Sweden passport photo
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The requirements
| Print size | 35 x 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height, chin to crown | 70-80%ICAO 9303 general rule, not published by the authority No chin to crown height is published, so the 70-80% band is the generic ICAO Doc 9303 Part 3 rule applied as a labelled fallback, not a national figure. PMFS 2021:3 requires the whole head to be visible and centred; the Police take the image themselves and publish no head height in millimetres. |
| Background | Light background, evenly lit face, no shadows or other disturbing elements behind the head |
| Glasses | Allowed, as long as the eyes are fully visible with no glare and no tint. |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth closed, both eyes open. |
| Head covering | Only for religious or medical reasons, and the face must be visible from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead. |
| Also required |
|
Sweden does not accept a submitted passport photo at all. Polisen photographs the applicant at the passport office when the application is made, for adults and children alike, and states that the rule comes from the Passport Act (passlagen). Everything in rules and background is quoted from the binding police regulation PMFS 2021:3, which is official. The printed size of 35x45 mm is NOT published by Polisen, because no photo is submitted; it is the ICAO and EU size that Swedish studios use for the passport-style photos people still need for visas and foreign applications. That single unsourced number is why this spec is marked secondary rather than official. If you only need a Swedish passport, book an appointment and be photographed there; use this spec when you need a Swedish-style 35x45 mm photo for some other purpose.
Applying in Sweden
Sweden does not accept a submitted passport photograph at all. Polisen photographs you at the passport office when you make the application, for adults and children alike, and states that this follows from the Passport Act rather than from an internal policy. There is no exception for a good file, no cantonal variation of the Swiss kind and no studio pipeline of the Finnish kind. If you are applying for a Swedish passport, book a time and be photographed there.
That makes this page useful for a narrower job, and it is worth being clear about which one. The measurements here are what you need when a Swedish-style document photograph is asked for by somebody other than Polisen: a visa application, a foreign authority, a residence file, a membership card. It is also a way to see the criteria the officer is working to, which are published as binding police regulations rather than as advice.
One number on this page is not Swedish and we mark it plainly. Polisen publishes no printed size, because no print is submitted, so the 35 by 45 frame here is the international and European size that Swedish studios produce for those other purposes. That single unsourced figure is why this file is marked secondary rather than official. Everything about pose, background, eyes and head coverings comes from the police regulation PMFS 2021:3, which is binding.
Why photos get rejected here
Turning up with a photograph
The commonest wasted preparation in Sweden. Polisen photographs the applicant at the passport office and cannot use a picture you bring, whatever its quality.
Pupils not clearly visible
The regulation states the test on the pupils rather than on the eyes generally. Dark glasses may only be worn for medical reasons, and lenses must not reflect, so the officer will retake the shot if anything sits over the pupil.
A head not fully visible or not centred
The face must be shown straight from the front with the whole head visible and centred in the image. A high hairstyle or a hood pushed back can put part of the head outside the capture frame.
A gaze away from the lens
The gaze must be directed at the camera lens, with exceptions only for infants and for applicants who cannot manage it for medical reasons. Looking at the screen rather than the lens is the everyday version of this.
A head covering that shadows the face
A covering worn daily for religious or other special reasons is allowed, but it must not cover or shadow the face. The shadow half of that sentence is the part that causes a retake, since a brim or a pinned edge throws a line across the forehead.
What helps
Book the time, not the photographer
The appointment at the passport office is the photograph. Everything you would normally spend on a studio sitting is unnecessary for a Swedish passport.
Use this page for the other documents
A Swedish-style print is still needed for visas and for foreign applications. That is what our export and print sheet are for here.
Wear what you would wear tomorrow
Since the picture is taken in the room, there is no retake at home. A top that contrasts with a light background and hair off the face saves the officer a second attempt.
Leave the tinted glasses at home
Dark glasses are accepted only on medical grounds, and clear lenses must not reflect. Bringing a clear pair, or none, avoids the discussion.
Budget 500 kronor for the passport
As of September 2026 a Swedish passport is 500 kronor and a national identity card is 400. If you want both, they are separate applications and separate fees.
Collection is drop-in
You must collect in person, but no time needs to be booked for it. Approval to delivery takes about a week, depending on whether anything on the file needs following up.
Babies and young children
Children are photographed at the passport office in exactly the same way as adults, so nothing is prepared in advance for them either. The regulation does carve out the one requirement a baby cannot meet: the gaze must be directed at the lens, with exceptions for infants and for applicants who cannot manage it for medical reasons. Fingerprints are not taken from a child under six, nor from anyone with permanent damage to their fingers. A child of seven or over who can write signs the passport themselves. A passport for a child under twelve is valid three years, against five for an adult, so the appointment comes round more often.
Glasses
Glasses are permitted and the operative test is that the pupils must be clearly visible. Dark glasses may only be worn for medical reasons, and lenses must not reflect. Because the photograph is taken by an officer with fixed lighting, a reflection is caught and corrected in the room rather than weeks later, which is one real advantage of a live capture over a submitted file. If you wear photochromic lenses, note that they may still be dark from the walk to the office: give them a few minutes indoors before your turn comes.
Head covering
A head covering worn daily for religious or other special reasons is allowed. The wording is broader than the usual religious-only formula, since it includes other special reasons, and it carries one condition stated in two parts: the covering must not cover the face and must not shadow it. The second part does the work in practice, because a pinned edge or a projecting brim throws a shadow across the forehead under the office lighting. Nothing in the regulation asks for a written declaration or a certificate. Since the officer is operating the camera, adjusting the covering is a conversation rather than a rejection.
Applying online
Sweden has no photograph upload and no counter route for a submitted print. The police take the picture when the application is made, and state that the rule comes from the Passport Act. The same applies to children. A Swedish passport costs 500 kronor and a national identity card 400 kronor as of September 2026, and it usually takes about a week from approval. You must collect the document in person, though no time needs to be booked for collection.
Questions about Sweden photos
Why will the Swedish police not accept a photo I bring?
Because the photograph is taken at the passport office as part of the application, and Polisen states that this follows from the Passport Act. It applies to children as well as adults.
What is the price difference between a Swedish passport and a national ID card?
As of September 2026 the passport is 500 kronor and the national identity card 400. They are separate applications, so wanting both means paying both.
How long does it take once the application is approved?
About a week, according to Polisen, though the period varies where the file needs further information before it can be approved.
Do I need to book a time to collect my passport?
No. Collection is drop-in, but it has to be in person. Only the application itself needs a booked time.
Why does this page give a print size at all if none is submitted?
Because Swedish studios still produce that size for visas and foreign applications. It comes from the international standard rather than from Polisen, which is why this file is marked secondary.
Does my child give fingerprints?
Not under the age of six, and not at any age if the fingers are permanently damaged. A child of seven or over who can write signs the passport themselves.
Where these numbers come from
Secondary sourceThe issuing authority does not publish these numbers in a form we can cite directly. They come from a reputable secondary source and are marked as such.
- Svar pa vanliga fragor om pass och nationellt id-kortchecked September 2, 2026
- Polismyndighetens foreskrifter och allmanna rad om pass och nationellt identitetskort (PMFS 2021:3, FAP 530-1)checked September 2, 2026
- Barn och ungdomar - pass och nationellt id-kortchecked September 2, 2026
Reviewed by Editorial teamHow we check our numbers