🇫🇷 France Passport Photo Online
A French passport photo is judged against the standard held by the Agence Nationale des Titres Sécurisés, and it departs from the international norm in one detail that catches almost everyone applying from outside France. The background has to be light but never white. Pale grey and pale blue are what French photographers use, and a portrait shot against a white studio wall will be handed straight back to you.
The frame itself measures 35 mm across by 45 mm high. Within it, the distance from the bottom of your chin to the top of your skull, hair not counted, has to sit between 32 and 36 mm, which the official guidance also expresses as the face taking up 70 to 80 percent of the picture. The photograph must be under six months old, and for an online application you usually leave the photographer holding an ePhoto code to type into the ANTS form rather than a sheet of prints.
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France Passport Photo Online requirements
Official specification: 35 x 45 mm
| Dimensions | 35 x 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 32 to 36 mm (chin to crown) |
| Background | Plain, uniform and light coloured, typically pale grey or pale blue. Pure white is not accepted. |
| Issuing authority | Agence Nationale des Titres Sécurisés (ANTS), Ministère de l'Intérieur |
| Glasses | Permitted if no glare |
Photo rules
- The format is 35 mm wide by 45 mm high, and the head, measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the skull with hair excluded, must fall between 32 and 36 mm, stated officially as 70 to 80 percent of the picture.
- The background must be plain and light, in practice pale grey or pale blue. A white backdrop is not compliant, which is what catches out photos shot to British, Spanish or American rules.
- The head must be bare. Hats, scarves and even a hairband are named individually as grounds for refusal.
- The photograph must be less than six months old and taken by a photographer or in a booth approved by the Interior Ministry, which is what produces the ePhoto code entered into the ANTS application.
- Prescription glasses may be worn if the frame is thin and clear of the eyes, but tinted, coloured or reflecting lenses fail, and glare on a lens fails.
- Expression must be neutral with the mouth closed, the head and gaze straight toward the camera, and lighting even with no overexposed patch, no underexposure and no shadow or distracting reflection.
- The print itself must be undamaged: no crease, no mark, no stain.
Common reasons photos get rejected
- A white background, by a wide margin the most common failure among applicants who had the photo taken outside France.
- A photograph more than six months old, even if it still looks like you.
- A fringe or loose hair falling across the eyebrows or eyes.
- Smiling, showing teeth or an open mouth, since the required expression is neutral.
- Prints from an unapproved booth or an amateur photographer with no ANTS ePhoto code attached.
How SnapIDs gets it right
Most rejections come from the wrong head size, a bad background, or glare. SnapIDs solves this before you even take the shot. A live coach checks your distance, centering, head angle, eyes, expression and lighting in real time, and only captures when every check passes. The photo is then framed mathematically to the exact 35 x 45 mm specification, and the background is cleaned to a compliant white, while your face is never altered.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a French passport photo?
35 mm by 45 mm, with the head measuring 32 to 36 mm from the bottom of the chin to the top of the skull, hair excluded. That corresponds to the face filling 70 to 80 percent of the photo.
Can the background be white for a French passport photo?
No. France requires a plain light background such as pale grey or pale blue. A pure white background is specifically not accepted, which is a frequent reason photos taken abroad are rejected.
What is the ANTS ePhoto code?
It is a digital photo reference issued by an approved photographer or approved booth after your picture is taken. You enter it directly in the ANTS online application instead of posting paper prints. Only approved operators can issue one.
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