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Austrian ID Card Photo – Take It Online with PhotoGov

Written by Olia Potiagaeva, Managing Editor Reviewed by the PhotoGov Editorial Team ★ 4.8 / 5.0 GoogleChecked against Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior requirements

Austrian ID-card photos are subjected to strict biometric guidelines. The use of the incorrect size or lighting, or the wrong format can either delay or result in rejection. With PhotoGov.com, you can size and align the photo to fit an India visa in less than a minute using our convenient and intuitive website tools to create a compliant 35x45 mm picture over a selfie on your phone. Our clever tool resizes, crops and checks your photo in just a few seconds.

Auto-crop the photo to fit the Austrian ID card size (two free ID photos per day, depending on your location)

Full document requirements for photos

How to get a photo - tutorial

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Get photo for: Austrian ID card 35x45 mm (3.5x4.5 cm)

Step 2/4

Instructions:

How to take a good photo?

1/7 Image format

Photo must be in color. Taken within the last 6 months.

How to take a good photo?

1/7 Image format

Photo must be in color. Taken within the last 6 months.

ID & Passport Photo Tool. Your personal data is processed in accordance with security and privacy standards.

The Austrian ID Photo editor crops your image to the selected format and positions the head within the frame. It sizes the picture you upload without changing your facial features, and the built-in photo checker tests the file against the selected format. The selected format is 35 x 45 mm. Before you submit the photo, check the photo instructions for the application you are completing.

Why PhotoGov for Austrian ID Card Photo?

Auto-crop & scale

Your face is centered

Intelligent background correction

White or light gray, automatically removes the work for you

High-resolution file

Perfect for prints and digital use

Quick and painless

Photograph your ID in one minute or less

Our online service eliminates the need to visit a photo studio or photo booth to get your passport photos taken. This can save you time and money on travel, and means you can get your photos taken from the comfort of your own home or office.

Automatic 35 × 45 mm framing and head sizing

You don't need to measure margins or head height manually — our tool automatically crops and scales your portrait to the exact specifications required for an Austrian identity card (Personalausweis).

Official Austrian ID card photo

Austrian identity cards (Personalausweis) require biometric photos that meet international ICAO standards. Below is a full breakdown of the specifications:

45mm

35mm

34.5mm

3mm

Width	35 mm
Height	45 mm
Head height (up to top of hair)	32–36 mm
Distance from top of the photo to top of hair	2–5 mm
Image definition parameters	Sharp, in color, high contrast
Background color	Uniform white or light gray
Resolution (dpi)	Minimum 600 dpi
Printable	Yes
Suitable for online submission	Yes
File format	JPEG or PNG
File size	Typically 100 KB – 5 MB
Facial expression	Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open
Glasses	Permitted if no glare or shadow

Come Away With the Perfect Austrian ID Card Photo at Home

It’s never been simpler to take your ID photo. Follow these steps:

Look for a plain light background, ideally gray, with no pattern or shadows

Use natural light — face a window or use soft light

Keep the phone at eye level — or use a little help.Involve other people

Maintain a neutral expression — don’t smile and don’t frown

Import your selfie into PhotoGov — let our AI do the rest

Download the outcome — your file is ready for printing and submission safe

How to take your own Austrian ID card photo

Austria's Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) enforces the same biometric photo standards across all official identity documents, meaning your Personalausweis (Austrian ID card) follows the exact same rules as an Austrian passport. Follow the three steps below to prepare a compliant Austrian ID card photo.

1. Take your photo against a plain, light-colored background

Stand in front of a plain, pattern-free wall with no shadows. Neutral gray works best: the BMI recommends a medium-gray background for light hair and a light-gray background for dark hair to ensure clear contrast around your head. Face the camera directly with a neutral expression, mouth closed, and both eyes open — angled shoulders or half-profile poses are not accepted. You may wear clear prescription glasses as long as there is no lens glare and the frames do not obscure your eyes; sunglasses and tinted lenses are prohibited. Head coverings are allowed only for religious or documented medical reasons, and your full face must remain visible from the chin to the forehead.

Watch "How to take a photo" (00:46)

2. Upload your photo and check the framing

Upload your portrait to PhotoGov, and the tool will automatically crop and size it to the 35 × 45 mm format. Because the BMI sets a maximum head height of 36 mm (measured from the bottom of the chin to the crown of the head), make sure your original shot leaves enough breathing room around your head so nothing is cut off.

3. Download and print your Austrian ID card photo

Download your digital photo file and print it on smooth, high-quality glossy photo paper (textured or matte-honeycomb surfaces are not accepted). The print must show natural skin tones with no red-eye, scratches, stains, or creases. Make sure the photo was taken within the last six months, as the BMI does not accept older portraits.

Rules to apply in Composition

Just make sure your photo checks off those boxes:

You should have centered your head both vertically and horizontally

Please Keep the head height at 32-36 mm

The background should be plain and without any shadows

Wear no bright white to blend with the background

No filters, color correction or retouching is permitted

Instructions to Authors and Printing Instructions

Online submission:

Your file should be in JPEG or PNG with appropriate resolution and dimensions. Austrian e-government websites generally have provisions for digital contributions

Physical submission:

Unedited high-resolution images must be printed on smooth, glossy photo paper without a surface texture

Example photos:

Below are examples of correct and incorrect photos

How to take Austrian ID card photos for babies and kids

Children's ID card photos must follow the same BMI biometric rules, with two strict requirements to keep in mind: the child must be photographed completely alone (with no toys, pacifiers, or a parent's supporting hand visible in the frame), and their full face must be clearly visible with both eyes open.

Newborns and infants: lay your baby flat on a plain sheet or blanket — choosing medium gray for fair hair or light gray for dark hair to match the BMI contrast rule — and take the photo directly from above.
Toddlers: if you seat your child in a chair or support them from behind, step back and shoot a wider frame so that any chair edges or supporting hands fall completely outside the final 35 × 45 mm crop.

Where Can You Print?

After you see the perfect photo on PhotoGov, you can:

Print at home with a high-quality printer

Utilize a photo kiosk at your local pharmacy or grocery store

Post the file out for online printing

All files are precisely scaled to 35mm x 45mm and ready for printing

Frequently Asked Questions

How old should my Austrian ID photo be?

It should have been taken within the last six months.

Can I wear glasses in my ID photo?

Yes, so long as they don’t create glare or shadow in your eyes.

Can we take a (smartphone) selfie for Austrian ID photos?

Yes, as long as it is in compliance with biometric requirements. PhotoGov makes it easy to meet them.

Should I print my ID photo; can I provide a digital copy?

You may need both. PhotoGov has both print-ready and digital files for any use.

Can I smile in my ID picture?

No. A relaxed facial expression with closed mouth is required.

Can I Use the Austrian ID Photo Editor on an iPhone or Android Phone?

Yes. Open photogov.net in the phone browser, upload a picture and download the finished file. No app is required; the PhotoGov app for iOS and Android does the same job if you prefer it.

Do I Need to Create a Size Template for the Austrian ID Photo?

No. PhotoGov applies the selected format automatically: the tool sets the frame and the head position for you. Before you submit the photo, check the photo instructions for the application you are completing.

Official Government Sources

Checked against the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior photo requirements: https://www.bmi.gv.at/607/passbild_kriterien.html · Last checked: 08.10.2026