# Spain Passport Photo Maker, 26x32 mm

Country: Spain

Document: Passport

Page language: en

Page: [Spain Passport Photo Maker, 26x32 mm](https://onedollarpassportphoto.com/es/passport/)

Requirements last verified: 2026-06-12

## Photo specifications

These are document-specific values from the page data. Printed and digital requirements may apply to different application routes; consult the guide and sources below.

| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Photo dimensions | 26 × 32 mm |
| Photo paper | matte |
| Digital pixel dimensions | 307 × 378 px (see guide/source for applicability and minimum vs exact sizing) |
| Photo age | Taken within 24 months |

## Appearance and composition

- Background: Plain white background, uniform and smooth
- Head size: Face must occupy approximately 75% of photo area, with face size around 20×25mm
- Expression: Neutral expression, mouth closed, looking directly at camera
- Glasses: Not permitted.
- Even lighting; no harsh shadows.
- Filters, beauty modes and retouching are forbidden.
- Color photo.
- Head coverings are permitted for religious reasons; check the source for conditions.
- Uniforms are restricted; check the source for exceptions.
- No earphones or wireless devices.

## Common rejection reasons

- Wrong photo size — Must be 26×32mm, not the European 35×45mm or US 2×2 inch format

- Glasses with dark lenses — Dark or tinted glasses are not allowed; clear prescription glasses may be acceptable

- Non-white background — Background must be plain white, uniform, and smooth with no shadows

- Face not clearly visible — The full oval of the face including eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, and chin must be clearly shown

- Head covering — Head must be completely uncovered unless for documented religious reasons

- Poor photo quality — Photo must be high resolution, in color, and printed on quality photographic paper

## Source for the document requirements

[Source linked by the document page](https://www.interior.gob.es/opencms/es/servicios-al-ciudadano/tramites-y-gestiones/pasaporte/procedimiento-de-expedicion/)

The complete guide below includes additional sources and application-specific qualifications when available.

## Create a photo with One Dollar Passport Photo

The service sizes, crops and checks a photo for the selected document. Its output settings are service choices, not additional government requirements.

- Digital photo download: $1 USD.
- Print-ready sheet download: $5 USD. Printing is separate.
- Optional human expert review: +$4.99 USD.

[Open the photo tool](https://onedollarpassportphoto.com/es/passport/)

Complete Guide

## Spanish passport photo: the 26x32 mm size that trips everyone up

Spain's passport photo is smaller than the European standard, so a photo shot for any other country will not fit. The exact spec, how to take one, and where to get it in Spain.

Written by

Jake

Community & Writing, One Dollar Passport Photo

Reviewed by

Lisa

Expert Reviewer, One Dollar Passport Photo

Fact-checked & verified

June 12, 2026

## The official requirements

Spain is the outlier. Most of Europe shoots passport photos at 35×45 mm, but Spain’s format is **26 mm wide by 32 mm tall**, set by the Dirección General de la Policía. A strip of photos taken at a German, French, or UK booth is physically the wrong size for a Spanish passport, and the comisaría will turn it away. That single difference is what catches people who reuse an old photo or print to the European default.

The full spec:

-   **Size:** 26×32 mm, portrait
-   **Background:** plain white, uniform, no shadows or visible objects behind you
-   **Head size:** the face fills 70–80% of the frame, shown front-on
-   **Expression:** neutral, mouth closed, head straight, eyes open and looking at the camera
-   **Accessories:** nothing that hides facial features; the full oval of the face (eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, chin) must be visible
-   **Head covering:** none, except for documented religious reasons with the face fully visible
-   **Quality:** recent colour photograph on quality photographic paper

The same 26×32 mm photo is used for the Spanish DNI (national ID card), so one compliant shot covers both documents if you are renewing them together.

## How to take a compliant photo

The small format does not change how you shoot, only how you crop. Work to the 70–80% head ratio and the size sorts itself out:

1.  Stand about 1.5 metres in front of a plain white wall, far enough out that you cast no shadow on it.
2.  Light your face evenly from the front. A window works; overhead light drops shadows under the eyes and the nose.
3.  Have someone else take the photo straight on at eye level. An arm’s-length selfie distorts the face and almost always misframes the head.
4.  Keep a neutral expression, mouth closed, head straight, both eyes open, hair off the face.
5.  Crop to 26×32 mm with the face at 70–80% of the height. Cropping to the European 35×45 mm and trimming later does not work; the proportions differ, so set the Spanish size from the start or use a tool that crops to it directly.

## Why photos get rejected

The comisaría checks the photo when you apply, so a wrong one costs you the appointment. The repeat offenders:

-   **Wrong size.** The Spain-specific trap: a 35×45 mm European photo or a US 2×2 inch print is simply the wrong format. Shoot or crop to 26×32 mm.
-   **Background not plain white.** Cream or grey walls, gradients, or anything visible behind you. Use a white wall or replace the background.
-   **Face partly hidden.** Hair across the eyebrows, a fringe over the eyes, or accessories covering the face. The whole face oval must show.
-   **Dark or tinted glasses.** Not allowed. Clear prescription lenses may pass if there is no glare, but tinted lenses fail.
-   **Non-neutral expression.** Smiling, raised eyebrows, or a tilted head. Stay straight and neutral.
-   **Low quality.** Blur, poor lighting, or a photo printed on plain paper rather than photographic paper.

## What to wear (and not wear)

There is no dress code, but the white background sets a practical one: a white or very pale top blends into it and softens the outline of your shoulders, so wear a solid mid-tone or dark colour. Avoid hats, caps, and tinted glasses. Head coverings are allowed only for documented religious reasons, and the face must stay fully visible. Everyday light makeup is fine as long as it does not change how your features read.

## Where to get your photo

In Spain the practical options are a street photo booth, a photo shop, or a digital file you bring or print:

| Where | Price | Speed | Output |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Fotomatón (street/metro photo booth) | €5–€8 | A few minutes | Strip of prints at the Spanish size |
| Tienda de fotografía (photo shop) | €6–€12 | Same day | Prints, often a digital copy too |
| Online tool (this site) | $1 | ~2 minutes | A 26×32 mm digital file plus a print-ready sheet |

A photo shop is the safe choice if you want someone to set the framing and the 26×32 mm size for you. The booth is the cheap, fast default and prints to the Spanish format automatically. A digital tool fits if you would rather shoot at home and print at a shop or kiosk, as long as it crops to 26×32 mm and not the European size. Whichever you pick, the photo only counts if it meets every rule above.

## Submitting your photo

A Spanish passport is issued in person at a Policía Nacional office (comisaría) that handles documentation, by appointment (cita previa) booked online or by phone.

You bring **one** recent photo meeting the 26×32 mm spec to the appointment, where your fingerprints and signature are also captured. Some offices photograph applicants on site, but availability is not guaranteed, so bringing a compliant print is the reliable route. The passport fee is paid at the office or in advance.

Renewals follow the same channel: cita previa, then an in-person appointment with one photo. The photo rules do not change for a renewal.

## Babies, kids & special situations

**Infants and young children** follow the same 26×32 mm spec: plain white background, face front-on, eyes open, mouth closed, nothing and no one else in the frame. For a baby who cannot sit, lay them on a plain white sheet and shoot from directly above. Minors apply with a parent or guardian present.

**Religious head coverings** are accepted only with documented religious grounds, and the full face must remain visible from chin to forehead.

**Glasses** are best removed. Clear lenses can pass without glare, but tinted lenses are rejected, and a reflection is enough to fail an otherwise good photo.

### Sources & References

This guide is fact-checked against official government publications and updated regularly to reflect the latest requirements.

1.  \[1\]
    
    [Ministerio del Interior — Procedimiento de expedición del pasaporte](https://www.interior.gob.es/opencms/es/servicios-al-ciudadano/tramites-y-gestiones/pasaporte/procedimiento-de-expedicion/)
    
    interior.gob.es
    
2.  \[2\]
    
    [Dirección General de la Policía — Documentación (DNI y pasaporte)](https://www.policia.es/_es/tramites_documentacion.php)
    
    policia.es