Italy visa photo requirements

To obtain an Italian visa, preparing a high-quality photograph is one of the key points. Often, visa denials happened precisely because the applicant provided an incorrect picture. To get a visa the first time and save precious time, you should clearly understand what requirements the Embassy imposes on a photo for a visa to Italy.

The requirements in 2019 are quite strict. The consul pays attention not only to the exact correspondence of the sizes, but also to the lighting, appearance and even the turn of the applicant's head in the photo. This article lists all the requirements step by step. Even the most seemingly insignificant of them are mandatory.

• The photograph itself clearly corresponds to the size of 30 × 40 mm or 35x45 mm.
• The face from the upper edge of the forehead to the chin is not larger than 3 cm.
• 70-80% of the photo must be taken by the applicant.
• The distance between the crown and the upper edge can be at least 2 mm.

Image quality

• A photo for a visa to Italy must be fresh - no older than six months.
• The image is exclusively in color.
• The shoulders and part of the head of a person should not be cut off.
• The picture is sharp and clear with a matched contrast, displayed on high-quality paper and in high resolution.
• Photo paper must not have folds, spots, or similar defects.
• The complexion matches the natural skin tone.

Head position and facial expression

• The photo must be taken clearly from the front, head tilts and turns are not allowed.
• The applicant must look strictly into the camera lens.
• The eyes should not be closed or squinted, long hair should not get into the eyes and interfere with the recognition of the look.
• The face should not express strong emotions, the mouth is closed.
• Both shoulders must be in the frame, a photo in a half-turn is not accepted.

Lighting

• The background is white.
• The colors of the image are neutral - not too bright or dull, but clearly visible.
• The lighting is normal, the photo for the Italian visa should not have highlights, shadows, flash reflections on the skin. The Visa Section will not accept images that clearly show the applicant's red-eye.

Important! Various extraneous things should not be visible in the picture - indoor flowers, toys, the back of a chair or a picture in the background.

If the applicant wears glasses, he must be photographed with them. But in this case, there are also a number of requirements in the photo for a visa to Italy:

• The eyes of the applicant in the photo must be clearly visible. Photos with tinted lenses are not accepted, the flash must not be reflected in the lenses of the glasses.
• For the photo you need to choose glasses with a thin frame. It is important to make sure that the frame does not cover even a small part of the eye.

Photographing in a headdress is not allowed unless it is due to the applicant's religion. In this case, it is important to consider that the face should be fully visible - from the hairline to the chin.

Requirements for a photo for a visa to Italy - an item that needs to be given special attention when collecting a package of documents for applying for a visa. In 2019, the basic requirements for photographs for visas to most Schengen countries are identical, but it is better to check timely information on the official website of the Consulate.