Every Finnish passport photo is checked against the requirements published by the Finnish Police (Poliisi), the authority that issues and approves passports in Finland. The official size is 36mm wide by 47mm high — 500 by 653 pixels for photos submitted through the electronic photograph server — with a light grey background and a precise head height of 32–36mm from the crown to the chin. Most rejected photos fail for reasons that are easy to miss with the naked eye: a head positioned a few millimetres too high, a background with a slight shadow, or a file that exceeds the 250KB limit. This tool checks and corrects all of that automatically, so the photo you submit to Poliisi the first time is the one that gets approved.
Manually cropping a photo to 36x47mm in an image editor leaves a lot of room for error — Poliisi's own guidance notes that photos taken and adjusted by non-professionals are among the most frequently rejected. Passport Photo Maker handles the technical requirements for you.
Your photo is cropped to exactly 36x47mm (500x653px) without guesswork.
Head height and crown-to-frame spacing are set to match Poliisi's 4–6mm margin rule.
Output matches both the millimetre spec for print and the pixel spec for digital upload.
Backgrounds are replaced with the light grey tone Poliisi recommends.
Generates a print-ready sheet sized for standard photo paper if you need a paper copy.
Everything — cropping, background, sizing, file compression — happens in one upload.
These specifications come directly from the Finnish Police's passport photograph instructions, which apply to passports, identity cards, and permits alike.
| Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| Photo Size | 36mm x 47mm (500 x 653 px for digital uploads) |
| Width | 36mm / 500px |
| Height | 47mm / 653px |
| Background | Light grey, free of shadows; face, hair, and clothing must stand out clearly against it |
| Head Size | 32–36mm from crown (excluding hair) to chin; 4–6mm space above the crown, 7–9mm below the chin |
| Centering | Face centre line within 1.5mm of the photo's centre line |
| Resolution / File Size | Maximum 250KB for digital submission |
| File Format | JPEG (.jpg or .jpeg) for electronic submission — JPEG2000 not accepted |
| Glasses Rules | Allowed if frames don't cover the eyes and there's no glare; removing glasses is recommended where possible |
| Expression Rules | Neutral expression, mouth closed, both eyes open and clearly visible, facing the camera directly |
| Photo Age | No more than 6 months old |
| Digital Submission | Uploaded to the police photograph server; produces a photo retrieval code for your application |
The Finnish Police (Poliisi) issue and administer Finnish passports, identity cards, and residence permits, and they set the photo standard that applies to all three. Their photograph instructions are explicit that the same technical and quality rules apply regardless of the applicant's age, and they're built around supporting the facial recognition systems used in biometric passports — which is why head positioning and background contrast matter as much as the overall photo size.
Most applicants don't submit a paper photo at all. Almost all Finnish photography studios send photos electronically straight to the Poliisi's photograph server, and the resulting retrieval code is what gets entered into the online passport application. A paper photo is still accepted at a police service point, but Poliisi notes it has to be scanned in by staff, which slows things down and can reduce image quality.
A standard Finnish passport application generally follows this path:
If your existing passport or ID photo is under six months old, it can sometimes be reused automatically for a new application — worth checking before booking a new photo.
Poliisi applies the same technical requirements to applicants of every age, with a few practical adjustments for infants and toddlers:
For electronic submission, Poliisi requires JPEG format only, at 500 x 653 pixels, with a maximum file size of 250KB. Photos go onto the police photograph server rather than directly into your application — your application links to the photo through your retrieval code. Poliisi notes that the photo is only properly evaluated once your application is processed, so there's no instant pre-check; getting the specification right before you upload is what avoids delays.
Uploading your own photo directly to the server (rather than through a studio) is technically possible but Poliisi cautions that a large share of self-submitted photos are rejected, usually for lighting and distortion problems rather than sizing errors.
You can, but Poliisi's own data shows home and smartphone photos are rejected more often than studio photos — mainly due to lighting and lens distortion rather than the camera itself. Here's what to get right if you're doing it yourself.
A modern phone camera can produce an acceptable result, but Poliisi recommends a focal length around 90–130mm (a 50mm equivalent is acceptable) to avoid the facial distortion that wide-angle phone lenses introduce at close range. Use the main rear camera, not a wide or ultra-wide lens, and avoid portrait-mode background blur.
Use even daylight, ideally by facing a large window, so your face and the background are both free of shadows. Avoid direct flash, which tends to create glare and uneven exposure, particularly if you wear glasses.
Stand about half a metre from a plain, light-coloured wall. You don't need it to be perfectly grey — Passport Photo Maker replaces the background automatically — but it should be free of texture, shadows, or other people and objects.
Position the camera at the same height as your head and stand roughly one metre away. Standing too close is the single most common distortion issue Poliisi flags in self-submitted photos.
If you need a paper photo, it must be printed on quality photo paper at the correct 36x47mm size. Home inkjet prints on standard paper are not accepted.
| Finland (Poliisi) | United States (State Department) | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 36 x 47mm (500 x 653px) | 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51mm) |
| Head Size | 32–36mm crown to chin | 1 to 1 3/8 inches chin to crown |
| Background | Light grey | Plain white or off-white |
| Submission Format | JPEG via photograph server, or studio-submitted; paper accepted in person | Printed photo, or digital upload for online renewal |
| Compliance Differences | Strict file size cap (250KB); precise centering tolerance (1.5mm) | No digital file-size limit for printed submissions; different aspect ratio entirely |
The two standards are not interchangeable — a US-sized photo will not fit Finland's requirements even after cropping, since the aspect ratio and head-size proportions differ. Always generate a photo against the specific country template you're applying to.
Upload a clear, front-facing photo taken against any background — Passport Photo Maker will handle the rest.
The tool automatically crops your photo to 36x47mm with the correct head height and centering.
Your background is automatically detected and replaced with light grey to match the Poliisi standard.
A compliance check confirms dimensions, head size, centering, and file size before you proceed.
Download your JPEG (under 250KB) for digital submission, plus a print-ready sheet if you need a paper copy.
Incorrect head height — outside the 32–36mm crown-to-chin range
Background isn't light grey or contains visible shadows
Face centre line off by more than 1.5mm from the photo centre
Lens distortion from standing too close, especially with phone cameras
Glasses frames or glare partially covering the eyes
Photo older than six months
File exceeds the 250KB limit for digital submission
Uneven indoor lighting causing shadows or colour cast on the face
Most passport authorities, including Poliisi, require a photo taken within the last six months, since older photos may no longer reflect your current appearance.
It's best avoided. Selfies are typically shot too close to the lens, distorting facial proportions, and rarely have even lighting. A photo taken from roughly a metre away gives a more reliable result.
A neutral, closed-mouth expression is the safest option almost everywhere. A wide smile or open mouth risks rejection under most current biometric standards.
It depends on how you're applying. Check your specific application channel before deciding — digital and paper formats sometimes have different requirements even within the same country.
36mm wide by 47mm high. For digital submission through Poliisi's photograph server, that's 500 by 653 pixels.
Yes. Photos go onto Poliisi's electronic photograph server, which issues a retrieval code you enter into your online application at asiointi.poliisi.fi.
Poliisi specifically flags poor lighting and lens distortion from standing too close as the most common issues with self-submitted photos, alongside incorrect head size and background problems.
Yes, as long as the frames don't cover your eyes and there's no glare on the lenses. Poliisi recommends removing glasses entirely if you can, unless they're medically necessary.
Don't risk a second trip to the police service point. Upload your photo now and get a 36x47mm, Poliisi-compliant result — correctly sized, correctly lit, and under the 250KB limit — ready for your photograph retrieval code in under a minute.
