 1.38 in | 1.77 in | 1.24–1.42 in |
| Pixels (px @ 300 DPI) | 413 px | 531 px | 372–425 px |
Too complicated? Let our AI handle it.
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Need a Austria Visa Photo instead?
View official biometric specs, size rules, and digital upload requirements for Austria visa applications.
Print requirements for Austrian passport renewal
Austrian passport and Personalausweis applications are lodged in person at your local Passbehörde or Austrian Embassy abroad, requiring 1 high-resolution physical print.
| Aspect | Print (Paper form) | Digital (Online) |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 35 × 45 mm | 413 × 531 px |
| Format | Colour print on photo paper | JPEG (10 KB – 2 MB) |
| Background | Light Gray or White | Light Gray or White |
| Resolution | Min 300 DPI | 413 × 531 px (300 DPI) |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open |
Background requirements for Austrian passport photos
The background must be uniform light grey or plain white. Avoid dark backgrounds, wall patterns, textures, or shadows behind your head. Ensure clear contrast between your hair/face and the backdrop.
Face position and expression rules
Maintain a completely neutral facial expression with your mouth closed. Eyes must look directly into the camera lens with no head tilting or rotation. For children under 8 years, slight head tilt tolerance is permitted.
Glasses policy for Austrian passport photos
Glasses are allowed only for medical necessity if lenses are non-tinted, clear, and free from glare or reflections. Eyes must be completely visible. Thick frames are strictly prohibited. The Passbehörde strongly recommends removing glasses.
Austrian passport photo checklist: do's and don'ts
Double check these essential rules to ensure your photo is accepted by the Austrian Passbehörde without delay.
DO
- Use a plain, uniform background — light grey or plain white are acceptable
- Ensure your face is centred, forward-facing, and fully visible from chin to crown (32–36 mm head height)
- Keep your eyes fully open and looking directly at the camera lens
- Maintain a neutral, relaxed expression with your mouth closed
- Use even, diffused lighting with no harsh shadows on your face or background
- Include the tops of both shoulders and the base of the neck in the frame
- Ensure hair does not obscure your eyes, eyebrows, or the edges of your face
- Submit 1 physical print on photo paper for your Passbehörde appointment
- Have the photo taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance
- Wear everyday clothing that contrasts well with the light background
DON'T
- Smile, frown, tilt or turn your head, or allow your eyes to be partially closed
- Use a dark, coloured, patterned, textured, or heavily shadowed background
- Retouch, filter, adjust brightness/contrast, or digitally alter facial features
- Submit a scanned photo or a picture of a printed photo
- Wear hats, caps, or fashion headwear (religious head coverings permitted under conditions)
- Allow hair, large jewellery, or accessories to cover your eyes, eyebrows, or face
- Use a photo older than 6 months
- Use a black-and-white, sepia, or heavily compressed image
- Wear glasses with thick frames or lenses that cause glare and reflections
How to take an Austrian passport photo at home
Follow these simple steps to capture and format a compliant 35×45 mm Austrian biometric photo from home.
Set up a light grey or white background
Stand or sit in front of a plain, uniformly coloured wall or surface that is light grey or plain white. The background must be shadow-free with no patterns, textures, folds, or objects.
Set up balanced, diffused lighting
Use natural daylight from a large window, or two balanced artificial lights at equal height and distance on either side of your face. Avoid direct flash, which creates harsh highlights, red-eye, and background shadows.
Position your head and body correctly
Face the camera directly with your head level and upright — not tilted, not turned. Your chin should be neither raised nor lowered. Both sides of your face should be equally visible.
Take the photo with a neutral expression
Open your eyes fully and look directly into the lens. Keep a neutral expression with your mouth closed — no smiling, frowning, or raised eyebrows. If you wear glasses, consider removing them to avoid glare.
Crop and size the image
Crop to exactly 35 × 45 mm, ensuring the chin-to-crown measurement occupies 70%–80% of the height (32–36 mm; 27–36 mm for children under 8).
Check before submitting
Verify the background is plain light grey or white, expression is neutral, eyes are open, face occupies 32–36 mm, hair does not obscure the face, and there is no glare before printing for your Passbehörde appointment.
Common Austrian passport photo rejection reasons
Understand why Austrian passport photos get rejected by the Passbehörde and how to avoid delays.
Incorrect background colour or shadows
Austria requires a plain light grey or white background for passport photos. Dark, coloured, patterned backgrounds or the presence of shadows will lead to immediate rejection by the Passbehörde.
Non-neutral expression or head position
Smiling, open mouth, visible teeth, tilted head, or head turned away are detected by biometric systems. Your head must be level and upright, facing the camera directly with a neutral expression.
Face proportion out of range (chin-to-crown not 32–36 mm)
Your face from chin to crown must occupy 70–80% of the 45 mm photo height (strictly 32–36 mm for adults). If your face is too small or too large, it will fail the automated biometric proportion check.
Glasses causing glare or with thick frames
While glasses are permitted for medical necessity, they frequently cause rejection if frames are too thick or if there is glare covering the eyes. Removing glasses is strongly recommended.
Digital filters or beauty retouching
Using beautification/smoothing filters or AI face alterations will fail biometric inspection at the Passbehörde. The photo must be an authentic camera capture.
Photo older than 6 months
The passport photo must be recent (taken within the last 6 months) and reflect your current appearance.
Hair or accessories obscuring the face
Hair covering the forehead, eyebrows, or eyes, and large earrings or accessories casting shadows on the face, are common causes of rejection. Pull hair back fully so the entire face is clearly visible.
Austrian passport photo rules for children and babies
For Austrian passport renewals, children under 8 years have a relaxed face height tolerance between 27 mm and 36 mm (occupying 60%–80% of the photo height). For children under 2 years, slight variations in head position and expression are tolerated, but no parent hands or supporting objects may be visible.
Head coverings and religious attire
Religious head coverings are permitted provided the full face from chin to forehead and both edges of the face remain completely visible without shadow.
Official sources
Official Austrian government portals and Passbehörde authorities.
Frequently asked questions: Austrian passport photo requirements 2026
What are the official Austrian passport photo requirements in 2026?
Official Austrian passport photo requirements (mandated by the BMI Passbehörde) require a 35 × 45 mm biometric print taken within the last 6 months. The head height from the bottom of the chin to the top of the crown must measure strictly between 32 mm and 36 mm (70%–80% of total height). The background must be light grey or plain white, lighting must be uniform with zero shadows, and no digital retouching is permitted.
What is the difference between Austrian passport and Austrian visa photo requirements?
Both Austrian passports and Austrian visas require the same 35 × 45 mm format with a 32–36 mm chin-to-crown head height. However, domestic Austrian passport applications (Passbehörde / Magistrat) require 1 physical print on photo paper and allow a 27–36 mm face height range for children under 8, whereas Austrian visa applications submitted via VFS Global or BMEIA embassies require 2 physical prints or a digital JPEG upload (20 KB – 2 MB, min 600×800 px).
What is the Austrian passport photo size in mm, cm, and inches?
The official dimensions are 35 mm × 45 mm (width × height). In centimetres, this equals 3.5 cm × 4.5 cm. In inches, it is approximately 1.38 inches × 1.77 inches. These dimensions match the standard European Schengen ICAO Doc 9303 specification.
What are the Austrian passport photo rules for children and babies under 8?
For Austrian passport renewals (BMI Passbehörde), children under 8 years have a relaxed face height tolerance between 27 mm and 36 mm (occupying 60%–80% of the photo height). For children under 2 years, slight variations in head position and expression are tolerated, but no parent hands or supporting objects may be visible.
Can I use an Austrian passport photo for an Austrian Schengen visa application?
Yes. Because both Austrian passports and Schengen visa applications adhere to the standard 35 × 45 mm dimensions and 32–36 mm face height with a light grey or white background, a compliant Austrian passport photo is fully acceptable for Austrian visa submissions.
What background colour is required for an Austrian passport photo?
The background must be plain, uniform, and free of shadows or patterns. Acceptable colours are light grey or plain white. Light grey is standard and recommended because it prevents overexposure.
Can I wear glasses in an Austrian passport photo?
Glasses are allowed only for medical necessity under strict conditions: lenses must be clear with zero glare, tint, or reflections, and frames must be thin without obscuring eyes or eyebrows. The Austrian Passbehörde strongly recommends removing glasses.
How many photos do I need to bring for an Austrian passport renewal?
When attending your appointment at the municipal Passbehörde, Magistrat, or Bezirkshauptmannschaft in Austria, you only need to submit 1 printed biometric photo developed on high-quality photographic paper.
Can I take an Austrian passport photo with my smartphone at home?
Yes. You can take a photo with your smartphone against a plain light wall in bright, even daylight. Our online Austrian Passport Photo Maker automatically crops your picture to exact 35 × 45 mm dimensions, verifies the 32–36 mm chin-to-crown height, adjusts the light grey/white background, and ensures 100% compliance with Austrian BMI standards.
What should I wear for an Austrian passport photo?
Wear everyday clothing in a dark or contrasting color (such as navy, black, or dark grey) so your neck and shoulders stand out clearly against the light grey or white background. Avoid white clothing, military uniforms, and reflective accessories.
Ready to prepare your Austrian passport photo?
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