Slovakia Schengen Visa (Type C) Photo Requirements

Photo size and the official position

This page covers photo requirements for Slovakia short-stay Schengen visas (Type C, up to 90 days in any 180-day period). Long-stay national visas (Type D) and residence permits are separate procedures. Slovakia is a member of both the EU and the Schengen area.

The Slovak MFA's Schengen visa page requires "a full-face colour photo, conform to ICAO standards" among the supporting documents, without publishing millimetre dimensions. The ICAO photograph guidelines (35-40mm width, face 70-80% of the photo, plain light background) serve as the reference quality standard.

A common confusion: the MFA's national visa (Type D) page states "3×3.5 cm", but that figure is specific to long-stay national visas. Some countries' external visa centres (for example BLS in the US) publish their own proportional specifications (e.g. 3.5×4.5). These are not the national specification for Schengen short-stay visas — confirm the instruction that applies to your application with the receiving office's checklist.

• Recency: no more than 6 months old; must look like you today.
• Quality: colour, sharp focus, high quality, no creases or ink marks. Digital captures printed on photo-quality paper at high resolution.
• 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.
• Lighting: even light, natural skin tones, appropriate brightness and contrast; no flash reflection on skin, no red-eye.
• 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.
• 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.
• Head covering: only for religious reasons, and the full face from chin to forehead and both edges of the face must still be clear.
• 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.

Where the application is received

Schengen visa applications are received by the Slovak mission (embassy or consulate) covering your country of residence. In some countries, applications are received through external visa centres (VFS Global / BLS International); the list of countries with visa centres is published on mzv.sk.

Applications may be lodged in person, by post, or through another person on the basis of a written authorisation (some missions require the applicant to appear in person). Applications cannot be lodged more than 6 months before the start of the intended visit under the common rules, and details are referred to the competent diplomatic mission.

Children's photos and common mistakes

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

Slovakia-specific risks: applying the long-stay "3×3.5 cm" figure to a short-stay visa, or mistaking a visa centre's own proportional specification for the national rule. The receiving office's checklist is authoritative.

• Head cut off or tilted: retake with more distance, face square-on to the camera, both edges of the face visible.
• 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.
• Glasses glare: remove glasses if practical, or use clear lenses and lighting that shows the pupils fully.
• Old photo: replace any portrait older than six months or that no longer matches your appearance.
• Heavy beauty filters: start again from a natural image; do not change face shape or skin texture.
• Pixelated print: export a high-resolution colour file and print on photo-quality paper.