FR / PASSPORT PHOTO FIELD GUIDE
French passport photos. Start with approved capture.
For a French passport or identity card, the provider matters as well as the picture. Use this guide to understand the frame and prepare for an authorised photographer or approved booth.
Reviewed · Editorial methodology
Lire les guides en français ↗THE SHORT ANSWER
What does a France passport photo need?
French passport and identity-card photos must be taken by an authorised professional or an approved booth. The photo is 35 × 45 mm, with a face height of 32–36 mm from chin to top of skull, excluding hair. Use a plain light background; white is not permitted. The photo must be less than six months old.
Read the official requirements ↗- Photo format
- 35 × 45 mm
- Face height
- 32–36 mm
- Background
- Light colour, not white
- Capture
- Approved provider
FRAME / FACE / APPLICATION
Size and alignment, explained.
A framing example does not satisfy France’s approved-capture requirement. A PixPassVisa download is not an ANTS e-photo code or an approved-booth photograph.
- Width
- 35 mm
- Height
- 45 mm
- Head / face height
- 32–36 mm, excluding hair
- Background
- Light grey or light blue; not white
The diagram shows proportions and what to measure. It does not measure the generated portrait, certify compliance or define a universal pixel size.
Who can take a French passport photo?
For a French passport or national identity card, Service Public directs applicants to an authorised professional or a booth using an approved system. Arrange the capture through that route before considering image preparation.
A portrait taken at home and resized online does not become an approved-provider photograph. Use the official provider finder if you need to locate a photographer or booth.
Service Public: identity-photo requirements ↗35 × 45 mm size and face alignment
Check the outer frame separately from the face height. The face measurement runs from the bottom of the chin to the top of the skull, excluding the hair. A large hairstyle does not change the anatomical measurement.
The face should be clear and directed toward the camera. Keep the eyes visible, head straight and mouth closed. The illustrated frame is a teaching aid, not a measurement of the generated model’s face.
Service Public: identity-photo requirements ↗Choose the correct background colour
French identity photographs use a plain light background, such as light grey or light blue. White is not allowed. This is an important difference from US passport photos, so a single white-background preset is not suitable for every country.
Avoid shadows, underexposure and overexposure. Ask the approved provider to correct lighting at capture. Do not change facial features or assume that digitally replacing the wall solves every application requirement.
Service Public: identity-photo requirements ↗Passport photos, e-photo codes and foreign visas
Different French administrative procedures may request different photo products. An ANTS e-photo code is not the same as an ordinary image file. PixPassVisa does not supply an ANTS code. Check the exact document requested by the application.
If you live in France but are applying for another country’s visa, follow the destination’s visa instructions. The French passport size and provider rules should not automatically be applied to that separate process.
Service Public: authorised photographers and booths ↗BEFORE YOU SUBMIT
A final check is worth a retake.
- Confirm the exact document and submission route.
- Keep a recent original with no filters or facial edits.
- Check lighting, background, expression and clear eyes.
- Review the actual print or the portal’s upload rules.
- Use an approved capture provider when required.
ANSWERS FOR YOUR NEXT STEP
France passport photo questions
What size is a French passport photo?
The frame is 35 mm wide and 45 mm high. Face height is 32–36 mm from chin to top of skull, excluding hair.
Can a French passport photo have a white background?
No. Service Public specifies a plain light-coloured background, such as light grey or light blue, and prohibits white.
Can I take a French passport photo at home?
For a French passport or identity card, the official instructions require an authorised professional or approved booth. An online crop does not replace this requirement.
Does PixPassVisa provide ANTS e-photo codes?
No. If your administrative process requests an e-photo code, use the appropriate approved provider and check the instructions for that process.
CHECK FIRST. CHOOSE YOUR OUTPUT.
Preview before purchasing.
Automated checks and previews are free. If your application permits the prepared output, standard downloads cost $4.99 and optional expert manual editing costs $6.99. One-time payment; fixed local prices apply.
We do not provide government photo codes, physical prints or acceptance certification. Keep your original and follow the capture and editing rules above.
Official sources and review
Reviewed on 17 October 2026. Requirements can change; follow the authority handling your application. PixPassVisa is an independent service.