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🇩🇪 Germany · IdentityGermany secure biometric capture photo requirements
Official Germany secure biometric capture photo size, head position, background and file rules, with a free checker that tells you if your photo is OK. 826 × 1063 px, 35 × 45 mm.
Specifications
| Photo size (digital) | 826 × 1063 pixels |
|---|---|
| Photo size (print) | 35 × 45 mm |
| Head height | 32–36 mm from chin to top of head |
| Background | Plain light colour |
| File format | JPG, JPEG |
| File size | No published limit |
| Delivery | Secure capture checker |
| Rules last reviewed | 2026-07-23 |
Published requirements
- 45 x 35 mm biometric composition
- Face height at least 32 mm
- Digital capture at the authority or certified photo provider
- Secure cloud transfer to the authority
- Phone-uploaded photo is not accepted
What a person still checks
These points cannot be measured reliably by software, so the result asks you to confirm them:
- Certified capture provider
- Secure transfer available
- Biometric pose
- Current likeness
How PassportLens prepares it
- Choose this programme in the studio — the size, head position, background and file limits above load automatically.
- Add the photo — upload or use the guided camera.
- Get the verdict — "Photo OK", or the one plain reason to retake.
- Download — a JPG, JPEG file at 826 × 1063 px, or a print sheet for 35 × 45 mm.
Common questions
What size is a Germany secure biometric capture photo?
826 × 1063 pixels for digital use, 35 × 45 mm when printed. PassportLens crops and resizes to this automatically.
What background does a Germany secure biometric capture photo need?
Plain light colour. Where the programme permits it, PassportLens replaces a busy background with a plain one; otherwise it tells you to retake against a plain wall.
Can I take it with my phone?
Yes. Stand in front of a plain wall in even daylight, hold the phone at eye level and use the guided camera or upload the photo.
Will it be accepted?
PassportLens checks the photo against these published requirements and tells you plainly whether it is OK. The final decision always belongs to the issuing authority.
Official sources
Requirements change. This page reflects the rules encoded in PassportLens as of 2026-07-23. PassportLens is not affiliated with any government; the issuing authority makes the final decision.