Photo Specifications
Spanish consulates generally require passport-standard photos with these specifications:
- Size: 35mm x 45mm (standard passport photo size)
- Background: plain white or off-white
- Expression: neutral, both eyes open, mouth closed
- Face coverage: face must cover 70–80% of the frame
- Recency: taken within the last six months
- Glasses: generally not permitted (check current consulate guidance — rules have tightened in recent years)
- Head coverings: not permitted except for religious reasons
Always check the specific requirements published by your consulate, as minor variations exist.
How Many Photos Do You Need?
Most Spanish visa applications require two identical passport photos per person. For family applications (including children), each person needs two photos. Take extras — it's easier to have spare photos than to return to a photographer during the application process.
Where to Get Them
For UK applicants, Boots, Post Offices, Max Spielmann, and dedicated passport photo services all produce compliant photos. Online services (such as Passport Photo Online or iD Photo) can be convenient. If using a digital photo, print quality matters — blurry or low-resolution prints are not accepted.
For US applicants, Walgreens, CVS, and post offices offer same-day passport photo services. Photos must meet the requirements above.
Children's Photos
Photos for children follow the same standards as adults. Infants and very young children can be photographed lying on a plain white surface. The eyes must be open, even for babies — taking multiple shots to get a clear, compliant image is advisable.
Common Problems
The most common issues are: photos with a slightly off-white or grey background (particularly from phone booths), glasses (now widely prohibited), shadows on the face or background, faces that are too small in the frame, and photos that are more than six months old. Using a professional photo service is the simplest way to avoid these issues.
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