🇪🇸 Spain Passport Photo Online
Spain never adopted the 35 by 45 mm rectangle that most of Europe settled on. The format written into Real Decreto 896/2003 and repeated by the Dirección General de la Policía is 32 by 26 millimetres, meaning a print 26 mm wide and 32 mm tall, the traditional Spanish tamaño carnet. The same photograph serves for both the DNI and the ordinary passport, so a single set of prints covers you for either appointment.
On top of the size, the decree is precise about two further points. The background must be uniform white and smooth with no shadow behind you, and the photograph has to show the complete oval of the face, meaning eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth and chin all clear of hair. You bring a physical print on photographic paper to your appointment at the Policía Nacional office, since digital files carried on a phone are not accepted across the counter.
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Spain Passport Photo Online requirements
Official specification: 26 x 32 mm
| Dimensions | 26 x 32 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 22.4 to 25.6 mm (chin to crown) |
| Background | Uniform, plain white with no shadow. |
| Issuing authority | Dirección General de la Policía (Policía Nacional), Ministerio del Interior |
| Glasses | Permitted if no glare |
Photo rules
- The photograph measures 32 mm high by 26 mm wide, the Spanish tamaño carnet, and not the 35 x 45 mm rectangle used across most of the rest of Europe.
- The background must be uniform, plain white and free of shadow. Grey and pale blue backdrops that pass in France or Germany are not compliant here.
- The oval of the face must be clearly visible, specifically the eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth and chin, so hair has to be cleared away from the brow.
- The head must be entirely uncovered, with no hat, cap, ornament or garment that could prevent or hinder identification.
- Glasses are only acceptable with clear lenses. Dark or tinted lenses are ruled out by the decree itself, and glare on a lens or a heavy frame sitting over the pupil will fail at the counter.
- You submit a physical colour print of professional quality on photographic paper. Issuing offices do not take a JPG or PDF brought on a phone or a memory stick.
- No photograph is required at all if you obtained or renewed your DNI on the same day at the same office.
Common reasons photos get rejected
- Turning up with a 35 x 45 mm photo cut to another European country's specification, the most frequent mistake among applicants who had photos taken abroad.
- An off white, cream or grey backdrop instead of true uniform white.
- A fringe or hair covering the eyebrows, since the decree requires the full oval of the face including the brows.
- Reflection on spectacle lenses, tinted lenses, or a thick frame crossing the eye.
- Home printed images on plain or inkjet paper rather than a proper photographic print.
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 26 x 32 mm specification, and the background is cleaned to a compliant white, while your face is never altered.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a Spanish passport photo?
32 by 26 millimetres, which is 26 mm wide and 32 mm high. This is the Spanish carnet size and it is smaller than the 35 x 45 mm format used in Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands.
Is the Spanish DNI photo the same as the passport photo?
Yes. Both follow the same specification of 32 x 26 mm on a uniform white background, so one set of prints works for either application. If you obtained or renewed your DNI the same day at the same office, no photo is required for the passport.
Does the background have to be white for a Spanish passport photo?
Yes. The regulation requires a plain, uniform white background with no shadow. Light grey or pale blue backdrops, which are standard in France and common in Germany, are not accepted in Spain.
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