Romania Passport Photo

Romanian Passport Photo -- Dealing With the Directia de Pasapoarte

Romania's passport system has undergone a significant modernization push since the country joined the EU in 2007, but the process still involves navigating a bureaucratic structure that many Romanians find time-consuming. The General Directorate of Passports (Directia Generala de Pasapoarte), operating under the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Ministerul Afacerilor Interne, MAI), handles all passport issuance through county-level passport services (Serviciul de Pasapoarte) in each of Romania's 41 judete (counties) plus the municipality of Bucharest. The requirements are published at pasapoarte.mai.gov.ro.

Romania is one of the EU's most active passport-issuing countries relative to its population. With roughly 4 million Romanians living in other EU member states (the largest diaspora relative to population of any EU country), demand for passport services both domestically and at consulates is consistently high. Romanian consulates in Spain, Italy, Germany, the UK, and France process enormous volumes, and appointment waiting times at popular consular locations can stretch to several weeks during peak periods.

Photo Specifications

Dimensions:

• 35 x 45 mm (413 x 531 pixels at 300 DPI)
• Head height: 25-35 mm from chin to crown of head
• Face centered in the frame, eyes approximately in the upper third
• Printed on photo-quality paper -- glossy or matte

Background:

• White (alb), uniformly lit
• No shadows, patterns, or objects visible behind the subject
• Romania requires pure white -- light grey is not accepted

Expression and pose:

• Neutral expression (expresie neutra), mouth closed, both eyes open
• Face square to the camera, not tilted or turned
• Full face visible from chin to crown, forehead not obscured by hair

Prohibited items:

• No glasses of any kind, including clear prescription frames. Romania follows the EU biometric standard.
• No head coverings except for religious reasons (requires a written declaration; full face must remain visible from chin to forehead)
• No colored or cosmetic contact lenses
• No headphones, earbuds, or electronic devices
• No uniforms (military, police, or professional)

Photo currency: Must be taken within the last 6 months.

How the Romanian Passport Application Works

Romanian passport applications are submitted in person at the Serviciul de Pasapoarte (passport service) in your county seat. In Bucharest, the main office is the Directia Generala de Pasapoarte on Strada Nicolae Iorga. You need:

• Your carte de identitate (national ID card) -- valid and not expired
• Your old passport (if renewing)
• One biometric photo (35x45mm)
• The application form (cerere), available at the office or downloadable
• Proof of payment of the consular tax (taxa consulara)

The clerk at the counter inspects your photo visually and then feeds it into the biometric scanner. Both checks must pass. If the photo is rejected at either stage, you cannot proceed and must return with a new photo.

Appointment system: Romania has introduced an online appointment system (programare online) for some passport offices, including Bucharest. However, availability is limited and appointment slots fill quickly -- especially before summer vacation season and the Christmas travel period. Walk-ins are accepted at some offices, but expect long queues (2-4 hours is not uncommon at Bucharest's main office during peak periods).

Where to Get Passport Photos in Romania

Photo studios (studio foto / fotograf): The most reliable option. Studios specializing in document photography are found near every Serviciul de Pasapoarte office. In Bucharest, studios near the Directia Generala de Pasapoarte on Strada Nicolae Iorga and near the sector passport offices (Sector 1-6) are experienced with MAI specifications. Prices: 15-40 RON for a set of biometric photos. In smaller cities like Cluj-Napoca, Timisoara, Iasi, Constanta, and Brasov, studio prices range from 10-25 RON. Ask for "poze de pasaport" or "fotografie biometrica pentru pasaport."

Photo booths (cabina foto): Automated booths in Romanian shopping centres (AFI Cotroceni, Baneasa Shopping City, Iulius Mall in Cluj and Timisoara), hypermarkets (Carrefour, Auchan, Kaufland), and near some government buildings. Price: 10-25 RON for a strip of biometric photos. Quality has improved significantly in recent years, and most modern booths meet MAI requirements. Verify the booth uses a white background -- some older machines still default to light blue.

Hypermarket photo services: Carrefour, Cora, and some Auchan hypermarkets offer photo printing services at their photo counters. If you have a digital photo, print a sheet for approximately 2-5 RON. You handle cropping and cutting.

Photo printing at eMag Showroom / Altex: Electronics retailers with photo printing kiosks. Upload a digital file, print a 10x15cm sheet for approximately 2-5 RON, and cut to size. Only useful if your digital photo already meets specifications.

Carte de Identitate vs Pasaport

Romania's carte de identitate (CI) is the national ID card, mandatory for all Romanian citizens over 14. The CI and the pasaport use the same 35x45mm biometric photo format with a white background.

An important distinction: for the carte de identitate, the photo is typically taken on-site at the Directia de Evidenta a Persoanelor (population records office, commonly called "evidenta populatiei"). You do not bring your own photo. For the pasaport, you must bring your own printed photo to the Directia de Pasapoarte. Many Romanians applying for their first passport assume the same on-site photo process applies -- it does not.

Romanian Document Photo Sizes

Children's Passport Photos

Romanian children need their own passport from birth for international travel. Photo rules:

• Children under 6: expression deviations and partially closed eyes (infants) are tolerated. Must be photographed alone.
• Infants: place on a white surface and photograph from above. No parent hands, pacifiers, or toys visible.
• Children 6 and older: full adult biometric requirements apply
• Both parents must consent to a child's passport application. If one parent is absent, notarized consent (declaratie notariala) is required -- this is a common bottleneck in Romanian passport processing.

The Diaspora Challenge

For the estimated 4 million Romanians living abroad, passport applications at consulates present specific challenges:

• Wait times: Romanian consulates in Madrid, Rome, Milan, London, and Paris regularly have appointment backlogs of 3-8 weeks. During summer (June-August), waits can extend further.
• Photo compliance: Photos taken in the host country must still meet Romanian MAI specifications. Most western European photo booths default to white backgrounds, which is correct for Romania. However, verify that the head height and face positioning match Romanian standards.
• Mobile consular services: Romania occasionally deploys mobile consular teams to cities with large Romanian communities, offering passport services outside the main consulate. These events are announced on consular websites and typically require pre-registration.

Common Rejection Reasons

Romanian passport office clerks and the MAI biometric system flag these most frequently:

1. Glasses in the photo -- all types rejected, including clear prescription frames
2. Background not uniformly white -- shadows, off-white tones, and light blue backgrounds (from older photo booths) are rejected
3. Head size incorrect -- the biometric scanner checks the 25-35mm chin-to-crown range automatically
4. Photo on regular paper -- must be proper photo paper. Home inkjet prints on copy paper are rejected.
5. Photo older than 6 months -- particularly scrutinized for applicants who have changed their appearance
6. Expression not neutral -- smiling, raised eyebrows, or open mouth

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I bring my own photo to the passport office or is it taken there? A: For the pasaport, you must bring your own printed 35x45mm biometric photo. The Directia de Pasapoarte does not take your photo on-site. For the carte de identitate, the photo is taken on-site at the Directia de Evidenta a Persoanelor.

Q: How much does a Romanian passport cost? A: The standard fee is 258 RON for adults (as of 2025-2026). Express processing costs more. Children's passports have reduced fees.

Q: How long does a Romanian passport take to process? A: Standard processing: 15 business days for simple passports (pasaport simplu temporar: 3 days). The electronic passport (pasaport simplu electronic) takes up to 15 business days domestically. Consular applications take longer -- 30-45 days on average.

Q: I live in Spain. Can I renew my Romanian passport at the consulate? A: Yes. Bring a biometric photo, your carte de identitate, your old passport, and the application fee. Book an appointment online well in advance -- Madrid and Barcelona consulates are heavily booked.

Q: What is the difference between "pasaport simplu electronic" and "pasaport simplu temporar"? A: The pasaport simplu electronic is the standard biometric passport valid for 5 years (adults) or 3 years (children under 12). The pasaport simplu temporar is a temporary non-electronic passport issued in urgent situations (valid 1 year), processed in approximately 3 business days.

Q: Can I get a Romanian passport if I only have an expired carte de identitate? A: No. You must have a valid carte de identitate to apply for a passport. Renew your CI first at the Directia de Evidenta a Persoanelor, then apply for the passport with the new CI.