What the Netherlands passport photo is for
The Netherlands passport is the official travel document issued to citizens. It proves your identity and nationality, and border staff abroad compare your face with the passport photo printed on the data page. The passport is a biometric document that follows the ICAO standard: a microchip stores your facial image and fingerprints, which lets you use automated border gates at many airports. Because the chip keeps a copy of your photo, the passport photo you hand in has to be sharp, correctly sized and taken in an even light. A photo that looks fine on a phone screen can still be rejected if the head is too small or the background casts a shadow.
Dutch passport photo size explained
The standard Dutch passport photo size is 35×45 mm, or 3.5×4.5 cm. The Dutch ID card uses the same 35×45 mm format, so one photo session can cover both documents. Inside that frame, the position of the head matters as much as the outer size. In our template the head measures about 29 mm from chin to crown, and there is about 6.5 mm between the top edge of the photo and the top of the hair. The photomatrix guidelines published by the government show how a correct passport photo is framed, with examples of photos that are accepted and photos that are not. Our passport photo maker crops your photo to this size and head position automatically, so you do not need to measure anything yourself.
Background, colour and print quality
A Netherlands passport photo needs a plain, evenly lit background. Our template uses a light grey background, which keeps a clear contrast with both light and dark hair and avoids the washed-out look of a pure white wall. The passport photo must be in colour, with natural skin tones and no filters or beauty effects. For a printed photo, we prepare the file at 600 DPI, so the 35×45 mm print stays sharp and shows fine detail around the eyes and hair. Print on good photo paper, without a border and without folds or marks, and cut along the edges of the photo.
How to apply for a Netherlands passport
You apply for a Dutch passport at your local municipality (gemeente). According to the Netherlands government passport information, the steps are:
- Check that you are a Dutch citizen; for children under 18, a parent or guardian applies on their behalf.
- Make an appointment with your local municipality, usually online on its website.
- Bring the application form, a recent passport photo that meets the official requirements, a valid identity document (such as an identity card or your previous passport) and, if needed, proof of citizenship.
- At the appointment, hand in the documents, give your fingerprints and pay the passport fee, which depends on your age and the type of passport.
- Wait for processing, which typically takes around 5 to 10 working days, and longer in busy periods.
- Collect your new passport in person when the municipality tells you it is ready, and bring your identity document.
A passport photo that does not meet the requirements can hold up your application at the counter, so it pays to check it before your appointment.
Passport validity and renewal
A Netherlands passport is valid for 10 years for adults and 5 years for children under 18. When you renew a Dutch passport, you follow almost the same process as for a first application, and you submit a new passport photo every time, not the photo from your previous passport. Children grow fast, so a child's passport photo should always show how the child looks now. If your passport is lost or stolen, report it to the local authorities straight away and apply for a replacement passport with a new photo.
Printed passport photo or digital file
Our Netherlands passport photo works in both formats. You can download a digital passport photo file that is suitable for online submission, or a print-ready sheet that you print at home or at a photo shop and cut to 35×45 mm. Before you print, check that the print settings use the actual size and do not scale the page to fit, otherwise the passport photo size will be wrong. If you also need other documents, the same photo session can be used for a Dutch ID card photo, a Dutch driving license photo or a Netherlands visa photo.
Dutch passport photo checklist
- Correct photo size: 35×45 mm, with the head about 29 mm from chin to crown.
- Plain light grey photo background, no shadows or patterns.
- Neutral expression, mouth closed, both eyes open and looking into the lens.
- Head straight and centred, with the face fully visible.
- No glasses with reflections or tinted lenses; hair kept away from the eyes.
- Sharp colour passport photo with no filters, printed at 600 DPI.
- A recent photo that shows how you look today.
How to take a passport photo at home, step by step
You do not need a studio to get a good passport photo. A phone camera and a window are enough if you follow a few simple steps:
- Stand facing a window during the day, so soft light falls evenly on both sides of your face.
- Ask someone to take the photo from about one to one and a half metres away, with the camera at the height of your eyes. A selfie at arm's length also works.
- Keep your shoulders square to the camera and your head straight, not tilted up, down or to the side.
- Look directly into the lens with a neutral face, mouth closed and both eyes open.
- Take several photos and pick the sharpest one, then upload it to the online passport photo maker.
The tool does the rest: it finds your face, sets the head size, crops the passport photo to 35×45 mm and replaces the background. You see the result and the check before you download anything.
Why passport photos get rejected
When a passport photo is turned down, the reason is usually one of a few simple problems. The photo size is wrong because a print was scaled or made for another country. The head is too small because the photo was taken from too far away, or too large because the camera was too close. Shadows fall on the face or on the background because the light came from one side. The person smiles, frowns or has their eyes half closed. Glasses reflect the light, or hair covers the eyebrows and eyes. The photo is blurry, too dark or edited with a filter. Each of these problems is easy to avoid, and our online check flags them before you print, so you do not find out at the counter that your passport photo is not accepted.
Digital passport photo for online submission
Many applications now start online, and some services ask you to upload a passport photo instead of handing in a print. Our digital passport photo is suitable for online submission: it keeps the 35×45 mm proportions and the same head position as the print, in a clean colour file. At 600 DPI, a 35×45 mm passport photo is about 827×1063 pixels, which keeps enough detail for both screen and print. If a service lists its own pixel size or file size limit, follow that rule when you upload the photo online, and keep the original file so you can make another version later.
Printing your passport photo
If you need a printed passport photo, download the print-ready sheet and print it on glossy or matte photo paper. A home inkjet printer, a photo kiosk or an online print service all work, as long as the page is printed at 100% size. After printing, measure one photo with a ruler: it should be exactly 35 mm wide and 45 mm high. Cut along the edges with scissors or a paper trimmer, and keep the passport photos flat in an envelope until your appointment so they do not bend or get scratched.
What to wear in a passport photo
Clothing is not part of the official measurements, but it changes how a passport photo looks. Choose a top in a medium or dark colour, so your shoulders stand out clearly from the light grey background; a pale grey or white shirt can blend into it and make the outline of your body hard to see. Avoid busy patterns, large logos and high collars or scarves that hide the chin. Keep jewellery simple, so nothing reflects the light or covers the face. Make-up is fine as long as you still look like yourself in the passport photo. Hair should be away from the eyes and eyebrows; if you have long hair, you can put it behind your shoulders so the shape of your face is visible.
Check your passport photo before the appointment
The appointment at the municipality is where a poor passport photo costs you time, because you may have to come back with a new one before the application can go ahead. Take two minutes to check the passport photo at home first. Is the head straight, centred and about 29 mm tall? Are both eyes open and clearly visible, without reflections? Is the background even, with no shadow behind the head or ears? Is the print sharp when you look at it closely, and is the colour natural? Is the passport photo recent? If you can answer yes to each question, the photo is ready. Our check runs the same questions on every passport photo you upload and shows the result next to the photo.
Keep a spare passport photo
A print-ready sheet holds several passport photos, so it is worth keeping one or two spare prints. A spare passport photo is useful if the first print is damaged, if you need a photo for another application soon, or if a family member needs a passport photo for a related form. Store the passport photos flat, away from sunlight and heat, and use them while they still show how you look today.
Passport photos for children and babies
When a parent or guardian applies for a child's passport, the application needs a recent passport photo of the child. The same size and background rules apply. For a baby, lay the child on a plain light sheet and take the photo from above, or hold the child up against a light wall with your hands out of the frame. Our online tool removes the background and crops the passport photo to the right size, which makes a photo of a small child much easier to get right at home.
