Biometrisches Passbild specs in one page: 35×45 mm, 413×531 pixels at 300 DPI, plain light grey background, strictly neutral expression, no smile, no glasses. Used for the Reisepass, Personalausweis, and Aufenthaltstitel. Make a compliant photo in your browser.
The Bundesdruckerei and every Bürgeramt in Germany follow the same biometric specification for Reisepass, Personalausweis, and residence-permit cards.
| Photo size | 35 × 45 mm (Biometrisches Passbild) |
|---|---|
| Pixels at 300 DPI | 413 × 531 px |
| Head height | 32–36 mm chin to crown (≈ 70–80%) |
| Eye line | 13–19 mm from the top |
| Background | Plain light grey (uniform, neutral) |
| Expression | Strictly neutral, mouth closed, no smile |
| Glasses | Not permitted since November 2020 |
| File format | JPG for print; online forms accept PNG |
| Taken within | The last six months |
The editor auto-crops to the German 35×45 mm biometric frame, removes the background and composites over light grey, and exports at 300 DPI — ready for the Bürgeramt or any Fotomat.
Open the German Biometrisches Passbild editor
Drop a phone HEIC or JPG — we auto-crop and remove the background.
What the Bürgeramt checks before issuing a Reisepass or Personalausweis.
Plain light grey is the official requirement. Pure white is tolerated but light grey is preferred because it differentiates hair and skin tones. No patterns, no gradients, no shadows.
Strictly neutral. No smile, no frown, no raised eyebrows, no opened mouth. This is the #1 rejection reason at the Bürgeramt — Germany is one of the strictest countries on this rule.
Banned since 1 November 2020 on all German passport and ID photos. No medical exception — if you need them to see, take them off for the shot.
Allowed for religious reasons only (hijab, turban, kippah). A written statement may be requested by the Bürgeramt. No fashion hats, no baseball caps.
Hair must not cover the eyes or the face outline. Both ears do not need to be visible but the face shape must be clear from the photo.
Head perfectly straight, shoulders square. The Bundesdruckerei biometric checker rejects photos where the head is tilted more than a few degrees.
A biometric Passbild is 35×45 mm with light grey background, head 32–36 mm chin to crown, strictly neutral expression, mouth closed, no smile, no glasses (since November 2020), and must be taken within the last six months.
No. The Biometrisches Passbild requires a strictly neutral expression with mouth closed. A smile is the most common rejection reason at German Bürgerämter.
No. Germany banned glasses on all passport and ID photos on 1 November 2020. There is no medical exception any more — remove them before the photo.
Yes — modern Biometrisches Passbild must be colour. Black and white photos are accepted only for some historical documents or legacy formats.
Any Fotomat (Rossmann, DM, Müller drugstore chains all have photo booths), any photo shop, or print at home on photo paper. Exports from this tool at 300 DPI are accepted by every German photo-print service.