Italian CIE photo rules in plain words
The Consulate General of Italy refers to the ICAO photo guidelines. For the CIE, the photo is the same one as for the passport: 35x45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in) at 300 DPI, with the head measuring 32-36 mm from chin to crown.
- Background: white, evenly lit.
- Glasses: allowed with no glare.
- Head covering: religious reasons only, with the face fully visible.
- Age of the photo: taken within 6 months.
- Copies: one.
What "evenly lit" means
The word evenly matters as much as the colour. A white wall with a bright patch on one side and a grey patch on the other will not look white in the photo. The same goes for the face: light should fall equally on both cheeks, with no shadow under the nose or chin. Soft daylight from a window, with the light in front of you, is the simplest source.
How to take it at home with a phone
Face a plain white wall and stand a short distance from it, so your head does not cast a shadow on the surface. Ask someone to hold the phone at eye level, and look straight at the lens. Keep a neutral expression, a closed mouth and both eyes open.
Clean the lenses of your glasses, if you wear them, and watch for window reflections. Keep some room around the head and shoulders for the crop.
Processing
The photo is processed in your browser and never uploaded. It is cropped to 35x45 mm, the background is made white and the head size is checked.
Common reasons for rejection
- A background that is uneven, grey or shadowed.
- Light that is stronger on one side of the face.
- A head outside 32-36 mm.
- A photo older than 6 months.
- Glare on glasses.
- A head covering that hides part of the face.
Printing
This is a printed-photo submission. Print one copy at 35x45 mm and 300 DPI on photo paper, using actual size, and check it with a ruler. If you already have a passport photo of the same standard from the last 6 months, the same format applies.
If an authority rejects the photo, you get a full refund.
A quick lighting test
Take a test shot and look at the corners of the white background. If one corner is darker than the others, move the light or move yourself, and shoot again. Do the same for your face, comparing the left and right cheek. Two or three test shots usually fix the problem, and they cost nothing, which is why it is worth checking before you upload the final picture.