Liechtenstein Schengen Visa (Type C) Photo Requirements

Photo size and the official position

This page covers photo requirements for Liechtenstein short-stay Schengen visas (Type C, up to 90 days in any 180-day period). Liechtenstein is part of the Schengen area (it is not an EU member state).

Liechtenstein's Migration and Passport Office (llv.li) requires "1 colored passport photo (good quality, white background)" in its supporting-documents checklist but does not publish a dimension. Photo quality is delegated to the ICAO MRTD photograph guidelines (35-40mm width, face 70-80% of the photo, plain light background). The same wording is used in the checklists of Swiss representations.

As a result, there is no "official dimension" for a Liechtenstein Schengen visa photo. Commonly used sizes such as 35×45 mm reflect general Schengen-area practice, not an official Liechtenstein specification — before preparing a photo, check whether the Swiss representation that will receive your application specifies anything.

1. Recency: no more than 6 months old; must look like you today.
2. Quality: colour, sharp focus, high quality, no creases or ink marks. Digital captures printed on photo-quality paper at high resolution.
3. Background: plain light-coloured (a plain light grey can work if even). Avoid busy scenes and strong shadows on the face or behind the head.
4. Lighting: even light, natural skin tones, appropriate brightness and contrast; no flash reflection on skin, no red-eye.
5. Pose and expression: look straight at the camera; face square-on, not tilted; eyes open and not covered by hair; neutral expression, mouth closed; alone in the frame.
6. Glasses: eyes fully visible; no tinted lenses; no flash reflection on the lenses; frames must not cover the eyes. Remove glasses if those conditions are hard to meet.
7. Head covering: only for religious reasons, and the full face from chin to forehead and both edges of the face must still be clear.
8. Editing: keep brightness and crop adjustments that do not change how you look. Avoid contour reshaping, eye or nose changes, and heavy beauty filters. The photo must remain realistic with natural skin tones.

Children's photos and common mistakes

Liechtenstein does not publish a separate face-size table for children. Children also need a photograph meeting the same rules (colour, white background, resembling the child); age-related relaxations follow the general ICAO guidelines.

Liechtenstein-specific risks: because no official dimension exists, mistaking another country's size or generic advice for an official specification. The checklist and instructions of the receiving Swiss representation are authoritative. Note the white-background instruction.

1. Head cut off or tilted: retake with more distance, face square-on to the camera, both edges of the face visible.
2. Uneven colour, shadows, or blow-out on the background: use a plain light background and even light so the face and the back of the head stay free of hard shadows.
3. Glasses glare: remove glasses if practical, or use clear lenses and lighting that shows the pupils fully.
4. Old photo: replace any portrait older than six months or that no longer matches your appearance.
5. Heavy beauty filters: start again from a natural image; do not change face shape or skin texture.
6. Pixelated print: export a high-resolution colour file and print on photo-quality paper.