Denmark Passport Photo Requirements — 35 × 45 mm, Light Blue or Grey
For a Danish passport (or driving licence) photo. The official rules are published in full: 35 × 45 mm, with the head 30–36 mm from chin tip to top of hair, showing the face and the top of the shoulders, shot straight on. One requirement surprises people: the background must be a plain, even light colour — for example light blue or light grey — not white. Verified against the Danish police photo requirements, September 2026.
Official Denmark passport photo specification
| Print size | 35 × 45 mm |
| Head size | 30–36 mm, from chin tip to top of hair |
| Framing | Face and the top of the shoulders; one person only; taken straight on |
| Background | Plain, even light colour — e.g. light blue or light grey (not stated as white) |
| Colour | Colour or black and white |
| Glasses | Eyes fully clear of the frame; lenses without tint or reflections |
| Head covering | Allowed only for religious reasons; forehead, chin and cheekbones visible |
| Children | All rules apply to children as well |
| Pixel size | Not published (only “very high resolution” print quality) |
| Head-size ratio | Not published (given as the 30–36 mm band, not a percentage) |
| File size / format | Not published by the official rules |
The official rules state (translated from Danish):
Format 35mm x 45mm.
Head between 30–36mm from chin tip to top of hair.
The photo must show the face and the top of the shoulders.
The background must be without motifs and in a uniform light colour, for example light blue or light grey.
The 35 × 45 mm frame and the head band
Denmark uses the common 35 × 45 mm portrait rectangle — the same footprint as a long list of national passports — and it also gives a head measurement: 30–36 mm from chin tip to top of hair. That is an absolute measurement, not a percentage of the frame, so measure the head itself. The picture must show the face and the top of the shoulders, and there must be only one person in the photo, taken straight on. See the full size chart for the other formats the site supports.
Background: light blue or light grey, not white
This is the Denmark detail that catches people out. The official wording asks for a background that is without motifs and in a uniform light colour, for example light blue or light grey. It does not say white. Anyone with white or light hair, or wearing a light headscarf, must use a background in sharp contrast to the hair so the head reads clearly. If you are normalising a background, keep that in mind rather than defaulting to pure white; the general tips are in the passport photo backgrounds guide.
Glasses, head covering and expression
With glasses, the eyes must be completely clear of the frame, and the lenses must have no tint or reflection — the official examples of rejected photos include coloured lenses, reflections in the lens and a frame covering the eyes. A head covering is allowed only for religious reasons, and then the forehead, chin and cheekbones must be visible; hats and caps, a covered face, or shadow across the face are listed as rejections. The photo must be a true likeness, so the standard look applies; the general framing and expression rules are in the expression guide.
Print quality, and where the photo is taken
The rules do not give pixel or dpi figures; they require a photograph, or a print on good-quality photo paper, with very high resolution. A grainy or pixelated image is listed as a rejection. Note that some municipalities require the photo to be taken on site at the Borgerservice counter — check with your own municipality, because that requirement is set locally rather than nationally (the official source states this explicitly).
What is still not published
The official rules fix the size, the head band, the framing, the background colour guidance, the glasses and head-covering rules, and the print-quality expectation — but not everything. They do not publish a pixel size, a dpi figure, a head-size percentage, a file-size limit or a file format. Do not guess at these. When you have a crop, confirm it with the passport photo checker, and for a digital upload see the general digital file requirements guide.
60-second Denmark check
- ☐ Photo is 35 × 45 mm
- ☐ Head 30–36 mm from chin tip to top of hair
- ☐ Face and top of shoulders, only you, taken straight on
- ☐ Background a plain, even light colour — e.g. light blue or light grey
- ☐ Colour or black and white
- ☐ If you wear glasses, eyes clear of the frame, no tint or reflection
- ☐ If covered for religious reasons, forehead, chin and cheekbones visible
Frequently asked questions
What size is a Denmark passport photo?
35 × 45 mm, with the head 30 to 36 mm from the chin tip to the top of the hair.
What background colour does Denmark require?
A plain, uniform light colour — the official example is light blue or light grey. It does not say white, and people with white or light hair (or a light headscarf) must use a background in strong contrast.
Can the photo be black and white?
Yes. The rules state the photo may be in colour or black and white.
Can I wear glasses?
Yes, but your eyes must be completely clear of the frame and the lenses must have no tint and no reflection. Coloured lenses, lens reflections and a frame over the eyes are listed as rejections.
What about a head covering?
Only for religious reasons, and the forehead, chin and cheekbones must be visible. Hats, caps and shadow over the face are rejected.
Do the rules apply to children?
Yes. The official rules state that all the rules also apply to children.
Related: Denmark's 35 × 45 mm frame is shared with many passports; compare it with the Taiwan passport photo. Lay out prints with the photo print sheet, crop proportionally with the image cropper, and read the rejection reasons guide if a photo has been refused.