🇫🇷 France Passport Photo Requirements (2026 Guide)

Photo Dimensions

French passport photos must be 35 mm wide x 45 mm tall (1.38 x 1.77 inches). This follows the standard European format shared with Germany, the UK, and the Schengen area. For digital applications, the resolution should be 413 x 531 pixels at 300 DPI.

Background Requirements

The background must be light grey (gris clair) or light blue (bleu clair), plain and uniform. The arrêté du 5 février 2009 explicitly states "le blanc est interdit" — pure white is forbidden. This is one of the few country-distinctive rules in European passport photography, and catches applicants who bring US- or UK-style white-background photos to French mairies and consulates. No patterns, shadows, or gradients are allowed.

Face and Expression

A neutral expression is required. No smiling, no open mouth. Both eyes must be fully visible and looking directly at the camera. The face must occupy 70-80% of the frame, with the head height between 32-36 mm from chin to crown. The face must be perfectly centred and evenly lit.

Glasses

Glasses are not allowed in French passport photos. All eyewear, including prescription glasses and reading glasses, must be removed. This aligns with the broader European trend toward glasses-free biometric photos.

Head Coverings

Head coverings are not allowed except for religious reasons. France has specific regulations around this. If worn for religious purposes, the full face from chin to forehead must remain clearly visible, and the covering must not cast shadows.

Photo Recency

Photos must have been taken within the last 6 months. For digital applications through the ANTS platform (Agence nationale des titres securises), the photo must be recent and reflect your current appearance.

French Passport Fee Schedule

French passport fees are paid as a timbre fiscal (fiscal stamp) purchased online at timbres.impots.gouv.fr or in person at a tabac. The stamp is fully dematerialised since 1 January 2019. You bring the stamp reference (or printed receipt) to your biometric appointment at the mairie.

Fees verified May 2026 against service-public.gouv.fr. The passeport d'urgence is granted exceptionally and is not automatic — you must provide proof of an urgent humanitarian, medical, or professional reason for travel. Always confirm the current rate on service-public.gouv.fr before purchasing the stamp.

Where to Apply in France

French passport applications cannot be filed by post or fully online. Biometric capture (photo + fingerprints) must be done in person at a mairie equipped with a dispositif de recueil (DR) — a biometric capture station. Roughly 3,400+ mairies across France are equipped, not just one per commune, so applicants are not tied to their place of residence and may book at any equipped mairie nationwide.

The standard process is:

• Step 1 — Pré-demande en ligne: Create an account at ants.gouv.fr (Agence Nationale des Titres Sécurisés, the agency that operates the national identity-document system) and complete the online pre-application. You receive a reference number to bring to your appointment. This step is not strictly mandatory but is strongly recommended — it shortens the in-person appointment significantly.
• Step 2 — Buy the timbre fiscal: Online at timbres.impots.gouv.fr or at any tabac.
• Step 3 — Book an appointment: Through your chosen mairie's online system, or via service-public.gouv.fr / rendezvousonline.fr aggregator tools. Appointments at popular Paris and Île-de-France mairies are typically booked weeks in advance.
• Step 4 — In-person appointment: The agent verifies your file, captures fingerprints, and either takes your photo or scans the one you brought.

Equipped mairies are available in every region. High-volume centres include Paris (multiple arrondissements), Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Nice, Bordeaux, Lille, and Strasbourg. You can locate an equipped mairie via the ANTS geolocator at passeport.ants.gouv.fr.

Applying at French Consulates Abroad

French citizens living outside France apply at a French consulate or embassy. An online appointment is required at every consulate, and biometrics are captured on site. The passport itself is then printed in France and shipped back to the consulate for collection, so plan for several weeks beyond the in-person appointment. High-volume French consulates include:

• United States (9 consulates general): Washington DC, New York, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Houston, Miami, Atlanta
• United Kingdom: London (Consulate General)
• Canada: Montréal, Toronto, Vancouver
• Belgium: Brussels
• Switzerland: Geneva (also Zürich)
• Senegal: Dakar
• Morocco: Rabat and Casablanca
• Algeria: Algiers (also Annaba, Oran)
• Tunisia: Tunis
• Côte d'Ivoire: Abidjan

Consulate appointments are individual (one appointment per person), so a family of four needs four separate slots. Payment is made via the dedicated electronic timbre fiscal for French nationals abroad on timbres.impots.gouv.fr.

Processing Times

Processing times vary dramatically by region and season. The ANTS publishes a real-time tracker ("Délais des passeports") on service-public.gouv.fr so applicants can check the current average wait for their département before booking. The figures below are typical 2026 ranges:

There is strong seasonal variation: April through August (pre-summer holidays) and December typically push processing to the upper end of these ranges, while September through November are the most reliable windows. Service-public.gouv.fr explicitly recommends applying several months in advance of any planned travel.

Top Reasons French Passport Photos Get Rejected

French ID photos are governed by the arrêté du 5 février 2009 (passport photographs) and follow the international ISO/IEC 19794-5:2005 facial-image standard, which is also ICAO-compatible. Compliance is enforced by both the photographer (most applicants use a Photomaton or a licensed photographer agréé ANTS) and again at the mairie biometric station, which runs an automated check. The most common rejection reasons are:

1. Shadow on the face or behind the head. The single most common cause of algorithmic rejection at the biometric station. Self-shot phone photos taken in domestic lighting almost always create a shadow under the chin, on one cheek, or on the wall behind the subject.
2. Background not light grey or light blue. The arrêté specifies "fond uni, de couleur claire (bleu clair, gris clair). Le blanc est interdit." Pure white is explicitly forbidden — this catches applicants who bring US- or UK-style white-background photos. Light grey is by far the most common compliant choice.
3. Photo taken with a phone (selfie) rather than a Photomaton or photographer. Although French law does not formally require a professional, the strict positioning, lighting, and dimension rules mean that home-shot photos fail at very high rates. Mairies routinely refuse them.
4. Smiling, open mouth, or visible teeth. A strictly neutral expression with a closed mouth is required. Even a slight smile triggers rejection.
5. Glasses with thick frames or tinted lenses. The arrêté prohibits thick frames, tinted glasses, and any frame masking the eyes. In practice mairies and consulates routinely refuse all glasses; remove them by default unless you have a medical certificate.
6. Head tilted or not facing the camera straight. The subject must look straight at the lens with the head perfectly vertical.
7. Ears not visible. Hair must be arranged so the ears (or at least the outline of the head and face) are clearly distinguishable.
8. Head size outside the 32–36 mm range. Measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the skull (excluding hair). Photos too zoomed in or too zoomed out are rejected outright.
9. Religious head covering casting a shadow or hiding facial features. Religious head coverings (hijab, turban) are tolerated only if the full face from chin to forehead and both cheek edges are clearly visible and the covering casts no shadow. Some prefectures require a signed déclaration sur l'honneur for religious coverings.
10. Photo older than 6 months. The photo must reflect your current appearance. Significant changes (weight, hair, facial hair, glasses status) trigger a retake on the spot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a Photomaton (photo booth) for my passport photo?

Yes. Photomaton-brand booths are agréées ANTS (certified by the Agence Nationale des Titres Sécurisés) and respect ICAO standards. There are roughly 10,000 Photomaton booths across France, and the printed plate of 6 photos they deliver is formatted directly to ANTS specifications — the simplest legally compliant option for most applicants. Other booth brands (such as Photo de Soi) are similarly certified; look for the ANTS sticker on the cabin.

Why does France use a light-grey background instead of white?

The arrêté du 5 février 2009 explicitly states "le blanc est interdit" (white is forbidden). French and EU biometric matching algorithms perform better on a slightly tinted background because it gives a clear edge between the head outline and the backdrop. Light grey (gris clair) is the standard choice; light blue (bleu clair) is also acceptable. This is one of the few country-distinctive rules in European passport photography — Germany, Italy, and Spain all accept white.

Can I use the same photo for my passport and CNI (national ID card)?

Yes. Since 2009 France has used a single unified standard (the arrêté du 5 février 2009 plus the photo-norm framework codified through ANTS) for the passport, the carte nationale d'identité (CNI), the permis de conduire, and the titre de séjour. A single Photomaton or photographer session typically produces a 6-photo plate at €5–€8 that can serve any of these documents within the 6-month recency window.

Are glasses allowed if I have a medical certificate?

In theory yes — the arrêté allows thin, untinted frames that do not mask the eyes. In practice, mairies and consulates routinely refuse all glasses because they often cause reflections or shadows that fail the automated check. If you genuinely cannot remove your glasses for a medical reason, bring a doctor's certificate (certificat médical) to the appointment, but be prepared for the agent to still ask you to try without them first.

What is the "pré-demande en ligne" and is it mandatory?

The pré-demande en ligne is the online pre-application that you fill out on ants.gouv.fr before your in-person appointment. It captures your personal details, addresses, and (for first-time applicants) your parents' information, and returns a reference number. It is not strictly mandatory — you can still apply by filling out the paper form (CERFA) at the mairie — but it is strongly recommended. With a pré-demande, the in-person appointment typically takes 10–15 minutes instead of 30–45.

Are religious head coverings (hijab, turban) permitted?

Yes, tolerated under conditions. The regulatory text requires that the head be uncovered in principle, but French administrative practice (and case law from the Conseil d'État) permits religious head coverings provided the entire face from chin to forehead and both cheek edges is fully visible, with no shadow cast on the face by the covering. Some prefectures and consulates ask for a brief déclaration sur l'honneur (signed honour declaration) stating the religious motive. Hats, caps, and non-religious head coverings remain forbidden.

How France Compares to the US

Common Mistakes

• Face too small in frame: France requires the face to fill 70-80% of the photo. Photos taken too far away will be rejected.
• Wearing glasses: All eyewear must be removed. This catches many applicants who are used to US rules that allow glasses.
• Wrong dimensions: Using a 2x2 inch US photo or a non-standard size. France strictly requires 35x45mm.
• Background not uniform: Even slight shadows or colour variations in the background can cause rejection.
• White background: White is explicitly forbidden under the arrêté du 5 février 2009. Use the official light grey (gris clair) or light blue (bleu clair) — bringing a US- or UK-style white-background photo will fail.
• Self-shot phone photo: French photo booths (photomatons) certified by ANTS produce compliant prints automatically. Home photos routinely fail the strict positioning and lighting requirements — most mairies refuse them.