Danish Passport Photo

When applying for a passport in Denmark, you will be asked to provide a few important documents and a passport photo that follows official rules and regulations set by the government. 

In this article, we present you with tips for passport photo taking and other important information that you will need to keep in mind. 

The general rules of Danish passport photos

The Danish passport photo is a photo that is supposed to be following biometric technology, meaning that it has to show your precise facial features and characteristics. 

There are many rules and regulations concerning Danish passport photo taking so we broke them down into some important categories below. 

Application requirements

When you’re applying with a passport photo, there will be some requirements that you will need to follow so that your photo doesn’t get rejected on technicalities:

• Remember that your photo shouldn’t be older than 6 months,
• There have to be two identical copies,
• The photo has to follow biometric technology.

The lighting & the colors

The colors of your photo have to show your natural skin tone and eye color. The photo cannot be black&white or be changed by any filters. Watch out for underexposure and overexposure. 

When it comes to the lighting, make sure to avoid shadows. It’s good to use natural lighting as much as possible. A good tip is to sit in front of a window. 

The background

The background of a Danish passport photo has to be white. A good thing is to pose in front of a white wall or a white sheet. There cannot be other people or objects visible in the background of the photo. The background should also be visible around your frame. 

Your looks and position 

The Danish passport photo has to show the close-up of your head and upper shoulders in a frontal view. You need to look straight into the camera – don’t close your eyes or open your mouth. 

Smiles, frowns, and other facial expressions are not permitted.

Glasses are allowed under certain conditions – you need a doctor’s note saying that you cannot take them off for the photo as well as they cannot reflect light or your surroundings. 

When it comes to head coverings you can wear them only for religious or medical reasons. It’s best to avoid jewelry as it can distract the attention from your face, though it is allowed. Just make sure that nothing is covering your face. 

There is no dress code for Danish passport photos though your clothes shouldn’t be the same as the background so it’s maybe a good idea to avoid white. Makeup should be kept to a minimum as it can alter looks and this is one of the most important things to avoid. 

Technical requirements

There are also some technical requirements that you should follow when taking a Danish passport photo:

• The size of your photo (both copies) has to be 45mm tall x 35mm wide,
• Your face has to be between 30 and 35 mm in height, 
• The resolution of your photo has to be over 600 dpi and should be under 1200 dpi.

Danish passport photos for children 

The rules for children’s Danish passport photos are pretty much the same as when it comes to adults. 

It can be slightly more challenging to take a photo of a small child but it is crucial to follow all of the requirements. Just remember that there cannot be anything or anyone else visible in the photo. 

The one thing to know is that children under 6 don’t have to look straight into the camera or keep a neutral expression, and newborns and small babies under 1 don’t have to keep their eyes open. 

What to avoid in Danish passport photos

Here is a list of common mistakes to avoid, so that your photo doesn’t get rejected:

• Don’t wear sunglasses or glasses that reflect your surroundings,
• Don’t close your eyes or open your mouth,
• Refrain from smiling or making any sorts of expressions,
• Don’t use social media filters on your photo. 

Danish passport photo summed up

As you can see, there are a lot of different rules and regulations for a proper Danish passport photo. You need to remember about some specific areas such as the background, the lighting, your positioning, etc. Watch out for the common mistakes listed above. Some rules are different for children so make sure to check them out. 

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