Bulgaria Passport Photo Size (35x45 mm)

Q: What size is a Bulgaria passport photo?

35 x 45 mm (35 mm wide, 45 mm tall), the biometric format used by the Ministry of Interior and across the EU. The face should measure roughly 32 to 36 mm from chin to crown, filling 70 to 80 percent of the frame height.

Q: What is the Bulgaria passport photo size in pixels?

A 35 x 45 mm photo equals approximately 413 x 531 pixels at 300 DPI and 827 x 1063 pixels at 600 DPI. Use 300 DPI as the minimum for both print and digital submission; below that the photo prints pixelated and fails the quality check.

Q: Can I use a Bulgaria passport photo for a Schengen visa application?

The 35 x 45 mm biometric photo produced here also matches Schengen visa photo specifications, so the same compliant image can usually be reused. Always confirm the guidance of the specific consulate you apply to, because some posts publish their own file-size ceiling.

Bulgaria Passport Photo Size (Quick Answer)

The Bulgaria passport photo size is 35 mm × 45 mm (3.5 × 4.5 cm or 1.38 × 1.77 inches) on a plain light background, with the head 32–36 mm from chin to crown, filling 70–80% of the frame height, taken within the last 6 months.

Specification	Value
Photo size	35 × 45 mm (3.5 × 4.5 cm / 1.38 × 1.77 in)
Aspect ratio	7 : 9 portrait
Pixels @ 300 DPI	413 × 531 px
Pixels @ 600 DPI	827 × 1063 px
Head height (chin to crown)	32 – 36 mm
Head coverage	70 – 80% of frame height
Eye line from bottom edge	30 – 36 mm
Background	Plain light grey or white, uniform, no shadow
Expression	Neutral, mouth closed, both eyes open
Age of photo	Within the last 6 months
Issuing authority	Ministry of Interior (МВР)

Bulgaria Passport Photo Visual Reference

Bulgaria uses the shared 35 × 45 mm European biometric frame. The diagram below marks the measurements the Ministry of Interior checks: the 35 mm width, the 45 mm height, and the head filling 70–80% of the frame with a small margin above the crown.

Bulgaria passport photo size diagram showing a 35 mm wide by 45 mm tall biometric frame with the head filling 70 to 80 percent of the height — The 35 × 45 mm biometric frame used for Bulgarian passports, equal to 413 × 531 pixels at 300 DPI. Full unit conversions are in the 35x45 photo size guide.

Why Upload Here Instead of Editing Manually

Getting a Bulgarian biometric photo right by hand means measuring millimetres, matching background shades, and exporting at the correct resolution. The maker does all of that for you the moment you upload.

Automatic crop

Your face is detected and cropped to the exact 35 × 45 mm frame instantly.

Biometric framing

Head height and eye line are aligned to МВР and ICAO positioning rules.

Correct dimensions

Output is locked to 35 × 45 mm at print-ready 300 DPI, no guesswork.

Correct background

Busy backgrounds are replaced with a clean, uniform light background.

Printable photo sheet

Download a 10 × 15 cm sheet with multiple copies ready for the lab.

No Photoshop required

No editing skills, plugins, or installs, everything runs in your browser.

Bulgarian Passport Photo Requirements

These specifications apply to the standard Bulgarian international passport (международен паспорт) issued by the Ministry of Interior. Each rule links to the detailed standard in the passport photo rules library.

Requirement	Bulgaria specification
Photo size	35 × 45 mm
Width	35 mm (413 px @ 300 DPI)
Height	45 mm (531 px @ 300 DPI)
Aspect ratio	7 : 9 portrait
Background	Plain, uniform light grey or white, no patterns or shadows — see background colour rules
Lighting	Even and diffuse, no shadow behind the head or under the chin — see shadow rules
Head size	32–36 mm from chin to crown — see head size rules
Head coverage	About 70–80% of photo height — see face size requirements
Eye line	30–36 mm from the bottom edge, both eyes open — see eyes requirements
Hair	Must not cover the eyes or obscure the outline of the face — see hair rules
Ears	Not mandatory under the EU standard, but the face outline must be clear — see ears visibility rules
Resolution	300 DPI minimum for print (600 DPI recommended); around 413 × 531 px for digital
File format	JPEG, PNG or WebP for digital; matte or glossy photo paper for print
Colour	24-bit colour, sRGB, natural skin tones, no filters or beautification
Glasses rules	Only if eyes are fully visible, no glare, no tinted lenses, frames must not cover the eyes — see glasses rules
Head coverings	Not permitted except for religious or medical reasons, full face visible — see head covering rules
Expression rules	Neutral, mouth closed, both eyes open, looking straight at the camera — see smile rules
Photo age	Taken within the last 6 months and reflecting your current appearance
Digital submission rules	Biometric image usually captured on-site at МВР; ICAO-compliant digital photos are used for visas and consular e-services

Need a compliant 35 × 45 mm file right now?

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Ministry of Interior: Bulgaria's Passport Authority

Bulgarian international passports are issued by the Ministry of Interior (Министерство на вътрешните работи, МВР) through its regional directorates (ОДМВР across the country, and СДВР in Sofia). Since March 2010, Bulgaria has issued biometric passports that store a facial image and fingerprints on a secure chip, in line with EU and ICAO standards.

Because the document is biometric, the photograph is not a formality, it is machine-read at borders. That is why МВР applies the 35 × 45 mm framing so strictly, and why a picture that looks fine to the eye can still fail an automated check.

As an EU member state, Bulgaria follows the same biometric portrait convention used across the bloc. See the shared EU passport photo standard for the wider framework, and the Schengen visa photo page for the travel-document equivalent.

How Bulgarian Passport Applications Work

Applications are submitted in person at an МВР regional directorate. The typical flow looks like this:

Visit your local ОДМВР/СДВР office (an appointment or the online portal can speed things up).
Present your Bulgarian identity card and pay the state fee for the passport.
Staff capture your photograph and fingerprints on-site for the chip.
Collect the finished passport, standard processing is around 30 days, with faster express options available.

Even though МВР photographs applicants at the counter, a compliant 35 × 45 mm photo is still widely needed for visa files, national ID renewals, student and residence documents, and for Bulgarian citizens applying through consulates abroad. The Bulgaria visa photo page covers the visa channel specifically.

Bulgaria Passport Photo Size in Pixels

Millimetres govern the printed photo; pixels govern anything uploaded. Both derive from the same 35 × 45 mm frame, and a file below 300 DPI is refused for insufficient resolution rather than wrong size.

Resolution	Pixel dimensions	Use
150 DPI	207 × 266 px	Below the accepted minimum
300 DPI (standard)	413 × 531 px	Print and most digital uploads
600 DPI (high quality)	827 × 1063 px	High-resolution submissions and print archives

Upscaling a small photo does not help: interpolating a 207 × 266 image up to 413 × 531 invents pixels rather than detail, and the sharpness check catches it. Shoot wide and crop down. Full cross-country conversions are in passport photo size in pixels, and DPI, sharpness and compression standards in passport photo resolution rules.

EU biometric passport photo size diagram showing the 35 by 45 mm standard that Bulgaria follows as a member state — Bulgaria applies the shared EU biometric portrait standard. The same 35 × 45 mm frame is used by Romania, Greece, Germany and every other member state.

Child & Infant Passport Photo Requirements in Bulgaria

Children in Bulgaria need their own passport and their own photo, and the same 35 × 45 mm format and 32–36 mm head height apply — there is no reduced size or relaxed framing band for infants. A narrow set of allowances is made for younger children.

No dummies, toys, or bottles in the frame.
No other person, hands, or supporting arms visible in the shot.
The child should look at the camera with a neutral expression where possible.
For infants who cannot sit up, lay them on a plain light sheet and photograph from directly above.
Eyes should be open, though some tolerance is given for newborns.
Shoot wide and crop down — cropping tightly in-camera on a small face leaves too few pixels once the 7:9 frame is applied.

Minors apply through a parent or legal guardian, who must consent and be present at the МВР office. Positioning, lighting and timing technique for babies and toddlers is covered in the baby passport photo at home guide, and the two checks that fail most often on child photos are explained in eyes requirements and shadow rules.

Photographing a child? Let the tool apply the 35 × 45 crop for you.

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Bulgarian Passport Renewal: Photo Rules

Renewing a Bulgarian passport is treated as a fresh application, so you cannot reuse the photo from your previous document. A new, recent photograph is required, and this matters even more if your appearance has changed since the last issue, for example a new hairstyle, weight change, or the growth or removal of a beard.

The 35 × 45 mm biometric standard is identical for first-time and renewal applicants. Upload a current photo and the maker will format it to the same specification МВР expects at renewal.

Digital & Biometric Submission in Bulgaria

For the passport itself, МВР records your biometric image directly at the office, so you rarely upload a photo for that step. Digital photos come into play for connected services:

Visa applications that ask for a digital 35 × 45 mm ICAO photo, including Schengen visa files.
Consular e-services used by Bulgarians living abroad.
Related national documents and online portals that accept an uploaded image.

When a digital file is required, keep it in JPEG, aim for roughly 413 × 531 pixels at 300 DPI (or 827 × 1063 px at 600 DPI), on a light background, within any stated file-size limit. Most EU and Schengen portals cap the file at 240 KB. The maker exports at these dimensions automatically.

If your export is too heavy, the compress to 240 KB guide and reduce file size guide cover the mechanics. iPhone users shooting in HEIC should convert first with the HEIC to JPEG guide. Wider portal rules are collected in the digital passport photo requirements guide.

Can I Take My Bulgaria Passport Photo at Home?

Yes. A modern phone plus this maker is enough for a compliant result, if you set the shot up correctly.

Camera

Use the rear camera at full resolution. Avoid the front selfie camera, which distorts facial proportions up close. Switch off portrait blur and any "beauty" mode, which alter facial geometry and are detected.

Lighting

Face a window with soft, even daylight. Keep light in front of you, not behind, to avoid shadows and a dark face.

Background

Stand about 40–50 cm from a plain, light-coloured wall so no shadow falls behind your head. The maker can also replace it.

Distance from camera

Have someone shoot from roughly 1.5–2 metres and let the maker crop, rather than zooming or moving in close. The crop guide explains how the 7:9 ratio and head-height band are applied together.

What to wear

Avoid white or very light clothing against a light background, which blurs the shoulder line. Mid-tone solid colours read best.

Printing Your 35 × 45 mm Bulgarian Passport Photo

Printed copies are still needed for visa files, consular submissions and national ID paperwork. A 35 × 45 mm photo tiles cleanly onto standard 10 × 15 cm photo paper, so one sheet covers your application with copies to spare.

Print resolution	300 DPI minimum — export at 413 × 531 pixels or larger
Paper	Glossy or matte photo paper, 200–250 gsm. Plain office paper is refused
Copies per 10 × 15 cm sheet	Six 35 × 45 mm photos with cutting margins
Copies per A4 sheet	Around twenty, though most applications need two
Scaling	Disable fit-to-page and auto-scaling, which change the physical size
Colour management	sRGB. Turn off printer auto-enhance and colour correction
Cutting	Guillotine or steel rule for square edges. Do not cut inside the printed border
Handling	Let ink dry fully. Do not staple, fold or glue the photo face

Printer settings, paper choice and cutting technique are covered in full in the print passport photo at home guide, and multi-copy sheet layout in the print sheet guide.

Bulgaria Passport Photo Compared to Other Countries

Bulgaria shares its 35 × 45 mm frame with every EU member state, so a compliant Bulgarian photo is usually reusable across the bloc. It is not interchangeable with the square US format or the Chinese standard.

Country	Photo size	Aspect ratio	Head height	Background
Bulgaria	35 × 45 mm	7 : 9	32–36 mm	Light grey or white
Romania	35 × 45 mm	7 : 9	32–36 mm	Light grey
Greece	40 × 60 mm	2 : 3	Varies	Plain white
Serbia	35 × 45 mm	7 : 9	32–36 mm	Light grey
Germany	35 × 45 mm	7 : 9	32–36 mm	Light grey
United Kingdom	35 × 45 mm	7 : 9	29–34 mm	White, cream or light grey
United States	51 × 51 mm (2 × 2 in)	1 : 1	25–35 mm	Plain white or off-white
China	33 × 48 mm	11 : 16	28–33 mm	Plain white

The US standard differs in more than size: a square crop with a much smaller head ratio means a US-style photo will never pass a Bulgarian check. Compare the two formats directly in the 2x2 photo size guide, or browse every national standard in the requirements by country hub and the passport size photo dimensions reference.

How to Create a Bulgaria Passport Photo

Using the Bulgaria passport photo maker takes about a minute from upload to download:

Upload — choose a clear, front-facing photo (JPEG, PNG or WebP) taken against a light wall in even light.
Crop — the maker detects your face and applies the 35 × 45 mm frame with the correct head height and eye line.
Background — automatic background removal swaps any busy backdrop for a clean, compliant light background.
Verify — the on-screen guide checks head size, centring, expression and lighting against Bulgarian rules.
Download — export a single 35 × 45 mm image or a print-ready 10 × 15 cm sheet, then print or submit digitally.

Bulgarian Passport Photos: Common Rejection Reasons

Most refusals at МВР come down to a short list of avoidable issues. Each links to the detailed rule so you can confirm the exact tolerance before you submit, and the full cross-country breakdown is in passport photo rejection reasons.

Wrong dimensions

Not a true 35 × 45 mm crop — phone tools often snap to 4:5 or 3:4 instead of 7:9. See the crop guide.

Head outside 32–36 mm

Chin-to-crown measurement too large or too small for the frame. See head size rules.

Eye line off

Correct head height but the eyes fall outside the 30–36 mm band from the bottom edge. See eyes requirements.

Coloured or patterned background

Only a plain uniform light grey or white tone is accepted. See background colour rules.

Shadows on the face or wall

Side lighting creates shadow under the chin or behind the head. See shadow rules.

Glare or reflection on glasses

Reflections or partly hidden eyes trigger refusal. Tinted lenses are never accepted. See glasses rules.

Hair across the face

A fringe over the eyes or hair obscuring the face outline fails landmark detection. See hair rules.

Headwear

Hats and decorative headwear are refused; religious coverings must leave the full face visible. See head covering rules.

Smiling or open mouth

A neutral expression with closed lips is required. See smile rules.

Photo older than six months

It must reflect your current appearance, including changes to hair, facial hair or weight.

Heavy filters or skin smoothing

Portrait blur, slimming and beautification alter facial geometry and are detected by automated validation.

Low resolution

Below 413 × 531 pixels the photo prints pixelated at 35 × 45 mm. See resolution rules.

Compliance Notice

Passport photo requirements can change without notice. Always confirm the latest specifications with the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Bulgaria or your nearest Bulgarian diplomatic mission before submitting. The Bulgaria Passport Photo Maker helps you produce a photo that follows published biometric standards, but final acceptance of any photograph remains the decision of the issuing authority.

Frequently Asked Questions

Size, pixels & framing

What size is a Bulgaria passport photo?

35 × 45 mm (35 mm wide, 45 mm tall), the biometric format used by the Ministry of Interior and across the EU. The face should measure roughly 32 to 36 mm from chin to crown, filling 70 to 80 percent of the frame height.

What is the Bulgaria passport photo size in pixels?

A 35 × 45 mm photo equals approximately 413 × 531 pixels at 300 DPI and 827 × 1063 pixels at 600 DPI. Use 300 DPI as the minimum for both print and digital submission; below that the photo prints pixelated and fails the quality check.

Where should my eyes sit in a Bulgarian passport photo?

The eye line should sit roughly 30 to 36 mm up from the bottom edge of the 45 mm frame, placing it in the upper 65 to 80 percent of the photo. Head height alone is not enough: a photo with a correct chin-to-crown measurement but a low eye line still fails the biometric check.

Appearance & compliance

What background colour should a Bulgarian passport photo have?

A plain, uniform light background, usually white or light grey, with no patterns, objects, gradients or shadows behind the head. Bulgaria follows the EU biometric convention, so light grey is the safest choice when your hair or clothing is light coloured.

Are photos with glasses accepted for Bulgarian passports?

Only when the eyes are clearly visible without glare or reflection and the frames do not obscure them. Tinted lenses are never accepted. Because Bulgarian biometric checks are strict, we recommend removing glasses before taking your photo.

Am I allowed to smile in a passport photo?

No. Keep a neutral expression with your mouth closed and both eyes open while looking straight at the camera. Smiles and raised eyebrows distort the facial geometry that automated verification measures and are frequent rejection reasons.

Are head coverings allowed in a Bulgarian passport photo?

Hats and decorative headwear are not permitted. A head covering worn for documented religious or medical reasons may be accepted provided the full face from the bottom of the chin to the forehead remains visible with no shadow across the features.

How recent does my passport photo need to be?

Use a photo taken within the last six months. It has to reflect your current appearance, so if your weight, hairstyle, or facial hair has changed noticeably, take a fresh one. Renewal is treated as a fresh application, so the previous photo cannot be reused.

Applications, children & printing

Does the Ministry of Interior take my photo during the biometric passport application?

Yes. When you apply for a Bulgarian biometric passport at an МВР regional directorate, staff usually capture your photograph and fingerprints on-site. A compliant 35 × 45 mm photo is still needed for visa applications, ID documents, and consular services abroad.

Can I use a Bulgaria passport photo for a Schengen visa application?

The 35 × 45 mm biometric photo produced here also matches Schengen visa photo specifications, so the same compliant image can usually be reused. Always confirm the guidance of the specific consulate you apply to, because some posts publish their own file-size ceiling. See the Schengen visa photo guide.

What are the Bulgarian passport photo rules for a baby or child?

The same 35 × 45 mm size, light background and 32 to 36 mm head height apply to children, including newborns. The child must be alone in the frame with no dummy, toy, bottle, supporting hands or other person visible. Eyes should be open, with some tolerance given for newborns. Minors apply through a parent or legal guardian who must consent and be present. See the child and infant requirements section.

How do I print a 35 × 45 mm Bulgarian passport photo?

Print at 300 DPI on glossy or matte photo paper of 200 to 250 gsm. A 10 × 15 cm sheet holds six 35 × 45 mm copies with cutting margins. Disable printer auto-scaling and auto-enhance, let the ink dry fully, and cut with a guillotine for square edges. See the print at home guide.

Official Sources & References

Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Bulgaria (МВР) — mvr.bg
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, consular services — mfa.bg
European Commission — Schengen borders and visa policy: home-affairs.ec.europa.eu
Regional directorates of the Ministry of Interior (ОДМВР / СДВР) — appointments and on-site biometric capture
ICAO Doc 9303 — Machine Readable Travel Documents biometric photograph standard: icao.int

Last reviewed: 2 August 2026
Specifications on this page are compiled from publicly available Bulgarian Ministry of Interior and consular guidance, the shared EU biometric portrait convention, and ICAO Doc 9303. Requirements can change, and individual regional directorates or consular posts may apply additional local practice. Always verify the current specification with the authority handling your application before you submit.