Slovenia Passport & ID Card Photo Requirements
Slovenia is one of the clearest examples of a rule that is not about the size of your photo at all. To apply for a passport or an identity card you must present a digital photo reference number — and that number can only be issued by a photographer entered in the official e-fotograf register. You cannot bring your own snapshot. Verified against the official GOV.SI pages, September 2026.
The official rule
| What you submit | A digital photo reference number (referenčna številka digitalne fotografije) |
| Who takes the photo | A photographer entered in the register of e-fotografov |
| Since 2 April 2026 | Only an e-fotograf authorised for this purpose may produce the photo |
| Digital retouching | The e-fotograf must ensure the image of the face is not digitally corrected or altered |
| Paper photo | Accepted only exceptionally — where a digital photo cannot be obtained because of illness, disability or other exceptional circumstances |
| Print size / pixels / background | Official page not published — see the note below |
Why a 35 × 45 mm crop will not get you in
Most European countries publish a millimetre size and let you supply a compliant photo. Slovenia routes the photo through a capture-and-reference system: the photographer takes it, registers it, and gives you a reference number that the authority looks up when you apply. There is no "bring a 35 × 45 mm print" path in the ordinary case — the whole point is that the image is captured to the official technical standard by an accredited photographer and cannot be swapped out afterwards.
What changed on 2 April 2026
Before that date the reference number could in practice come from a wider circle of providers. From 2 April 2026 a citizen applying for a passport or identity card must present a reference number from an e-fotograf authorised specifically for this purpose. If your photographer is not on the authorised register, the number will not be accepted.
Can I use a photo I took myself, or an old print?
In the ordinary case, no. The official pages set out the digital capture route as the standard, with a paper photograph allowed only as an exception — for example where a digital photo genuinely cannot be provided because of illness, disability or other exceptional circumstances. A self-taken phone photo is not part of the standard route described by the authority.
No retouching — and what that means for you
The e-fotograf is required to guarantee that the image of the face is not digitally corrected or changed. In practice this rules out the usual beauty edits: skin smoothing, wrinkle removal, background substitution behind the face, and any AI "enhancement". If you were hoping to fix a shadow or a blemish after the fact, the official flow is built to prevent exactly that.
Finding an authorised e-fotograf
The ministry publishes the official list of e-fotograf photographers. Because the list changes, check the current version on GOV.SI rather than relying on a local directory — and confirm the photographer is authorised for this purpose, not merely listed. When you apply, you give the authority the reference number; you do not hand over a file yourself in the standard case.
What the official page does not publish
The official GOV.SI pages we verified describe the capture route, the reference-number mechanism, the register of e-fotografov, the 2 April 2026 restriction and the no-retouching duty. They do not publish a millimetre size, a pixel size, a head-height ratio or a background colour for this flow. Because the image is produced by an accredited photographer to the official technical standard, those figures are not user-facing. We therefore state none of them here — any "35 × 45 mm, white background" you see for Slovenia elsewhere is a generic European default, not something we could verify against an official source. Confirm the current wording on GOV.SI before you apply.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a photo I took myself for a Slovenian passport or ID card?
In the ordinary case no. Slovenia requires a digital photo reference number (referenčna številka digitalne fotografije) captured by a photographer entered in the register of e-fotografov. A paper photo is accepted only exceptionally, where a digital photo cannot be obtained because of illness, disability or other exceptional circumstances.
What is the e-fotograf rule?
The photo for a passport or identity card application must be captured by a registered e-fotograf, who gives you a digital photo reference number to present with your application. From 2 April 2026 only an e-fotograf authorised specifically for this purpose may produce it.
What size photo does Slovenia require?
The official pages we verified do not publish a millimetre or pixel size for this flow — the image is produced by an accredited photographer to the official technical standard rather than sized by the applicant. We therefore do not state a size. Confirm the current requirements on GOV.SI before you apply.
Can the photo be retouched or edited?
No. The e-fotograf must ensure the image of the face is not digitally corrected or altered. Skin smoothing, feature edits and background substitution behind the face fall outside the official flow.
What if I cannot get a digital photo?
A physical photograph on paper may be accepted only as an exception — for example where a digital photo cannot be provided because of illness, disability or other exceptional circumstances. The ordinary route is the digital capture with a reference number.
How do I find an authorised e-fotograf?
The ministry publishes the official list of e-fotograf photographers. Check the current list on GOV.SI and make sure the photographer is authorised for this purpose, since the list and the authorisation change over time.
Compare this with countries that do publish a size on the full size chart; if your photo needs a white backdrop for another country, use the background whitener, and verify any file you prepare with the passport photo checker. For the general rules that apply everywhere, start with the digital file requirements.