France Schengen Visa Photo Maker, 35x45 mm

The photo, in brief

A French visa photo is the standard EU Schengen biometric photo: 35x45 mm, face filling 70 to 80% of the frame, a plain light background, neutral expression, taken within the last 6 months. It is the same photo for a short-stay Schengen (type C) tourist visa and for a long-stay (type D / VLS-TS) visa to work, study, or settle in France.

One myth worth clearing up: France does not require a grey background, and white is not refused. The French consulate network’s own instructions state a white background, and the EU rule is simply a plain light colour, so white or light grey both pass. For the full requirements, including how to shoot a compliant photo, see the Schengen visa photo guide. For the France-Visas upload, the file is a JPEG up to 120 KB at 400x600 px.

You can make a compliant French visa photo from a phone picture in about two minutes. Create yours for $1 →

How France handles it

France is distinctive in checking the photo twice. You first complete the application on the France-Visas portal and attach a digital photo, then you attend a VFS Global or TLScontact centre, where staff check the printed photo again at the counter. A photo that slips through the upload can still be handed back in person, so it is worth getting it right once.

If you are applying from inside France, the approved photo booths (photomatons) in stations and town halls produce a compliant shot automatically.

Submitting your photo

Bring printed photos to your France-Visas appointment even if you uploaded a digital file; the centre attaches a print to the file and may re-check it. Confirm the exact number of prints with your specific VFS Global or TLScontact centre, since it varies by location.

A non-compliant photo handed back at the counter can cost a re-booking, often one to three weeks before a trip, so check the photo against the photo guide before your appointment rather than after.