Quick answer
What photo do Chinese applicants need for a Schengen visa?
For Germany, the largest Schengen issuer in China, the photo is 3.5 cm wide by 4.5 cm high, taken within 6 months on a white background, with the face 70–80% of the photo and no editing. You glue it to the signed form, and your fingerprints are taken at the visa centre.
PRC ordinary passport holders need a Schengen visa (申根签证) for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180. You apply to the consulate of your main destination, normally through its visa centre in China. For Germany, the photo is 3.5 cm wide by 4.5 cm high, taken within the last 6 months on a white background, with your face filling 70–80% of the photo, and you glue it to your signed application form. At the visa centre, everyone aged 12 or over also gives all ten fingerprints.
Schengen visa photo size and requirements (Germany)
| Photo size | 35 mm wide × 45 mm high (Germany writes it as 4.5 cm × 3.5 cm) |
|---|---|
| Face size | Face 70–80% of the photo; front view including the chin and neck |
| Background | White |
| Quality | High resolution; no editing, and it must look like you do now |
| Photo age | Taken within the last 6 months; do not reuse a photo from an earlier visa application |
| Face and eyes | Not covered by anything |
| Make-up and lenses | No heavy, colourful make-up and no coloured contact lenses |
| How it is used | Glued to the printed, hand-signed application form |
| Glasses | Not stated by the German posts (see the tip below) |
These are the rules in the German Embassy's Schengen visa FAQ (question 19), the most detailed published for applicants in China. The EU only says the photo must meet the ICAO standard, so other Schengen countries may word their checklists differently: check the checklist for your destination's visa centre.
An old or wrong photo stops the application
The German posts say that if your photo is clearly more than 6 months old or does not meet the rules, your application will not be accepted and will be returned to you. Use a new photo for every application.
Where Chinese applicants apply
Apply to the consulate of the Schengen country where you will spend the longest time, or of your first entry if the stays are equal. You can apply up to 6 months before you travel and no later than 15 days before. Which German post handles your application depends on where you actually live and work, not on your birthplace, passport or household registration (户口).
- Germany: the Embassy in Beijing and the Consulates-General in Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Shenyang (plus Hong Kong) work with VFS Global, which runs visa centres in 15 cities. Fill in the form online, print it, sign it by hand and glue your photo on, then attend your appointment in person. Accompanying children under 12 do not have to attend, and if your fingerprints were taken in the last 59 months an authorised representative can submit for you.
- Lithuania: since 1 July 2026, residents of the Beijing, Chengdu (except Chongqing) and Shenyang consular districts can lodge Lithuanian Schengen visa applications at Germany's VFS centres.
- France: apply online on France-Visas, then lodge your file at the visa centre for your area. France's centres in China are run by TLScontact; France-Visas shows the centre for your city.
Fees and processing
The Schengen visa fee is EUR 90 for adults and EUR 45 for children aged 6–12; Germany charges nothing for children under 6. VFS Global adds a EUR 19.13 service fee for German applications. Both are paid in yuan at the current exchange rate and are not refunded if the visa is refused. The EU's normal processing time is 15 days, which can be extended to 45 days.
Fingerprints, EES and ETIAS
Your fingerprints and photo are stored in the EU's Visa Information System (VIS) for 5 years. Since 10 April 2026, the Entry/Exit System (EES) has replaced passport stamps at the external borders of 29 European countries: when you arrive on a short stay, it registers your fingerprints and a facial image taken at the border. Chinese visa holders are registered like any other non-EU short-stay traveller.
The EU says ETIAS, the travel authorisation that is not operating yet, will apply to nationals of visa-exempt countries; travellers who need a visa keep using the visa process. With a Schengen visa you will not need ETIAS.
How to get your Schengen visa photo right
- Find the right consulate. Apply to the country where you will spend the longest time, through its visa centre for the city where you actually live.
- Take a new photo on white. Use a photo taken within the last 6 months, not one from an earlier visa, with a front view showing your chin and neck, no heavy make-up and no coloured contact lenses.
- Crop it to 35 × 45 mm. Make your face fill 70 to 80% of the photo, print it in high resolution and do not edit it.
- Glue it to the signed form. Print the online form, sign it by hand, glue the photo on and bring it with your passport and documents to your appointment.
- Give your fingerprints. At the visa centre, applicants aged 12 or over give all ten fingerprints, which are stored in the Visa Information System for 5 years.
Sample photos
Samples show pose, lighting and background. Crop your own photo to the Schengen area visa size.
Schengen area visa photo FAQ
For Germany, 35 mm wide by 45 mm high (written 4.5 cm × 3.5 cm), on a white background, taken within 6 months, with your face filling 70–80% of the photo.
Yes, for Germany. You glue a printed photo to the signed application form, and your fingerprints are taken at the visa centre.
No. The German posts ask you not to use a photo from an earlier visa application, and they return applications with photos more than 6 months old.
The German posts do not mention glasses, but your face and eyes must not be covered. Taking them off avoids glare and frame shadows.
No. ETIAS, which is not operating yet, is for nationals of visa-exempt countries. You will still be registered in the EES at the border, with your fingerprints and a facial image.
The country where you will spend the longest time. If the stays are equal, apply to the country you enter first.
Official sources
- European Commission: Applying for a Schengen visa
- German Embassy in China: 签证和入境 (visa and entry)
- German Embassy in China: 短期逗留 (Schengen visa, type C)
- German Embassy in China: 短期逗留常见问题 (Schengen visa FAQ)
- VFS Global: Germany visa application centres in China
- Embassy of France in China: Demander un visa
- European Commission: Entry/Exit System (EES)
- Travel to Europe: ETIAS, who should apply
Last checked . Requirements and fees can change, so always confirm with the issuing agency before you apply. This site is independent and not affiliated with any government agency.