Greece visa photos under the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Greek visa photos are governed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic and follow the harmonized Schengen standard set out in the EU Visa Code. The same 35 by 45 mm specification applies whether the application is a short-stay Schengen Type C visa, a long-stay national Type D visa, or a Golden Visa investor residence permit handled by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum.
Greece does not operate an applicant-facing e-visa portal for standard visa categories. Applications are submitted in person through Global Visa Center World (GVCW), which is Greece’s primary visa application centre network, or through VFS Global or TLScontact in jurisdictions where those operators hold the Greek contract. A physical printed photograph must accompany the dossier even though on-site biometric capture (digital face and fingerprints) is performed at the appointment for the Schengen VIS; one does not replace the other.
Greek consular and VAC staff enforce the photo rules strictly. A print that fails on subject criteria, background uniformity, or recency is grounds for refusal of the application at intake, forcing a fresh appointment and a new fee. Photographs must have been taken within the last six months and must depict the applicant’s current appearance.
What the Hellenic MFA expects in a Greek visa photo
Greek consulates and the GVCW visa application centres follow the Schengen and ICAO subject standard. The rules below cover how you must appear in the final photo.
Expression & pose
- Neutral expressionKeep a neutral expression with the mouth closed. Smiles, even closed-mouth smiles, are discouraged and teeth must not be visible.
- Direct gazeLook straight into the lens with both eyes open and clearly visible. Avoid a strained or wide-eyed look.
- Head alignmentFace the camera squarely with the head upright. The Greek passport authority specifies head rotation within roughly five degrees of centre in every direction.
- Shoulders squareShoulders should be level and facing forward. Over-the-shoulder or portrait-style poses are not accepted.
Eyewear & lenses
- EyeglassesGlasses should be removed. While clear, non-reflective lenses are technically permitted, Greek VAC staff enforce this strictly and glasses are a frequent cause of refusal. Wear them only when medically necessary.
- Tinted or coloured lensesSunglasses, tinted lenses and coloured contact lenses are not permitted. The natural eye colour must be visible.
- Frames over eyesIf glasses are worn for medical reasons, frames must not cover any part of the eyes and there must be no glare on the lenses.
Hair & facial hair
- Hair off the faceHair must not cover the eyes, eyebrows or any part of the facial outline. Bangs falling across the forehead are prohibited.
- Both face edges visibleThe full width of the face from jaw to jaw must be visible. Hair tucked behind the shoulders is fine; hair sweeping across the cheeks is not.
- Facial hairBeards and moustaches are acceptable provided they reflect the applicant’s usual everyday appearance.
Headwear
- No hats or capsHeadwear is prohibited for non-religious and non-medical reasons. Hats, caps, hoods and headbands must be removed.
- Religious or medical head coveringsCoverings worn daily for religious or medical reasons are permitted. The full face from chin to forehead and ear to ear must remain unobstructed, and the covering must not cast shadows across the face.
Jewelry & accessories
- Minimal jewelryAvoid large earrings, facial piercings or any item that produces reflections or partially conceals the face.
- No face coveringsScarves, masks and any accessory obscuring the facial features are not permitted.
Cosmetics
- Natural makeup onlyHeavy makeup that alters facial features or skin tone is not accepted. Cosmetics must not change the biometric appearance of the face.
Clothing
- Avoid white topsDo not wear a white or very light shirt. White clothing against a white or light background blends into the frame and is one of the most common reasons Greek visa photos are rejected at the GVCW counter.
- Everyday clothingWear ordinary daily clothing. Uniforms and high-visibility garments are not permitted. Religious dress is allowed when worn habitually.
Dimensions, resolution & background.
Head position & camera distance.
- Head height, measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head, must be between 33 mm and 36 mm (roughly 73–81% of the photo height).
- Eyes must sit between 21 mm and 25 mm from the bottom of the photo.
- The head must be centered horizontally in the frame with a small symmetrical margin on each side.
- Both shoulders must be square to the camera and visible. Three-quarter angles or rotated torsos are not accepted.
- The full face from chin to crown must be inside the frame with proper top margin.
Greece accepts more than one size — we generate them all.
Greece publishes more than one acceptable format depending on where you submit your application — domestic passport offices, the official online portal, and regional consulates abroad can each call for a different print or pixel size. We render every variant below from the same source photo, so the head sits at the same physical position across files, and each one arrives in your order email with a clear filename indicating which submission channel it's for.
Greece Visa 35×45 mm
Primary · Print + DigitalGreece's official format — the same file works for both printed in-person submissions and the online portal upload.
Greece Visa 2×2 in — from US consulate
Print + DigitalSized for Greece's e-Visa online application.
Greece Visa 40×60 mm — residence
Print + DigitalSized for Greece's e-Visa online application.
How recent the photo must be.
Your visa photo must have been taken within the last six months. A new photo is required sooner whenever your appearance has changed in a way that makes the old photo no longer recognizable.
You need a new photo if you’ve had…
- Facial surgery or a major change to facial structure
- A significant gain or loss of weight that visibly changes your face
- Large facial tattoos or piercings added or removed
- A gender transition that has changed your appearance
You do not need a new photo just because of…
- A new hair color
- Growing or removing a beard or moustache
- Ordinary, minor aging
- A new hairstyle that still leaves the face fully visible
Photos for infants and young children.
The Hellenic MFA relaxes a small number of subject rules for the youngest applicants. Everything not listed below still follows the adult standard.
Infants (under 1 year)
Newborns and infants cannot be expected to hold a neutral pose, so the consulate accepts a wider range of expressions and head angles.
- EyesEyes may be fully open, partially open or closed. A direct gaze into the lens is not required.
- ExpressionA neutral expression is not required. The mouth may be open.
- Head positionWider tolerance is allowed for head tilt and rotation, since infants cannot hold a fixed pose.
- Photographing the babyPlace the infant on their back on a plain white sheet. No hands, arms, pacifiers, bottles, toys, cushions or supports may appear in the frame.
Other things to know.
A few Greek-specific quirks regularly trip up applicants, even when the photo itself is compliant.
Primary VAC is GVCW
Greece’s dedicated visa application centre network is Global Visa Center World (GVCW), not VFS Global. VFS and TLScontact handle Greek visas only in a small number of jurisdictions. Confirm the correct operator for your country via mfa.gr before booking.
Bring two loose prints
Submit two identical printed photos with the application. Do not glue, staple or otherwise attach them to the form in advance, as instructions on attachment vary between consulates. VAC staff will direct how the prints are affixed at intake.
Photo plus on-site biometrics
A printed photo is required even though GVCW also captures a live digital facial image and fingerprints for the Schengen Visa Information System. The on-site capture does not replace the print, and an applicant cannot submit only one or the other.
Golden Visa submission
Investor residence permit applications via the Ministry of Migration and Asylum require four identical printed photos at 35x45 mm together with a digital copy in JPEG2000 format supplied on a CD. Standard short-stay and national visa applications do not use this digital channel.
Take your Greece visa photo at home in three steps.
Free to check. You only pay when you keep it.
Print-quality requirements for in-person submissions.
When you submit a printed photo at a visa application centre, the paper, finish, and ink all matter. The points below cover the standards most consular missions accept.
- Print on photographic-quality paper at 300 DPI minimum.
- Use a matte or semi-gloss finish; high-gloss can produce reflections that confuse biometric scanners.
- Do not retouch, crop, or alter the photo after printing.
- Bring at least two identical prints when the submission channel calls for paper photos.