When applying for a Spain visa, it is crucial to ensure that the photographs you submit strictly adhere to the visa photo guidelines established by the Spanish government. These guidelines have been put in place to ensure that your a Spain visa application is processed smoothly and efficiently, minimizing the chances of any delays or complications in your visa approval process. Therefore, meticulous attention to detail when preparing your visa photos is essential to increase the likelihood of a successful visa application.
Photo Requirements for Spanish Visa Application
The requirements for a Spain visa photo are as follows:
- It must have been taken within the last six months.
- It must be 35×45 mm.
- It must have a white background.
- It must be high quality and reflect your true appearance.
- You must submit two photos.
Do I Need to Submit Photos for Spain visa Application?
If you are a citizen of one of the following countries, you need to submit your photograph for Spain visa application:
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Angola
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cabo Verde
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- China
- Comoros
- Cuba
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Ivory Coast
- Jamaica
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mongolia
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Niger
- Nigeria
- North Korea
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palestine
- Papua New Guinea
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Republic of the Congo
- Russia
- Rwanda
- São Tomé and PrÃncipe
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Türkiye
- Turkmenistan
- Uganda
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Picture Size
The Spain visa photo should be 35×45 mm in order to be accepted by the Spanish embassy. It must be printed in high-quality paper, which clearly shows your features.
Head and Eye-Level Measurements
To meet the necessary requirements, the Spain visa photos must also adhere to the following measurements:
- The applicant’s head measurement, from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin, must be 34.5mm.
- The measurement from the applicant’s top of the hair to the top of the photo, must be 3mm.
It is important to note that photographs that do not meet these specific size requirements will not be accepted.
Background Color
The picture for a Spain visa should be taken in front of a white ( ) background. There should be no patterns or other objects behind you.
Number of Pictures Required
For most Spain visa applications, you will be required to provide two identical photos which were taken in the last six months. If the application is online, you will have to submit the same digital photograph.
Note: Although for most visa types, two pictures are required, for certain visas, the Spanish embassy may request more or fewer copies of the same picture.
Picture Quality
The pictures you submit for your Spain visa application must meet certain standards of quality to be acceptable, which ensure your facial features are visible and recognizable:
- Your photo should be sharp without any visible pixels or printer dots.
- The photo should not be blurry. Your face should be in focus and without motion or focus blur.
- The photo should be clear and in color. It must accurately represent your skin tone and must be properly exposed with no shadows, color casts or distortions.
- There should be no shadows on you or the background. To prevent shadows, use uniform illumination when taking the photo.
- The photo should be properly exposed. There should neither be underexposure (too dark) nor overexposure (too bright).
- High-quality print. If you’re printing the photo, use a higher quality printer ink, paper, or print setting, or increase the printer’s resolution (dots per inch (DPI) setting).
Overall, the photo should be high-quality and accurately represent your appearance. A low-quality or poorly-lit photo can result in delays or denials of the visa application, so it’s important to take the time to ensure that the photo meets all of the necessary requirements and is of good quality.
Facial Expression and Posture
When you take your Spain visa photo, make sure you meet the following requirements for posture and facial expression:
- Sit or stand straight. You have to face the camera and look straight ahead. Make sure your shoulders are square to the camera and that you’re not tilting your head up, down, or to the side.
- Face the camera with a neutral expression. Avoid smiling or showing your teeth in the photo and do not frown or make any other facial expression that could be interpreted as negative.
- Make sure your eyes are open and clearly visible. Your pupils and irises (colored portions of the eyes) must be clearly visible in the photo.
Clothing and Accessories
When taking a Spain visa photo, it’s important to ensure that you are dressed appropriately and that your photo meets specific requirements. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind:
- Hats or head coverings. Generally, you should not wear a hat or head covering that obscures your hair or hairline in your visa photo. However, if you wear a head covering daily for religious purposes, you may wear it in your photo as long as it doesn’t cast any shadows on your face and your full face is visible.
- Glasses. In general, eyeglasses are no longer allowed in new visa photos, except in rare circumstances where they cannot be removed for medical reasons. If you’ve had ocular surgery recently and need to wear glasses to protect your eyes, you’ll need to provide a medical statement signed by a healthcare professional. If eyeglasses are accepted, they should not cover your eyes, cause glare or shadows, or distort your eyes in any way.
- Clothing. You should wear clothing that you would typically wear on a daily basis when taking your visa photo. However, uniforms should not be worn unless it’s religious clothing that you wear daily.
- Hearing devices or similar articles If you typically wear a hearing device or other similar articles, you may wear it in your visa photo.
Requirements for Young Children and Babies
The same requirements in regard to size and quality apply to Spain visa photos for young children and babies as well. Also, keep the following requirements in mind:
- The child or baby should be facing the camera. If your child cannot sit upright, it is recommended to lay the baby down on their back on a white or off-white sheet.
- The background must be white or off-white. They can be lying down or sitting up, but the background should always be white of off-white.
- The child or baby must have their eyes open. Although for very young babies, it can be difficult to keep their eyes open, try to get the baby’s attention by making a noise or using a toy to encourage them to look at the camera.
- Do not be in the picture with your child. You must not be in the picture holding or propping up your child.
- Do not use any props. There should be nothing in the picture with your child, such as toys or decorations, as they can distract from the child’s features and may not meet the Spain visa photo requirements.
Also read: Photo requirments for babies
Should I Print Out the Pictures?
Yes, you should print out the pictures for a Spain visa application. You will be required to provide two printed copies of your photos, depending on the type of visa you are applying for. The photos must meet the specific requirements set by the Spanish authorities and must be printed on high-quality photo paper.
Medical Exemption
There are usually no medical exemptions from a Spain visa photo; everyone has to provide a photo for their visa application. Certain exemptions may apply in the following cases:
- If you cannot remove your glasses for medical reasons, please include a signed note from your doctor with the application.
- If you wear a hat or head covering for medical purposes, submit a signed doctor’s statement verifying the hat or head covering in your photo is used daily for medical purposes.
Important Notes for Spanish Visa Photo
When applying for a Spain visa, it’s important to provide a photo that accurately reflects your current appearance. Keep in mind that even if your photo is not more than 6 months old, the Spanish embassy or consulate may ask you to submit a new one if it doesn’t represent your current look. You’ll need to obtain a new photo if:
- You’ve had significant facial surgery or trauma, made a gender transition, or undergone a significant amount of weight loss or gain.
- If you’ve added or removed numerous or large facial piercings or tattoos, a new photo will be necessary.
However, minor changes such as growing a beard or coloring your hair usually won’t require a new photo submission as long as you can still be identified from the photo in your visa application.
Passport Photo Requirements
If you are applying for a Spanish passport, you should check the Spain passport photo requirements.
