Flash ID Photo Lab · Practical guide
You can prepare an ID photo at home with a phone or camera, but the image must follow the rules for the document you are applying for. This guide helps you make a clean image and spot common mistakes before you use the file.
A good photograph does not automatically mean that an application will be accepted. Before submitting a file, always check the required size, printed copies and delivery method with the relevant authority.
Before you start
An Italian ID card, passport, driving licence, visa or residence-permit application may have different requirements. Before taking the picture, check whether your application needs a specific size, printed photos, a digital file or other conditions.
The instructions issued by the authority receiving the application always take priority over this guide and over any app or template found online.
Document-specific rules
Read the guide for your application and compare it with the official source before cropping, printing or uploading the photo.
For an Italian CIE: 35 × 45 mm, recent (no more than six months old), front-facing, on a plain light background. Glasses must have transparent lenses and leave the eyes visible. Milan’s official support notice, updated 23 October 2025, says its counter accepts printed ID photos only, not a USB photo; check it again before your appointment.
Italian ID photo requirementsFor an Italian passport: 35 × 45 mm, recent and front-facing on a white background, compliant with ICAO rules. Prescription glasses must not have tinted lenses. Always check the current procedure with the office receiving your application.
Italian passport photo guidanceFor an Italian driving licence: 40–45 mm high by 32–35 mm wide; recent, front-facing, on a plain light background. The Ministry guidance refers to ICAO criteria: transparent lenses, visible eyes and no frame covering the eyes. The final check belongs to the official system and office.
Italian driving licence photoLight and background
Choose a plain background with no objects behind the subject. Use even light on the face: avoid a window behind you, strong facial shadows and mixed colour temperatures in the room.
Place the camera at eye level and keep it still. If possible, ask another person to take the picture; otherwise use a stand and self-timer. A close selfie can distort perspective and make framing harder.
During the photo
Photograph one person only, facing forward and centred. Look at the camera, keep the eyes open and visible, and use a neutral expression with a closed mouth where the document requires it. Hair, glasses, hats and accessories must not cover the eyes or facial features.
Do not use filters, artificial blur, object removal or edits that change the face. Cropping cannot fix a blurred, shadowed or heavily compressed photo: take it again instead.
Check before using the file
The face should be in focus, evenly lit and free from strong shadows; the eyes should be visible without strong reflections.
Check that the background is plain, the face is forward and centred, and there is enough space for the required format.
Use the original file and compare its format, printed copies and delivery method with the current instructions for the application.
Frequently asked questions
No. Each document can require a different size, pose, background, printed copy or file. Always check the official page for the authority receiving the application.
A close selfie can create an unnatural perspective and make it harder to keep the required framing. If possible, use a stand and self-timer or ask another person to take the picture.
No. Do not use filters, beauty effects or edits that change the face. If the light, background or sharpness is not suitable, take the photo again.
No. The authority receiving the application makes the final decision. This guide helps you avoid common photographic errors.
Italian CIE photo requirements · Ministry of the Interior · Italian passport photograph · Polizia di Stato · Italian driving licence photographs · Portale dell’Automobilista · Italian ID card in Milan · Comune di Milano · Milan CIE photo size and ICAO standards · Comune di Milano (Italian) · Milan CIE: printed ID photos only · Comune di Milano (Italian)
For babies and children, document requirements and the photo session need extra attention.Babies and children
For a baby or child, check the application instructions first and allow enough time for the picture. The child needs to be alone in the frame when the procedure requires it.
Flash ID Photo Lab
In Milan, Flash ID Photo Lab prepares photos for Italian ID cards, passports, driving licences and specific applications. Bring the instructions you received: the relevant authority always makes the final decision.