A Latvian passport photo must meet specific biometric and technical standards so that the applicant can be identified reliably. The requirements cover the photograph’s dimensions, background, facial position, expression, lighting, print quality, age, and permitted accessories.
For applicants living in the United States, the process differs from a standard U.S. passport application. The commonly used American 2 x 2-inch passport photo is not the standard Latvian format. In addition, the Embassy of Latvia in the United States normally photographs both adults and children during the passport appointment, although a separate photograph may be required when a suitable image cannot be taken on site.
The exact procedure may depend on where the application is submitted. Applicants should therefore review the instructions issued by the relevant Latvian embassy, consulate, or Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs division before attending an appointment.
Latvian Passport Photo Requirements at a Glance
The principal Latvian passport photo specifications include the following:
- The standard document photo format is commonly described as 35 x 45 mm.
- The photograph should be recent and normally taken no more than three months before the application.
- The background must be light, plain, and free from shadows.
- The face must be centered and shown directly from the front.
- The applicant’s eyes must be open and directed toward the camera.
- The expression should be natural and neutral.
- The face from the chin to the hairline should occupy approximately 70–80% of the image’s vertical height.
- The photograph must be clear, well focused, bright, and sufficiently contrasted.
- No other person, object, or visible background feature should appear in the image.
- The image must not be digitally retouched in a way that changes the applicant’s appearance.
These standards apply when a photograph is submitted and also provide guidance for photographs taken by Latvian authorities during an identity document appointment.
What Is the Correct Latvian Passport Photo Size?
The Latvia passport photo size is generally identified by Latvian embassies and consular offices as 35 x 45 mm, or approximately 1.38 x 1.77 inches. The photograph must be vertically oriented.
Applicants in the United States should not submit a standard 2 x 2-inch U.S. passport photograph unless the Latvian office processing the application has specifically confirmed that it will be accepted. A photograph prepared for a U.S. passport may have the wrong dimensions, cropping, head position, or background for a Latvian identity document.
There is an important technical detail concerning submitted printed photographs. Latvian Cabinet Regulation No. 134 states that a physical photograph should be 1–3 mm larger than 35 x 45 mm. At the same time, consular instructions commonly refer to the required format simply as a Latvian passport photo 35×45 mm.
This difference may relate to how a physical photograph is processed or trimmed. The safest approach is to follow the exact instructions of the embassy or office accepting the application and tell the photographer that the image is specifically for a Latvian passport, rather than requesting a generic European or U.S. passport photograph.
Facial Size and Position in the Photograph
The applicant’s face must be centered in the photograph. The head should face directly toward the camera rather than being turned, tilted, or photographed from an angle.
Under the official Latvian image requirements, the portion of the face measured from the chin to the natural or estimated hairline should occupy approximately 70–80% of the photograph’s vertical height. This allows sufficient space around the head while ensuring that the facial features remain large enough for biometric identification.
The imaginary line passing through the centers of the eyes should be parallel to the horizontal edge of the image. Both sides of the face should be equally visible and evenly illuminated.
Hair must not cover the eyes. Clothing, scarves, accessories, or other items must not conceal any part of the face.
Latvian Passport Photo Background Requirements
The official Latvian rules require a light background. Individual Latvian embassies frequently describe the required background as white, while some passport-photo guidance uses terms such as light or light gray.
For practical purposes, a plain white or very light background is usually the safest option when a separate photograph must be submitted. The background should be uniform, without patterns, furniture, doors, visible corners, decorations, or color gradients.
There must be no shadows behind the applicant or across the face. Uneven lighting can make facial features difficult to identify and may result in the photograph being rejected.
A white wall is not automatically sufficient. If the lighting creates a visible shadow, changes the background color, or causes one side of the face to appear darker, the image may not meet the Latvian passport photo background requirements.
Expression, Eyes, and Direction of Gaze
The applicant should use a natural, everyday, neutral expression. The mouth should normally remain closed, and exaggerated smiling, frowning, raised eyebrows, or other expressions should be avoided.
The eyes must be open, clearly visible, and directed toward the camera. The applicant should not look to the side, downward, or above the camera.
The face should not contain strong reflections, flash glare, or deep shadows. Red-eye effects are not acceptable in a color photograph, and the skin tone should appear natural.
The purpose of these requirements is not to create a flattering portrait. The image must provide a clear and accurate representation of the applicant’s current appearance.
Can You Wear Glasses in a Latvian Passport Photo?
The national Latvian image requirements do not impose an absolute prohibition on all glasses. Glasses may be acceptable when:
- The eyes are fully visible.
- The frames do not cover the eyes or a significant part of the face.
- The frames are not unusually thick or heavy.
- There is no reflection on the lenses.
- The lenses are not tinted.
- The glasses are positioned correctly and have not slipped down the nose.
However, some Latvian diplomatic missions instruct applicants to provide photographs without glasses. Consular practice can therefore be stricter than the general wording of the national image standard.
Removing glasses is normally the safest option, particularly when a separate photograph is prepared before the appointment. Applicants who are photographed at a Latvian embassy or consulate should follow the instructions provided by the official taking the photograph.
Head Coverings, Jewelry, and Clothing
Applicants should normally be photographed without a hat, cap, hood, or other head covering.
A head covering may be permitted when the person wears it regularly for religious reasons. It must not cover the face or make any facial feature difficult to identify. The full face, including its outline, should remain visible.
Large accessories that obscure the face should be removed. Earrings or ordinary jewelry may not automatically invalidate a photograph, but they should not create reflections, cover facial features, or interfere with biometric identification.
Clothing should contrast sufficiently with the background. White clothing against a white background may make the shoulders difficult to distinguish. High collars, scarves, and hooded garments should not cover the chin, jawline, or sides of the face.
How Recent Must a Latvian Passport Photo Be?
A submitted photograph should normally have been taken no more than three months before the application.
The image should accurately reflect the applicant’s current appearance. A new photograph may be advisable even within the three-month period if the person’s appearance has changed significantly because of surgery, injury, major changes in facial hair, or another identifiable change.
The same photograph should not have been used to produce a previous Latvian identity document. Using an older image simply because it remains available may result in rejection.
The official requirements also state that a submitted photograph must be clearly focused, clean, and free from folds, creases, stains, or a white corner. The image must not be retouched.
Print Quality and Photo Paper Requirements
When a physical photograph is required, it should be printed on high-quality, smooth photographic paper. The official standard permits glossy or semi-matte photo paper.
The photograph should have good resolution, contrast, brightness, and focus. Pixelation, compression artifacts, motion blur, excessive sharpening, or poor-quality home printing can make an otherwise correctly composed image unacceptable.
A submitted print should not be damaged or marked. The back of the photograph may need to contain the photo studio’s stamp and the date on which the photograph was produced. The stamp must not show through to the front of the image.
Because of these requirements, using a professional photo studio familiar with European identity-document photographs is generally safer than printing a smartphone photograph at home.
Are Photos Taken at the Latvian Embassy in the United States?
The Embassy of Latvia in the United States states that photographs of both adults and children are normally taken at the embassy during the passport or eID appointment.
As a result, most applicants attending the embassy in Washington, D.C., may not need to bring a separately printed passport photograph. The applicant must still be prepared to meet the appearance requirements during the appointment, including removing unsuitable glasses or headwear and looking directly at the camera.
Applicants should not assume that the same procedure applies at every Latvian diplomatic mission, mobile consular visit, or application location. Some offices request one or more printed photographs, while others have equipment for taking a digital image on site.
Appointment instructions should be checked again shortly before travel because consular procedures can change.
Latvian Passport Photo Requirements for Children
Children must generally be present when their passport application is submitted. The Embassy of Latvia in the United States normally photographs children at the embassy, just as it photographs adult applicants.
Parents should consider whether the child can sit independently, remain sufficiently still, and cooperate while the photograph is taken. If a suitable photograph cannot be obtained during the appointment, the parents may need to provide a separate photograph.
Latvian regulations specifically allow a submitted photograph when it is not possible to obtain a sufficiently high-quality digital image of a child under five years of age.
A child’s photograph should show only the child. A parent, sibling, hand, chair back, toy, pacifier, or other object should not be visible. The child’s face should be directed toward the camera and should remain unobscured.
Infants may find the standard difficult to meet. Parents should not assume that any photograph will be accepted simply because the applicant is a baby. When a child cannot satisfy a particular requirement, the issue should be discussed with the embassy before the appointment.
Can You Take a Latvian Passport Photo at Home?
A photograph taken at home may appear to meet the basic Latvia passport photo requirements, but that does not necessarily mean that a home-produced print will be accepted.
Smartphone photographs commonly have problems with perspective, uneven lighting, shadows, background removal, facial distortion, and image resolution. Portrait modes and automatic filters may alter the face or blur the edges of the hair and shoulders.
Applicants should also avoid software that changes facial proportions, smooths skin, removes identifying features, replaces the background imprecisely, or generates parts of the image. The official rules prohibit retouching, and the final photograph must provide an accurate representation of the person.
There is generally no applicant-operated online upload process that should be assumed to replace the photograph taken by the embassy or submitted in the form requested by the relevant office. A digital file should be provided only when the authority has specifically requested that format.
Passport Photos After Latvian Citizenship by Descent
People pursuing Latvian citizenship by descent should distinguish between the citizenship procedure and the later passport application.
The photograph is normally relevant to the passport or eID stage. It does not prove Latvian ancestry, establish the family line, or demonstrate that an ancestor held Latvian citizenship.
Once Latvian citizenship approval has been issued and the person’s information has been entered into the relevant Latvian register, the individual may generally proceed with a separate application for Latvian identity documents. The passport office or embassy may require the applicant’s identity information to be complete and current before the document can be produced.
Separate passport and eID costs, appointment rules, identity checks, and document-production procedures may apply after citizenship has been recognized.
Names Must Be Correct Before the Passport Is Produced
A compliant photograph cannot resolve inconsistencies in the applicant’s registered name.
If the applicant has had a name change after marriage, divorce, adoption, court order, or another legal event, the change may need to be recorded with the Latvian authorities before a new passport is issued.
Questions about name spelling and transliteration can also arise when an English-language name is entered into Latvian records. Latvian identity documents may use a Latvian-language form of a name, while an original or historical form may be recorded separately where the applicable requirements are met.
Applicants should review the spelling of their name, date of birth, and other personal information before the passport enters production. Correcting the underlying record after the document has been produced may require a separate replacement process.
Photo Standards Do Not Determine Legal Status
Photograph requirements should not be confused with the legal status recorded in the document.
Latvian citizens, Latvian non-citizens, stateless persons, foreign nationals, and permanent residents are legally distinct categories. A Latvian citizen passport, Latvian non-citizen passport, stateless person’s travel document, residence permit, and foreigner’s eID are not interchangeable documents.
A Latvian non-citizen passport does not prove that its holder is a Latvian citizen. It also does not automatically establish that a descendant is eligible for Latvian citizenship.
A relative’s non-citizen passport may still be relevant to family-history research because it can contain identifying information and indicate the person’s status at a particular time. Its legal significance depends on the relative’s complete citizenship history and the available civil, archival, migration, and naturalization records.
Common Reasons Latvian Passport Photos Are Rejected
A Latvian passport photograph may be rejected when it has the wrong dimensions, particularly when an applicant submits a standard American 2 x 2-inch image instead of the required Latvian format.
Other common problems include an old photograph, an unsuitable background, shadows, poor contrast, an off-center face, a tilted head, closed or obscured eyes, glare on glasses, tinted lenses, visible objects, or another person appearing in the image.
Digital editing is another potential problem. Background replacement, skin smoothing, facial reshaping, beauty filters, and AI-generated corrections can make an image unsuitable even when the changes appear minor.
Printed photographs may also be rejected because of low-quality paper, visible pixels, stains, creases, fingerprints, incorrect cropping, or missing photo-studio information where such information is required.
Final Checklist Before a Latvian Passport Appointment
Before attending the appointment, confirm where the photograph will be taken and whether a printed image must be submitted.
When a separate photograph is required, verify that it:
- Uses the Latvian 35 x 45 mm document format specified by the processing office.
- Was taken within the previous three months.
- Has a plain white or light background.
- Shows the face directly from the front.
- Keeps the eyes open, visible, and directed toward the camera.
- Uses a neutral and natural expression.
- Shows the face at the required scale.
- Contains no shadows, glare, other people, or objects.
- Has not been retouched or altered by filters.
- Is printed clearly on appropriate photographic paper.
- Complies with any additional instructions issued by the embassy or consulate.
Applicants should rely on the instructions of the office that will actually accept the application. Requirements published for a Latvian visa, U.S. passport, another European country, or an unrelated identity document should not be treated as substitutes for the applicable Latvian passport instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size is a Latvian passport photo?
The standard Latvia passport photo size is commonly stated as 35 x 45 mm, or approximately 1.38 x 1.77 inches. Latvian regulations contain an additional technical rule stating that a submitted physical print should be 1–3 mm larger than 35 x 45 mm. Follow the exact instructions issued by the embassy, consulate, or Latvian authority accepting the application.
Can I use a 2 x 2-inch U.S. passport photo?
A standard U.S. passport photo should not be used automatically. Its dimensions and cropping differ from the Latvian passport photo dimensions. Ask the photo studio to prepare the image specifically for a Latvian passport.
Do I need to bring a photo to the Latvian Embassy in the United States?
The Embassy of Latvia in the United States normally photographs adults and children during the appointment. A separate photograph may be necessary if the embassy cannot obtain a suitable image, particularly in the case of a young child. Applicants should check their current appointment instructions before attending.
Can you wear glasses in a Latvian passport photo?
Glasses may comply with the national image standard when the eyes are fully visible, the frames do not obscure the face, the lenses are not tinted, and there is no glare. However, some Latvian missions request photographs without glasses. Removing them is generally the safer option.
Can you smile in a Latvian passport photo?
The applicant should use a natural, neutral expression. A broad smile, open mouth, exaggerated expression, or facial pose should be avoided because it may interfere with biometric identification.
What background is required for a Latvian passport photo?
The official national requirement is a light, plain background without shadows. Many Latvian embassies specifically request a white background. A uniform white or very light background is usually the safest choice when submitting a printed photograph.
How old can the passport photo be?
A submitted Latvian passport photograph should normally be no more than three months old. It should accurately reflect the applicant’s current appearance and should not have been used for a previous Latvian identity document.
Do babies and children need a separate passport photo?
Children are normally photographed during the identity-document appointment. If a suitable image cannot be taken, particularly for a child under five, the parent may need to provide a separate photograph meeting the applicable requirements.
Can a parent hold a baby in the passport photo?
The final image should show only the child. The parent’s face, hands, clothing, or body should not appear in the photograph. Toys, pacifiers, supporting objects, and visible chair backs should also be avoided.
Can I edit the background of a Latvian passport photo?
Applicants should avoid digitally replacing or heavily editing the background. The official rules do not permit retouching, and editing can alter the outline of the face, hair, or shoulders. A photograph taken against a suitable physical background is generally safer.
Does an approved passport photo mean that citizenship has been confirmed?
No. A passport photograph establishes only whether the submitted image meets the identity-document standards. Citizenship eligibility and Latvian citizenship approval are determined separately through the applicable legal process and supporting documents.
English [EN]