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Need a German 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.
German 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 — official published figure. |
| Background | Plain and light, ideally neutral gray — light gray works for dark hair, medium gray for light hair, so the background contrasts with your face and hair. |
| Glasses | Allowed if 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 ↗ |
Germany specifics
Do you bring your own photo for a German passport?
No. Since 1 May 2025 a printed or self-made photo is not accepted for a Reisepass or Personalausweis anywhere in Germany, and the grace period in which a Bürgeramt could still take a paper print in exceptional cases ended on 31 July 2025. The biometrisches Passbild is now either captured at the office itself, on a Bundesdruckerei PointID station or a comparable system, for a flat EUR 6 per photo, or taken by a registered Fotodienstleister who uploads it to a BSI-certified cloud and gives you a printout with a Data-Matrix-Code that the clerk scans. Without that code the office cannot find your picture. So what is this tool good for if you live in Germany? Three things. German embassies and consulates abroad still accept a conventional 45 by 35 mm paper photo until they get their own cameras. Many other documents, from a Schwimmausweis or fishing licence to a Führerschein, Gesundheitskarte, student card or a foreign visa, still take a self-supplied photo, and the Fotomustertafel is the yardstick most of them borrow. And you can rehearse pose, lighting and background before the official capture; at a PointID station the BMI says you can usually choose from up to three shots and restart the process if none of them suits you.
Where to get a passport photo in Germany
For the passport or ID card itself, only these routes deliver a photo the office can use.
- The Bürgeramt photo station: EUR 6.00 per photo (2025) where PointID is installed, about 9,000 systems in roughly 6,000 municipalities. You can usually pick from up to three shots and restart if you dislike them all. Check your town's website first; not every office has a station.
- A registered photographer or Fotostudio with certified cloud transfer. Prices are not published; the BMI tells you to ask, and to keep the Data-Matrix-Code printout.
- dm-drogerie markt Passbildservice: EUR 5.95 (2025) for a staff-taken photo stored in the dm cloud, the code printout and paper copies, reusable for several applications within 6 months.
For everything that is not a sovereign ID document, a self-made photo printed at a drugstore kiosk or at home remains fine; dm's own app page says so for the Führerschein, Gesundheitskarte, visa and student cards, and prints for EUR 5.95.
Why Germany rejects photos
- A paper or self-made photo is presented for a Reisepass or Personalausweis inside Germany.
- The face does not fill 70 to 80 percent of the frame, or the head is tilted or off centre.
- Hard shadows, an underexposed face, reflections or red eyes.
- Soft focus, low resolution, weak contrast, retouching or filters.
- Background with a pattern, a shadow, or too little contrast to face and hair.
- Laughing, open mouth, closed eyes or a grimace.
- Glasses frames across the eyes, dark or reflecting lenses, hair covering the eyes.
- Head covering without a religious reason, or one that shades the face.
Official source, verified 3 September 2026
The change is set out in the BMI notice of 28 April 2025 on simplified ID applications and the BMI passport biometrics FAQ, which also states the EUR 6 fee and the exception for missions abroad. Quality criteria come from the Fotomustertafel (BMI and Bundesdruckerei, 10/24 edition). Municipal fees for non-PointID systems can differ, so confirm with your Bürgeramt.
Checked against the official source on 2026-09-03.
Sources
- bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/faqs/DE/themen/moderne-verwaltung/reisepass/biometrie/09-kein-papie
- bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/faqs/DE/themen/moderne-verwaltung/reisepass/biometrie/biometrie-lis
- bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/kurzmeldungen/DE/2025/04/neue-passbilder.html
- foto.dm.de/app-biometrische-passfotos-selber-machen.html
- bundesdruckerei.de/de/newsroom/news/aktuelles-pointid-aufnahmesysteme-fuer-biometrische-li
- foto.dm.de/im-dm-markt/passbildservice.html
- newsroom.dm.de/pressreleases/ab-1-mai-bietet-dm-guenstige-digitale-passbilder-und-sicheren
- bundesdruckerei-gmbh.de/files/dokumente/pdf/fotomustertafel.pdf
- bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/downloads/DE/publikationen/themen/moderne-verwaltung/BMI24037-fotom
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 German 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 German Passport & ID Photo need?
Plain and light, ideally neutral gray — light gray works for dark hair, medium gray for light hair, so the background contrasts with your face and hair.
Can I take a German Passport & ID Photo at home with my phone?
No. Since 1 May 2025, self-made and paper photos are not accepted for a German Reisepass or Personalausweis anywhere inside Germany; the photo must be captured at a PointID terminal in your Bürgeramt (about EUR 6) or taken by a registered photographer who uploads it to a certified cloud and gives you a printout with a Data-Matrix-Code. A conventional paper photo is still accepted if you are applying at a German mission or consulate abroad. You can still use this tool to check your framing and background before your appointment, or for other documents that accept a self-supplied photo.
Is this German 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 German 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: PointID (Bürgeramt), dm Passbildservice, Fotostudio. More detail: Printing passport photos in Germany.