What a Spain visa is
A Spain visa is an official document that lets a foreign national enter, stay in or pass through Spain for a set period. It is issued by the Spanish consulate or embassy in the country where you live. Depending on the visa type, the purpose can be tourism, business, study, work or family reunification. Spain is a member of the Schengen Area, so a short-stay Schengen visa issued by Spain also lets you move between the other Schengen countries. Whatever the purpose of your trip, every Spanish visa application includes a photo, and the consulate checks that photo as closely as the rest of your file.
Spain visa photo size explained
The standard Spain visa photo size is 35 × 45 mm, which is 3.5 × 4.5 cm or about 1.38 × 1.77 inches, in portrait format. In our template your head takes about 34.5 mm of the 45 mm height, measured from the chin to the top of the head, and there is a gap of about 3 mm between the top edge of the photo and your hair. That means the face fills most of the frame: a Spain visa photo with a small head far from the camera does not meet the size rules. Your face is centred left to right and the top of your shoulders shows at the bottom. For printing, we prepare the file at 600 DPI so the photo stays sharp after you cut it to size. The visa photo specifications published by the Spanish Consulate General in Los Angeles set out the photo rules of that consulate; check them, or ask the consulate where you apply, if you are unsure about the size they accept.
Background and colour of the photo
Use a plain, light background with no shadows, patterns or objects behind you. Our Spain visa photo maker uses an even light grey tone, a neutral shade that keeps the edge of your hair and face clear. The visa photo must be in colour, recent and taken without filters or beauty effects. Black and white photos, sepia tones and photos with heavy contrast do not meet the requirements. If your skin, hair or clothes are very light, the light grey background still separates you from the wall, which a pure white background sometimes does not.
Face, pose and expression
The consulate checks your face in the photo as closely as its size. In practice this means:
- Look straight at the camera with your head upright, not tilted or turned.
- Keep a neutral expression, mouth closed and both eyes open.
- Your full face is visible, from the chin to the top of the head, with no hair over the eyes.
- Take off glasses, as frames and reflections are a common reason for a rejected photo.
- No hats or head coverings, except for religious reasons; then the face from chin to forehead stays fully visible.
- Even light on the face with no glare, red eyes or dark shadows under the eyes or nose.
How many photos you need
A Spanish visa application asks for two recent photos that meet the Schengen visa photo requirements. Bring two identical prints from the same photo session, or prepare one digital file if your consulate or visa centre takes the visa photo online. Don't use a photo that already appears in an older passport or a previous visa: a recent photo shows how you look today, which is the point of the requirement.
Printed photo or online submission
The same 35 × 45 mm Spain visa photo works in two ways. For a paper application, print it at 600 DPI on photo paper, cut it to size along the guide lines and attach it to the visa application form where the form asks for it. When the application is filed online or the visa centre scans your documents, upload the digital photo file instead. A scan of a printed photo is not the same as the original file and often looks soft or grey, so keep the digital Spain visa photo you download and use it for any online step. Our photo maker gives you both: a print sheet and a clean digital file, free to download.
Photo size in pixels for an online upload
A printed photo is measured in millimetres, a digital photo in pixels. At 600 DPI, a 35 × 45 mm photo is about 827 × 1063 pixels, and that is the size of the digital file our photo maker prepares. If a visa centre or online form publishes its own pixel size, file format or file size limit, follow that rule for the upload: a photo file that does not meet the technical limits of the form fails before anyone looks at your face. Our online tool keeps the proportions of the 35 × 45 mm frame, so the head size and margins stay correct when the photo is resized for an online upload. Don't stretch or squeeze the photo in an editor to make it fit; change only the overall size so the face keeps its shape.
How to print your visa photo correctly
If you print the visa photo at home or in a photo shop, print the photo sheet at its actual size. Turn off options such as "fit to page" or "fill", which scale the photo and change its size. Use glossy or matte photo paper rather than plain office paper, and let the print dry before you cut it. Cut along the guide lines with a sharp blade or scissors so the edges are straight. After printing, measure the photo with a ruler: it should be 35 mm wide and 45 mm high, and the head should be about 34.5 mm tall. If the print is a few millimetres off, the printer scaled the photo, and you should print it again at 100% size.
How our AI checks your visa photo online
When you upload a photo, the online check looks at the same points a consulate officer looks at. It finds your face, measures the head size and its position in the frame, and crops the photo to 35 × 45 mm. It checks that both eyes are open and visible, that your mouth is closed, that your head is straight and that the photo is sharp. It replaces the background with a plain light tone and looks for shadows on the face. If something fails, the tool tells you what to change, so you can take a new photo in a minute instead of finding out at the appointment. The check and the digital download are free.
A simple routine for taking the photo at home
You don't need a studio for a good visa photo. Pick a time of day with soft daylight and stand facing a window, so the light falls evenly on both sides of your face. Stand about half a metre away from the wall to avoid a shadow behind your head. Wear everyday clothes in a colour that differs from a light background, and tie back long hair if it covers your face or ears. Hold the camera at the height of your eyes, or ask a friend to take the picture, since a camera held too low or too high changes the shape of the face. Take several shots, keep your face relaxed, and pick the sharpest one with both eyes open. Then upload it, and the photo maker does the cropping and the background for you.
Before your consulate appointment
Put the two printed photos in a small envelope so they don't bend or get marked by fingerprints, and write nothing on the front of the photos. Keep the digital photo file on your phone or computer in case the consulate or visa centre asks for it again. Check that the photos are the same as the one used in any online part of your application. Bring your passport, the signed application form and the other documents on your list, in the order the consulate asks for. If you are not sure whether your visa photo meets the rules, it is easier to make a new one before the appointment than to rebook a new date after it. If the appointment is several weeks away, store the envelope flat inside a folder with your other papers, away from heat and damp, so the prints stay clean and do not curl at the corners.
Why a visa photo gets rejected
Most rejected photos fail on simple points: the wrong photo size, a head that is too small or too large in the frame, shadows on the face or background, glasses with reflections, a smile with an open mouth, or a photo that is old, blurry or edited with filters. A photo printed at a low resolution can also look grainy once it is cut to size. Each of these problems is easy to fix before you apply, and a rejected visa photo can delay the whole application. That is why it is worth checking the photo against the requirements before you print it or upload it online.
Documents that go with your Spain visa photo
The photo is one part of the file. According to the visa information of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the exact list depends on the visa type, but a Spanish visa application usually includes:
- A visa application form, completed and signed.
- A passport valid for at least three months beyond the date you plan to leave Spain, with at least two blank pages.
- Two recent photos that meet the Spain visa photo requirements.
- Proof of travel plans, such as flight reservations and accommodation bookings.
- Travel insurance with at least €30,000 of medical cover, valid in all Schengen countries.
- Proof of enough money for your stay, such as bank statements or a sponsorship letter.
- Extra documents for some visa types, such as an invitation letter for a business visa or an enrolment letter for a student visa.
How to apply for a Spanish visa step by step
First, decide which visa type matches the purpose of your trip: tourism, business, study or another reason. Each type has its own list of documents. Next, gather the documents, fill in the visa application form, and prepare two photos in the right size. Then book an appointment at the nearest Spanish consulate or embassy; this can often be done online through its official website. At the appointment you submit the application with all documents and usually pay the visa fee. Some applicants are also asked to attend an interview about their travel plans. After that, the application is processed, and once the visa is approved you collect your passport with the visa inside. Check the visa details, such as your name and dates, as soon as you get it.
A little planning makes each of these steps easier. Make a list of every paper you need and tick it off as you collect it, keep copies of important pages, and give yourself enough time between the appointment and the day you travel. Fill in the form with the same spelling of your name as in your passport, and sign it where the form asks. If the consulate requests an extra document after the appointment, send it quickly so the processing is not delayed.
Choosing the right visa type
The purpose of your trip decides the visa type, and the visa type decides the rest of the file. A tourist trip, a business meeting, a course of study, a job and joining a family member each come with their own list of documents. A business visa, for example, often needs an invitation letter from the company you visit, and a student visa an enrolment letter from the school or university. Read the list for your visa type on the consulate website before you start, so you collect the right papers the first time. The photo rules stay the same for every type: two recent colour photos in the 35 × 45 mm format with a plain light background.
Travelling in the Schengen Area
Because Spain belongs to the Schengen Area, a short-stay visa issued by its consulates also covers travel to the other Schengen countries during its validity. Your travel insurance needs to be valid in all of them, with medical cover of at least €30,000. Keep your bookings and proof of funds with you while you travel, and count your days carefully so you stay within the 90 days allowed in any 180-day period.
Fees, processing time and validity
The visa fee depends on the visa type and your nationality; it is generally around €80 for adults and €40 for children aged 6 to 12. Processing can take from 15 to 30 days, so apply well before your travel date. A short-stay Schengen visa usually allows a stay of up to 90 days within any 180-day period. In some cases a stay can be extended for a valid reason, but you must apply before the original visa expires. Always check the latest information on the official consulate website before you apply, because fees and rules can change.
Spain visa photo for children
Children and babies need their own Spain visa photo in the same 35 × 45 mm size with a plain light background. A baby can be photographed lying on a plain light sheet, with the camera held straight above the face. The eyes should be open if possible, and it is best to keep hands, toys and dummies out of the photo. Our online tool crops a child's photo to the right size and replaces the background, so you can take the picture at home when the child is calm.
Other Spanish document photos
Spain uses different photo sizes for different documents. If you also need a photo for another document, see our Spain passport photo page, the Spain DNI photo page, the Spain NIE card photo page or the Spain TIE card photo page. Each page uses the size and background of that document, so don't reuse a visa photo for another document without checking its own requirements.
Spain visa photo checklist
- Correct photo size: 35 × 45 mm, head about 34.5 mm from chin to crown.
- Plain light grey or light photo background, no shadows or patterns.
- Recent colour photo with no filters or retouching of your features.
- Neutral expression, mouth closed, both eyes open.
- Head straight and centred, full face visible, no glasses.
- Sharp print at 600 DPI, or the original digital file for online submission.
- Two identical photos for the Spanish visa application.
