Iceland Passport Photo Requirements

Iceland sets its passport photo rules in the official regulation on Icelandic passports (Reglugerð um íslensk vegabréf, 560/2009). The format is the continental European 35 × 45 mm on photo paper, with a light grey, neutral background free of shadows and even lighting. Because the ordinary electronic passport captures the photo at the application site, the practical question for most applicants is what the capture must look like — and what you may bring yourself. Verified against the official island.is pages, 2026-09-29.

The requirements at a glance

The official regulation does not publish an inch figure; 35 × 45 mm works out at roughly 1.38 × 1.77 inches, but that is a conversion and not an official value.

Paper photo or on-site digital capture?

This is the point that differs most from many other countries. Iceland's regulation describes a digital photo taken of the applicant at the application site, together with a signature specimen and fingerprints. The 35 × 45 mm paper photo requirement appears in the same regulation for the emergency passport, where two paper photos on photo paper must be submitted. In other words, for an ordinary electronic passport you should expect the photo to be taken for you at the appointment, while the paper format applies to the emergency route.

Bringing your own photo

The regulation does allow an applicant to bring a photo from a photographer on an electronic medium, provided it meets the required image-quality conditions. If you take that route, the composition, background, lighting and six-month age rules above still apply, and the image is checked against the capture taken at the application site. A convenient studio photo does not opt you out of the standards — it has to match them.

Background and lighting

The background must be light grey, neutral, and free of shadows, and the lighting must be even. A stark white sheet is not what the regulation describes, and a shadow behind the head works against the photo. For help cleaning up a background, see the notes in our passport photo backgrounds guide, and for digital files the digital file requirements guide.

Headwear and pose

The applicant may not wear headwear. Headwear can be permitted if the applicant asks for it on religious or health grounds. The pose requirement is simple but strict: a face photo with the face turned straight towards the camera and both eyes visible. Our head coverings and head size and eye line guides cover the common problem cases.

Checking your photo before you submit

Use the passport photo checker to check head position and the background, and read the rejection reasons guide to avoid the usual causes. Countries in the region are covered under photo sizes, including Greece, and the six-month rule guide explains how passport validity affects travel.

Frequently asked questions

What size is an Icelandic passport photo?
For an emergency passport (neyðarvegabréf) the official regulation specifies paper photos 35 × 45 mm in size. For an ordinary electronic passport the photo is normally captured digitally at the application site.

What should the background look like?
The official regulation requires the background to be light grey (ljósgrár), neutral and free of shadows.

How should I pose?
The photo must be a face photo taken so that the face is turned straight towards the camera and both eyes are visible.

How old can the photo be?
The photo must not be more than six months old. The same six-month limit applies when you bring a digital photo on an electronic medium.

Can I wear a hat or head covering?
No. The applicant may not wear headwear (höfuðfat). An exemption can be granted if you ask for it on religious or health grounds.

Can I bring my own photo?
You may bring a photo from a photographer on an electronic medium, provided it meets the required image-quality conditions; the ordinary passport is otherwise captured digitally at the application site.

What DPI or pixel size does Iceland require?
The official regulation does not publish a DPI or pixel figure, so none is stated here. It requires the digital file to meet the image-quality conditions and refers to the photo being captured at the application site.

How many photos do I need?
An emergency passport application requires two paper photos. For the ordinary electronic passport, a single digital image is captured at the application site.

Where do I go for the photo?
You attend a photo appointment with the District Commissioner within 30 days so that the passport can be issued.

Source: island.is — Reglugerð um íslensk vegabréf 560/2009 (reglugerdir/nr/0560-2009) and the official passport application page (island.is/en/applying-for-a-passport), retrieved 2026-09-29. Requirements can change, so confirm them on the official pages before you apply.