Polish passport photo requirements 2026 — full gov.pl checklist

What Polish authorities actually check

A Polish passport or ID-card photo follows the biometric standard published on gov.pl. Every Urząd Wojewódzki and consulate uses the same checklist, so a photo that passes in Warsaw passes in Kraków. This guide walks the seven measurements that decide acceptance — most rejections come from missing one. For the live spec we use, see our Poland passport photo page.

Polish passport photo requirements 2026: quick checklist

For 2026, gov.pl still points applicants to a 35 × 45 mm biometric photo taken in the last 6 months. Your face should fill 70-80% of the image, the background should be plain white and evenly lit, and your head must face the camera with open eyes and a neutral expression. If you wear prescription glasses, the safer choice is to remove them; gov.pl allows them only when your eyes and eyebrows remain fully visible and there is no lens reflection.

The seven numbers

• Print size: 35 × 45 mm.
• Face height: 31–36 mm(chin to crown). Slightly tighter range than Germany's 32–36 mm.
• Digital passport upload for a child under 12: at least 768 × 1004 px, up to 2.5 MB. For print, bring a paper 35 × 45 mm photo.
• Background: white (jednolite białe tło). Light grey is sometimes accepted but white is the spec.
• Maximum age: 6 months.
• Glasses: avoid them when possible.Prescription glasses are allowed only if the eyes and eyebrows are fully visible and there is no reflection; dark glasses need a disability document.
• Mouth closed, neutral expression, both eyes visible.

Where you submit it

Appointment via gov.pl at your local Urząd. You can also use the mObywatel app for digital ID-card flows that accept a 300-DPI JPEG upload.

Take it at home

Daylight, plain wall, phone at face level. Our AI measures chin-to-crown in mm from your selfie, crops to the exact Polish window, replaces the background with white, and ships at 300 DPI ready for either printed submission or digital upload — start your Polish passport photo.

Need to double-check one rule before taking the photo? See the guides on the 6-month rule, glasses in passport photos, and common rejection reasons.