Greek passport photo requirements: size, digital submission and printed photos
Getting your Greek passport photo ready starts with knowing how you will submit it. An application in Greece normally uses myPhoto, while an application through a Greek consulate may involve a printed photograph, a digital upload or a photograph taken at the appointment.
This guide explains when you need a photo, which format to prepare, how myPhoto works and how to arrange a photo for an overseas application. It also covers taking a picture at home, using Visafoto, printing and preparing children's photographs.
Table of contents
- When do you need a photo for a Greek passport?
- Do you need a digital or printed Greek passport photo?
- Greek passport photo requirements
- Get your Greek passport photo online with Visafoto!
- How does myPhoto work for Greek passport applications?
- Greek passport photos for applications abroad
- How to take a Greek passport photo at home
- How to print a Greek passport photo
- Greek passport photos for babies and children
- What if your Greek passport photo is rejected?
- Frequently asked questions
When do you need a photo for a Greek passport?
A biometric photo is part of the application for a first Greek passport, renewal or replacement following loss, theft or damage. Babies and children need their own photograph too. Renewing a passport does not mean the authority simply copies the picture from your old booklet.
Before making a passport photo, establish where you will apply. The appearance rules and the way you deliver the image are separate questions: a well-framed portrait still needs to reach the authority through the right procedure.
Do you need a digital or printed Greek passport photo?
For an ordinary application submitted in Greece, use myPhoto. Printed photographs remain relevant to overseas applications and specific exceptions, rather than being the standard domestic submission method.
| Application situation | Photo submission |
|---|---|
| Standard application in Greece | Digital photograph through myPhoto |
| Application at a Greek consulate abroad | Consular upload or printed photograph, as instructed by that office |
| Consulate with suitable, functioning camera equipment | On-site capture may be available |
| Child under 12 | An additional printed colour photograph for identity verification |
| Electronic transmission unavailable | A paper-photo procedure may apply |
The general domestic transition accepting prints ended on 31 January 2026. These routes are set out in the Hellenic Police supporting-document requirements.
Exceptions to the standard digital procedure
A narrowly defined exception concerns overseas Greek residents applying in Greece without an AFM (tax number), or the necessary AMKA for a minor. The authority permits a 4 × 5 cm print with a declaration explaining why myPhoto cannot be used. Confirm this procedure with the receiving office; it does not replace the standard 4 × 6 cm printed format for other applications.
Greek passport photo requirements
Printed Greek passport photo size
The standard printed Greek passport photo is 40 mm wide × 60 mm high, without a border. That is 4 × 6 centimetres, not inches. A 35 × 45 mm picture is a different format.
Use a colour photograph taken within six months of applying. For a consular appointment, check whether the office specifies a shorter recency period or additional copies.
Digital photo specifications for myPhoto
myPhoto uses a separate digital-file specification:
- File format: JPEG (.jpeg)
- Dimensions, width × height: 1280 × 1600 pixels
- Aspect ratio: 4:5
- Maximum file size: 3 MB
- Colour: Colour photograph
- Published quality setting: 100%
The official myPhoto specifications, dated March 2026, also recommend grey at RGB 190, 190, 190, with a tolerance of ±10, and accept white backgrounds.
A digital file with the proportions of a 40 × 60 mm print is not automatically a myPhoto file. Consular upload portals may have their own specifications too.
Background, pose and image quality
The finished photograph should have:
- A plain, light background;
- A centred, forward-facing head and clearly visible facial features;
- A neutral expression, closed mouth and open eyes;
- Even lighting without distracting shadows or glare;
- Sharp detail and natural skin colour;
- No other people, toys or chair backs.
Keep hair away from the eyes and face. The picture should include the complete head, with enough room for the required framing.
Glasses, head coverings and clothing
Clear glasses must not hide the eyes or cause reflections. Religious head coverings must leave the required facial features visible. Wear civilian clothing. Medical exceptions may require a certificate.
These appearance rules and the printed format come from the official Greek passport photograph specifications.
Get your Greek passport photo online with Visafoto!
If you need a Greek-format photograph for a printed-photo application, Visafoto helps you prepare it from a picture taken at home. You can concentrate on getting a clear view of your face instead of trying to judge the crop and final print dimensions yourself.
Prepare your passport photo from a phone picture
- Ask someone to take a forward-facing photograph with a phone or camera. Leave room around your head and shoulders.
- Upload the original photograph to Visafoto.
- Select Greece and the passport format, labelled 40 × 60 mm (4 × 6 cm).
- Check the preview, then download your prepared image and printable template.
- Use the template to arrange prints for an application that accepts printed photographs.
You do not need a studio backdrop or perfect lighting for the source picture. Visafoto can replace the background, improve brightness and contrast, and adjust the size and framing. These changes preserve your facial features and identifying details.
How Visafoto helps
A photograph that looks fine on a phone can still be awkward to crop or print. Visafoto prepares the 40 × 60 mm format and gives you a printing template, rather than leaving the lab to guess which national passport size you need.
The service can also improve image quality and lighting. A distracting wall behind you or uneven brightness does not mean you have to recreate a studio at home. Start with a sharp photograph showing your face clearly, and check the prepared result before ordering prints.
Choose the output for your application route
For a printed-photo application, use the Greek passport template and follow the printing guidance below. Keep the individual digital image as well as the print sheet so you can identify the files easily later.
For a consular upload, use that portal's required file properties. The 40 × 60 mm passport option is the printed format; myPhoto has the separate 1280 × 1600-pixel specification explained above. Preparing a photo online and registering it with a government service are separate steps.
Support and refund guarantee
Visafoto offers 24/7 support if you need help with your photograph. Keep your order details and explain the problem, especially if the receiving office has given a specific reason for rejecting it.
If a photograph purchased from Visafoto is rejected by the authority, you can request a 100% refund.
How does myPhoto work for Greek passport applications?
myPhoto is a government photo-sharing service, not a passport application or a public self-upload form. A professional photographer or authorised studio employee uploads the files. You then link them to your identity and authorise their use, as described in the official myPhoto service explanation.
The usual adult procedure is:
- Arrange the myPhoto upload with a participating photographer.
- Receive the associated code by email or SMS; a QR code is also available.
- Sign in with TAXISnet credentials and the SMS verification code. Your mobile number must be registered in EMEP, the National Contact Registry.
- Check the photograph and link it to your AFM, your Greek tax identification number.
- Authorise the relevant passport service to retrieve the image.
For a child, the parent or legal guardian uses the minor's procedure and the child's AFM or AMKA, as applicable. Do not associate the child's portrait with the parent's identity record.
Receiving a photograph by email is not the same as completing these steps. A Visafoto download does not itself generate a government myPhoto code or submit your passport application.
Greek passport photos for applications abroad
For an overseas appointment, establish the consulate's procedure before arranging delivery of your photograph. Ask which of the nationally permitted options that office currently uses:
- Bringing printed photographs;
- Uploading through the consular digital service;
- Having the photograph taken at the appointment, where equipment is available.
Confirm the number of prints and the recency instruction. Do not assume that a domestic myPhoto code is the submission method for your consulate, or that every office offers a camera service.
Applicants in the United States can also read our Greek passport renewal in the USA guide, which covers appointments, documents and the wider renewal procedure.
How to take a Greek passport photo at home
You can take a source photograph at home and have it prepared for the relevant photo format. This is particularly convenient when you need prints for a consular appointment and want to get the picture ready before travelling there.
Use these steps:
- Clean the camera lens. A fingerprint on the lens can make an otherwise sharp picture look hazy.
- Ask someone to take the photograph. The rear camera is usually easier to use without holding the phone close to your face.
- Keep the camera at eye level. Face it directly with your shoulders level.
- Leave space around your head and shoulders. Avoid cropping the top of your hair or chin in the original shot.
- Take several frames. Choose one without motion blur or blinking.
- Upload the original file. Avoid sending a screenshot or repeatedly saving a compressed copy through messaging apps.
Daylight near a window is a convenient starting point, but you do not need to search for a perfect wall or build a special lighting setup when using Visafoto. The service can prepare the background and adjust lighting while retaining your natural appearance.
Keep beauty filters and face-reshaping effects switched off. Background and lighting corrections are different from changing your facial features.
Home photography does not replace a required myPhoto registration or an office's submission procedure.
How to print a Greek passport photo
Print the prepared template at actual size, with automatic cropping and enlargement switched off. After printing, measure an individual photograph: the standard Greek passport picture should be 40 × 60 mm, without a border.
Keep the prints clean and flat, and trim them accurately. Do not submit a printout of a screenshot, a visibly pixelated picture or a photograph enlarged to fill the entire sheet.
Greek passport photos for babies and children
For a child under 12, the passport application requires an additional printed colour photograph, alongside the digital image. Confirm the receiving office's instructions for that print.
A baby's photograph takes patience, but the session does not have to become a long struggle. Try shortly after feeding or a nap, when your child is comfortable, and take several frames during a short session. For a newborn, use a safe, flat surface and photograph from above without tilting the camera.
Taking 20 to 60 frames across a few calm attempts can give you more choice than repeatedly trying to capture one perfect shot. Pick a sharp frame with the face visible, then use Visafoto to prepare the background and framing. If you are unsure about the source, ask support for help rather than repeatedly uploading the same unsuitable picture.
Keep your hands, another person's face, toys and pacifiers out of the finished photograph. For a child who can sit, place the camera at the child's eye level. Avoid a high camera angle that makes the child look upwards.
Do not assume that another country's infant-expression exceptions apply to a Greek passport. Aim for open eyes and a closed mouth; ask the receiving authority about any difficulty meeting the requirements.
What if your Greek passport photo is rejected?
Ask for the reason before preparing a replacement. A problem with a photograph's appearance calls for a different solution from an upload-format error or an image that has not been authorised for retrieval.
| Problem | What to check next |
|---|---|
| Face obscured, wrong pose or motion blur | Choose another clear source photograph |
| Incorrect crop or background | Check the prepared image against the required format |
| Digital upload problem | Confirm dimensions, file format and file size for that portal |
| Wrong printed size | Check template scale and measure the individual print |
| Poor print quality | Ask the lab to check its paper and production process |
| myPhoto image not available to the service | Check the identity association and authorisation |
For a Visafoto order, send support the authority's explanation so the team can understand the issue. If the purchased photograph was rejected by the authority, you can request a 100% refund.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a Greek passport photo?
The standard printed photograph is 40 × 60 mm, or 4 × 6 cm. myPhoto uses a separate digital format of 1280 × 1600 pixels. The narrow administrative print exception described above is not the standard format.
Can I use a 35 × 45 mm photo for a Greek passport?
Not as a substitute for the standard 40 × 60 mm print. Select the Greek passport format rather than a generic passport or visa option. Our Greece visa photo guide covers a different document application.
Is a 4 × 6 cm photo the same as a 4 × 6-inch print?
No. Centimetres describe the individual Greek passport photograph. Inches may describe a much larger printing sheet containing several pictures.
Do I need printed photos when applying in Greece?
myPhoto is the standard domestic route. Prints remain relevant to specific exceptions and the additional identity-verification photograph for children under 12.
Can I upload a photograph to myPhoto myself?
Not through the citizen account as a replacement for the photographer's upload. The citizen's role is to link the uploaded file to their identity and authorise its use.
Does Visafoto provide a government myPhoto code?
A Visafoto photo download is not a myPhoto code. The government service generates its code when the file is uploaded through the official procedure.
Can a Greek consulate take my photograph?
Some can, where appropriate equipment is installed and functioning. Confirm availability before arriving without a photograph.
How many photos do I need when applying abroad?
Follow the receiving consulate's instructions. The number of prints depends on its procedure and any identity-verification documents required for your case.
Can I reuse a photograph already stored in myPhoto?
Files associated with your identity are stored for one year, but the passport's six-month photo-recency rule still applies. Check both the photograph's age and its availability to the passport service before reusing it.
Do children need both a digital photograph and a print?
Children under 12 need the additional printed identity-verification photograph under the national procedure. For an overseas application, also follow the consulate's instructions for the main passport image.
Last updated: 15 October 2026.