Sweden visa photo standards set by Migrationsverket
The Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs publish a single biometric photo specification that covers Schengen Type C short-stay visas as well as the residence permit card (UT-kort) issued for longer stays. The Sweden Abroad guidance prescribes a 35 by 45 mm print with a light grey background (5 to 10 percent grey), a neutral expression, and a true, unaltered likeness taken within the last six months.
Sweden does not operate an applicant-side digital face upload channel. Short-stay Schengen applications are filed on paper through VFS Global visa application centres or directly at an embassy, with one or two physical prints attached to the dossier and a live biometric capture taken on site for the Visa Information System. Long-stay D visas and residence permits go further: the photograph printed on the UT-kort is captured live at the embassy or VFS biometric booth, and applicant supplied photos are not accepted for that card.
Compliance is enforced strictly at intake. A print that fails on dimensions, background, expression, or paper quality is returned at the counter, which delays the appointment and, for time sensitive Schengen submissions, can push the application past travel dates. Heavy cardstock and corrugated paper are explicitly rejected, and any sign of digital manipulation or a mirrored image will cause the photograph to be refused.
What Migrationsverket requires in a Sweden visa photo
The Swedish Migration Agency and Sweden Abroad apply a single biometric standard to every visa photo. These are the subject-side rules you need to meet before submission.
Expression & pose
- Neutral expressionThe Sweden Abroad guidance requires a neutral face with the mouth closed. Smiling, frowning, or any exaggerated expression is not accepted.
- Eyes open and visibleBoth eyes must be open, clearly visible, and looking straight at the camera. Red-eye is grounds for rejection.
- Full front viewThe head must be squared to the camera in a full frontal pose with no tilt up, down, or to either side. Both edges of the face must be clearly visible, with no looking over one shoulder.
Eyewear & lenses
- EyeglassesMigrationsverket strongly recommends removing prescription glasses for biometric accuracy. If glasses are worn, the frames must not cover any part of the eyes and the lenses must be free of glare and reflections.
- Tinted or dark lensesSunglasses, mirrored lenses, and tinted prescription lenses are not accepted. The eyes and irises must be fully visible.
Hair & face
- Hair off the eyesHair must not fall across the eyes or obscure the eyebrows. Bangs that cover the forehead or eyebrows are not accepted.
- Face edges visibleHair must be arranged so that both sides of the face are clearly visible from temple to jawline.
Headwear
- Religious or medical onlyHats and head coverings are not permitted except when worn daily for religious or medical reasons. In those cases the full face must remain visible from the chin to above the eyebrows, with no shadows cast onto the face.
Jewelry & cosmetics
- Jewelry and piercingsEarrings, nose studs, and other jewelry are permitted provided they do not obscure facial features or produce reflections.
- MakeupEveryday makeup is permitted. Heavy cosmetics that alter the natural appearance of the face are not accepted.
Clothing
- Everyday clothingWear ordinary daily clothing that contrasts with the light grey background. Uniforms are not accepted, with the exception of religious daily wear.
- Medical devicesHearing aids, oxygen tubing, and similar medical devices may be worn if they are needed daily.
Photo quality
- RecencyThe photo must be no more than six months old and must be a true likeness of the applicant. A new photo is required after any significant change in appearance.
- No manipulationSweden Abroad does not accept manipulated images. Spot removal, line softening, shadow editing, and mirrored images are all grounds for rejection.
- Print stockPhysical prints must be produced on high-quality matt or medium/low gloss photographic paper. Heavy cardstock and corrugated paper are explicitly rejected.
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.
Sweden accepts more than one size — we generate them all.
Sweden 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.
Sweden Visa 35×45 mm
Primary · Print + DigitalSweden's official format — the same file works for both printed in-person submissions and the online portal upload.
Sweden Visa 446×580 px
Print + DigitalAlternate accepted size — works as both an in-person print and an online-portal upload.
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.
Sweden Abroad relaxes specific rules for younger applicants. All other requirements (neutral pose, background, lighting, framing) continue to apply.
Infants (under 1 year)
For babies under twelve months Migrationsverket asks only for a good likeness of the child.
- Expression and eyesThe eyes-open and mouth-closed rules are waived. The infant does not need to look at the camera.
- Lying pose permittedThe baby may be photographed lying on a plain light grey sheet and shot from directly above.
- No hands in frameSupporting hands, arms, headrests, and pillows must not be visible anywhere in the picture.
Young children (1 to under 6 years)
Children in this age band receive limited expression and gaze relaxations.
- Mouth and gazeThe closed-mouth and direct-eye-contact rules are waived. A natural expression is accepted.
- All other rules applyBackground, lighting, framing, and a neutral head position remain mandatory.
Other things to know.
A few features of the Swedish visa channel catch applicants off guard.
No online face upload
Migrationsverket does not operate any portal that accepts a self-supplied digital face photo. The e-service only takes scans of supporting documents.
Printed photo plus live capture
Schengen short-stay (Type C) applicants must attach one or two physical prints to the paper application and also sit for live biometric capture at the VFS Global centre or embassy. Bring two prints to be safe.
Residence permit cards
Photos for the uppehållstillståndskort (UT-kort) covering long-stay D visas, work, study, and family permits are captured live on-site by Migrationsverket, the embassy, or VFS. Applicant-supplied photos are not accepted for the card.
Light grey, not white
Sweden Abroad prescribes a light grey background at five to ten percent grey, or cream. White is tolerated in practice at some VFS centres but light grey is the published standard.
Take your Sweden 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.