A new passport photo is usually required for each new ID document. And having new passport photos taken by a professional photographer every time can be quite expensive in the long run. That doesn't have to be the case - you can simply take biometric passport photos yourself. To do this, you only have to observe a few requirements, which we will explain to you below.
What should a biometric passport photo look like?
In order for a passport photo to be considered biometric and to be used on identification documents such as ID cards and passports, there are a few things to consider. The biggest difference to the old passport photos before the introduction of biometric standards is the neutral facial expression . But the alignment of the head and its position in the picture are also important. Basically, you can use this example image as a guide:
This is what a biometric passport photo should look like. It is important to position the head in the middle of the picture. The facial expression is neutral and the glasses do not make the person unrecognizable. Source: Shutterstock.com/Agenturfotografin Now you already have a rough idea of how the image should be oriented. Now it comes down to the subtleties: A picture for the ID must be 35 x 45 mm . In general, the new passport photo should be evenly illuminated so that there are no misleading shadows. A plain background offers as little distraction as possible. In addition to color photos, black-and-white images are also permitted, with color photos being preferred.
- The face must be seen straight from the front and centrally on it, so that the nose is in the middle of the picture.
- Make sure that no hair is covering parts of your face. For longer hair, it is advisable to tie a braid.
- Both eyes must be roughly at the same height - so the head must not be tilted. It is also important that both eyes are open so that the eye color is clearly visible. The following applies to people who wear glasses : The glasses should be worn on the passport photo if you normally wear them regularly. However, the eyes must not be covered by the glasses.
- Your lips should be closed and, if possible, not twisted . In this way, a facial expression that is as neutral as possible can be created. This is important for biometric passport photos.
You can also use a template to determine the optimal positioning of your face on the passport photo . The federal government provides a template for people over the age of 10. This helps you to create an image and can also be used later to check images that have already been printed. The passport photo template can be downloaded here on the website of the Federal Ministry of the Interior.
How can I take the passport photo?
As a rule, it is rather difficult to photograph yourself optimally positioned. In a pinch, the internal camera of your smartphone can also help, but of course this is not optimal. There are also apps such as " biometric passport photo ", but it is often difficult enough to position yourself appropriately. If available, you can use a digital camera with a tripod and a self-timer . The main disadvantage, however, is that you cannot double-check your image before taking it. It is possible that your face is not even in the camera's recording area - or at least shifted so that the photo can no longer be used as a biometric passport photo for the ID card.
In such a case, a Online passport photo generator help. This is a website where you can upload your self-taken passport photo. You can then move it into the correct position using a template and then order pictures directly, which will be sent to you by post. For a small fee, you can also have your picture corrected by a specialist. The price for the pictures is usually around 6 to 7 € and the additional processing costs around 3 € - depending on the website and provider. With the help of post-processing, you can be sure that your passport photo is really biometric and will be accepted for your new ID. However, you will then have to pay around 10 € - but with a professional photographer you will also pay between 8 and 12 € for passport photos.In addition, you still have to wait a few days for photos ordered online for them to actually arrive. As a rule, you can take passport photos with you directly from the photographer.
Another very easy way to take such a picture is at a photo booth . Most authorities for which you need a biometric passport photo now have their own photo booth. This is a small cabin that you can sit in. The lighting conditions are adjusted so that an optimal picture is created. A photo booth also has two other advantages: On the one hand, most of them contain tips and instructions on how to position yourself or how to turn so that your passport photo complies with biometric standards. On the other hand, your pictures will be printed out directly. So you don't necessarily have to have a photo-quality printer. Of course, such recordings also cost money. Often, however, significantly less than the photograph taken by the photographer - and you don't have to wait for an appointment. In any case, you should make sure thatthat the photo quality is sufficient and that the picture does not show any creases or impurities when it is handed over to the office..