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Need a French Passport & ID Photo? Upload any sharp, front-facing portrait and this free maker crops it to the exact 35 x 45 mm standard with the official head-height guides, checks it against the published rules, and gives you both a digital photo and a print-ready 4 x 6 in sheet — entirely in your browser, with no ads and no watermark.
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Not sure whether your photo will pass? See Why ID photos get rejected.
French Passport & ID Photo requirements
| Photo size | 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in) |
|---|---|
| Pixels (print) | 413 x 531 px at 300 DPI · 827 x 1063 px at 600 DPI |
| Head height | 32–36 mm from chin to crown (measured excluding hair) — official published figure. |
| Background | Any plain light color — plain white is explicitly not allowed. |
| Glasses | Allowed if the frame is not thick, there is no glare, no tint, and the frames do not cover the eyes. |
| Editing | Keep edits minimal; most authorities reject retouched photos even where no explicit rule is published. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, both eyes open, facing the camera straight on. |
| Official source | Official photo requirements ↗ |
Good to know
France is one of the few countries that explicitly forbids a white background — the ANTS standard asks for a plain light background (light grey or light blue) so the face outline stays clearly separated. The head height is measured from chin to crown excluding hair.
France specifics
Do you bring your own photo for a French passport?
Yes, and you must have it with you when you file. In metropolitan France the mairie does not take the photo d'identité at the counter, so arriving without one means a second appointment. There is a catch for anyone hoping to use a phone picture: for a passeport or a carte nationale d'identité (CNI) the photo has to be taken by a professionnel habilité or in a cabine that runs a system approved by the Ministry of the Interior. You can hand over a paper print, or give the 22-character code e-photo printed on the photographer's or booth's receipt so the agent pulls the image from the ANTS system. ANTS stated in July 2025 that the code is optional and that a paper photo from the same sheet is still accepted. In practice this tool cannot produce a valid French passport photo on its own. Use it to check your framing and background before you pay for a booth session, or for documents that do accept a self-supplied print.
Where to print a passport photo in France
Only two kinds of supplier count, and you can find both with the ANTS locator linked from Service-Public.
- Photomaton cabines agréées: the operator runs about 10,000 booths and states that official ID photos cost under EUR 10 (2026). A passport or CNI session gives you six prints; booths that issue an e-photo also print the code, which is valid once within 6 months.
- A photographe habilité: prices are not published, so ask before sitting down, and ask for the code e-photo if you want to type it into your pre-demande.
A pharmacy, supermarket kiosk or print shop that is not on the ANTS list cannot give you an accepted photo, however good the print looks.
Why France rejects photos
- The background is white. It must be plain and light, such as light blue or light grey.
- The face is not between 3.2 and 3.6 cm high, that is 70 to 80 percent of the 3.5 by 4.5 cm print.
- A hat, scarf or headband is worn; the head must be bare.
- The mouth is open or the expression is not neutral.
- Glasses have a thick frame, hide the eyes, are tinted or coloured, or show reflections.
- The photo is more than 6 months old, is not a good likeness, is blurred, folded or marked.
- The photo was not taken by an approved professional or booth.
Official source, verified 3 September 2026
The rules above come from the Service-Public page on which photo to supply for an identity document, its companion answer on whether the photo can be taken at the counter, and the ANTS reply on Services Publics + confirming that the e-photo is optional. Fees and photographer prices change; check the locator before you travel to a booth.
Checked against the official source on 2026-09-03.
Sources
- service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F1357
- service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F10619
- plus.transformation.gouv.fr/experiences/6449986_demande-de-renseignement-e-photo
- service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/R62705
- photomaton.com/fr-fr/help-center-faq-page/photos-identite-officielles-ants-anef
- photomaton.com/fr-fr/services/photo-officielles
How to make it in 3 steps
- Take or choose a photo. Stand in front of a plain light wall in even light with no shadows, camera at eye level about 2 m away, head and shoulders in frame with space around your head.
- Crop with the head guides. The maker opens preset to the 35 x 45 mm standard with the official 32–36 mm head range marked. Drag and zoom until the crown of your head and your chin sit on the guides, then run the built-in photo check.
- Download. Save the single photo (for online uploads) or the 4 x 6 in print sheet, and print it at any photo shop, pharmacy photo kiosk or at home for the price of a regular photo print.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a French Passport & ID Photo?
35 x 45 mm — 413 x 531 px at 300 DPI. The head must measure 32–36 mm from chin to the top of the head.
What background color does a French Passport & ID Photo need?
Any plain light color — plain white is explicitly not allowed.
Can I take a French Passport & ID Photo at home with my phone?
No. For a French passport or carte nationale d'identité the photo must be taken by a photographe habilité or in a cabine using a system approved by the Ministry of the Interior; a photo you take yourself, however good, is not accepted. You can still use this tool to check your framing, lighting and background before paying for a booth or photographer session, or to prepare a photo for a document that does accept a self-supplied print.
Is this French Passport & ID Photo maker really free and private?
Yes — completely free, with no ads, no watermark and no signup. Unlike photo-booth apps and paid services, your photo is processed entirely in your browser and is never uploaded to any server.
Where can I print my French Passport & ID Photo?
Download the 4 x 6 in (10 x 15 cm) sheet and print it as an ordinary borderless 4 x 6 in (10 x 15 cm) photo at actual size (100%, no scaling) at a photo shop, a pharmacy photo kiosk, an online print service or on a home printer, then cut along the guide lines. You pay only for an ordinary photo print, not a photo-booth service fee. Local examples: Photomaton, photographe habilité. More detail: Printing passport photos in France.