🇮🇹 Italy Passport Photo Requirements (2026 Guide)

Photo Dimensions

Italian passport photos must be 35 mm wide x 45 mm tall (1.38 x 1.77 inches), following the standard EU/ICAO biometric format. For digital applications, use 413 x 531 pixels at 300 DPI.

Background Requirements

The background must be white or very light grey, plain and uniform. Italy follows the EU biometric passport standard, which requires a clean background free of patterns, shadows, or objects.

Face and Expression

A neutral expression with closed mouth is required. Both eyes must be open and looking directly at the camera. The face must be centred with the head height between 32-36 mm from chin to crown. The face must occupy approximately 70-80% of the photo area.

Glasses

Glasses are not allowed in Italian passport photos. Following the EU biometric standard, all eyewear must be removed. This includes prescription glasses, sunglasses, and tinted lenses.

Head Coverings

Head coverings are not allowed unless worn for religious reasons. If a religious head covering is worn, the full face must be clearly visible from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead.

Photo Recency

Photos must have been taken within the last 6 months and must accurately reflect your current appearance.

How Italy Compares to the US

Common Mistakes

• Wearing glasses: Italian passport photos follow the EU standard — no glasses of any kind are permitted.
• Wrong format for Americans: Italian-Americans often submit US 2x2 inch photos. Italy requires the 35x45mm EU format.
• Smiling: Only neutral expressions are accepted. Even a slight smile can lead to rejection under biometric standards.
• Dark or coloured background: Only white or very light grey is accepted. Blue or patterned backgrounds are not valid.
• Incorrect head size: The head height must be 32-36mm. Photos where the face is too small or too large will be rejected.