Spain Passport PhotoOnline

What do Spain's national rules require?

The passport decree and the official DNI portal set out these points:

• A recent colour photo of your face, taken from the front
• No dark lenses, and nothing else that could prevent identification
• The oval of the face clearly visible, including eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth and chin
• High resolution, printed on good-quality photo paper

How does the application work inside Spain?

Inside Spain, passports are issued by National Police offices, and you must attend in person. Your index fingerprints are stored on the chip along with a digitised copy of your photo.

You bring the printed photo with you, and the national rules we read name no required photographer. There is one exception: you do not need a photo if you obtained or renewed your DNI on the same day.

The DNI has its own wording. The head must be bare, but head coverings worn for religious or medical reasons are allowed if the face is visible from the hairline to the chin, and the photo can be up to 2 years old. The passport decree gives neither detail: it only says "recent" and bans items that could prevent identification. Offices with a multiple-issue module can also capture the photo automatically for a DNI renewal with no change of details.

What changes if you apply at a Spanish consulate?

Abroad, passports are issued by Spanish embassies and consulates. The pages for New York and Mexico require you to be on the consular register and to attend in person, including minors. Photo rules differ between posts:

• New York and Mexico: one photo at the standard Spanish size
• Washington: one recent passport-size photo, and American-format photos from pharmacy chains are accepted
• Berlin and Düsseldorf: photos under 6 months old, 30 to 40 mm wide and 40 to 53 mm high, with the head (face and hair) taking up 50% of the photo and a 5 mm margin at the sides and top
• Düsseldorf asks for two identical photos. Berlin's checklist says one while its attached photo sheet says two, so confirm the number
• Berlin also says photo booth pictures are not valid

What photo do foreigners need for a Spanish Schengen visa?

The Spanish embassy in Dublin's page for family members of EU citizens asks for one recent full-face colour photo, 35×45 mm, on a white background, taken no more than 6 months before you apply. You must be bareheaded, with no dark or reflective glasses. Head coverings worn for religious reasons are allowed if all facial features are clearly visible.

Posts can differ. The consulate in Chicago lists a square size of about 5 × 5 cm beside a 35×45 mm sample, accepts plain white or very light grey, rejects photocopies, and wants the photo glued, not stapled, to the form. Follow the list from the consulate that handles your application. You can prepare this format with our Schengen visa photo tool and print copies on a 4×6 print sheet maker.