Independent reference to official photo rules

Not affiliated with any government. Always confirm with the issuing authority before you apply.

WorldPhotoSpecsOfficial photo rules for every country

Passports

India passport photo requirements

The 35 × 45 mm photo rules set by Ministry of External Affairs, Passport Seva for the India passport, with the official wording and sources.

Based on 20 official sources · last checked Official sources Page history

Rate this page

Quick answer

What size is the India passport photo?

An Indian passport photo is 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in) as a print, or 630 x 810 pixels as a JPG or JPEG file of up to 250 KB when you apply through an Indian mission abroad. The face fills 80 to 85% of the frame, the background is plain white, and the photo must be in colour and unaltered by software. In India you normally bring no photo: it is taken at the Passport Seva Kendra, except for children under 4.

Indian passports are issued by the Ministry of External Affairs through Passport Seva, and the photo works differently depending on where you apply. In India you fill in the form online, book an appointment and go in person to a Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK). Your photograph and fingerprints are captured there, so Passport Seva tells applicants that no photograph is needed. The one exception is a child below 4 years of age, who must bring a recent print 3.5 cm wide and 4.5 cm high on a white background.

Outside India, embassies and consulates now use Global Passport Seva Version 2.0. You complete the form on the online portal and upload your photo, signature and documents before handing in the application at the mission or at its outsourced centre, such as VFS Global in the United States. Missions announced that from 1 September 2025 they accept only photos that follow the ICAO standard: 630 x 810 pixels, a white background and a face filling 80 to 85% of the frame. Some missions also want prints of the same image.

You may still find other sizes quoted. A few mission pages describe a 2 x 2 inch (51 x 51 mm) passport photo: the Embassy of India in The Hague keeps a 2 x 2 inch photo page, while its February 2026 passport checklist asks for two 35 x 45 mm prints. When pages from one mission disagree, follow its newest checklist and the portal. The ICAO rule describes a rectangular 630 x 810 image, so a square 35 x 35 mm photo does not meet it.

India passport photo size and specifications

The requirements as published by Ministry of External Affairs, Passport Seva:[1]

Print size35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in), width x height, where a print is asked for
Digital size630 x 810 pixels (Global Passport Seva upload, applications through Indian missions)
Head heightFace takes up 80 to 85% of the photograph; close-up of the head and top of the shoulders
BackgroundPlain white, without shadows
ColourColour, with natural skin tones
Photo ageRecent; VFS Global in the US asks for a photo taken within 6 months
File sizeUp to 250 KB for the photograph (signature up to 100 KB)
File formatJPG or JPEG
Print qualityGood quality photo paper, clear continuous-tone print; computer printouts refused (Passport Seva, under-4s)
Pixels when printed413 × 531 px at 300 dpi · 827 × 1063 px at 600 dpi (calculated)
35 mm45 mm36–38.3 mm
35 × 45 mm photo drawn to scale, with the 36–38.3 mm head height from chin to crown. Background: plain white.

In the official words

Exact wording from the official sources, quoted because the details matter:

Photos should be unaltered by computer software.

Guidelines for ICAO Compliant Photographs for Passport Applications[1]

Photograph in computer print will not be accepted

FAQs: Services Available (photographs for minors, change of appearance)[4]

Key requirements

  • Exactly 630 x 810 pixels

    The Global Passport Seva portal states the photograph dimensions as 630 x 810 pixels and takes JPG or JPEG files of up to 250 KB, with a separate signature file of up to 100 KB. Its automatic checks look at face size, blur, tilt, lighting, red eye and the background, and tell you what to fix before you try again.

  • Close-up framing

    The MEA asks for a close-up of the head and the top of the shoulders, with the face taking up 80 to 85% of the photograph. The whole head should show, from the hair down to the chin, centred and level. The Embassy of India in Kuwait describes the same rule as roughly 85% face coverage.

  • No software changes

    The MEA guidelines say photos should be unaltered by computer software, and the portal repeats that your photo must be unaltered. If the colours look wrong, the portal suggests switching off the flash and filter settings and finding more natural light, rather than correcting the picture afterwards.

  • Glasses off, eyes clear

    The guidelines ask applicants to take glasses off so that they cause no reflections. Both eyes must be open and clearly visible, with no hair across them, no red eye and no flash glare on the face.

  • Mouth closed, natural look

    Look straight into the camera with a natural expression and your mouth closed. The portal refuses an open mouth, closed eyes and a turned or tilted head.

  • Distance and light

    Have the picture taken from 1.5 metres away, not closer, in even light that leaves no shadows on your face or the wall behind you. Blurred photos and photos that are too dark or too light fail the checks.

  • Medical exception

    Applicants with a facial deformity or a neurological disorder can ask for an exception to the ICAO photo upload. The portal asks for a valid certificate from a registered medical practitioner.

Do's and don'ts

Do

  • Stand about 1.5 metres from the camera.
  • Use a plain white background and even light.
  • Save the file as a 630 x 810 pixel JPG under 250 KB.
  • Wear dark or coloured clothes that stand out from the white background.
  • Keep both ears and the edges of your face visible.
  • Use the same image for the upload and for any print the mission wants.

Don't

  • Do not edit, filter or retouch the photo.
  • Do not wear glasses in the photo.
  • Do not open your mouth, grin or tilt your head.
  • Do not sign the printed photo.
  • Do not use a black and white photo or a computer printout.
  • Do not cut a photo out of a group picture.

Sample photos

How a India passport photo should look, and the mistakes that most often get photos rejected. Each example is drawn to this document's 35 × 45 mm, head height and background colour.

Correct
Open-mouth smile
Head tilted
Too close: head too big
Too far: head too small
Busy background
Shadows on face or background
Glare on glasses

Illustrations, not real photos. The official rules above always take priority; some documents do not allow glasses at all.

Glasses

Take your glasses off for an Indian passport photo. The MEA's ICAO guidelines say glasses should be removed so they do not reflect the light, and the Global Passport Seva portal flags reflections on lenses, advising you to take the glasses off or change the lighting.

The Passport Seva guidance for printed photos of young children also refuses pictures in which coloured or dark glasses hide the eyes. If a facial deformity or a neurological disorder stops you from meeting the photo rules, the portal offers an exception backed by a certificate from a registered medical practitioner.

Headwear and religious dress

Hats and head coverings are not allowed unless you wear them for religious reasons. A religious covering may stay on as long as your face shows clearly from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead, with both sides of the face visible.

VFS Global's upload instructions for the US go further: they ask for the forehead to be visible, with no hair, cap, hijab or turban covering it, and say that a turban should be light in colour, white or light blue. Read the instructions of the mission you apply to before the photo is taken.

Babies and children

Every applicant, babies included, has to attend the PSK or POPSK in person. From the age of 4 the photo is taken there. For a child below 4, Passport Seva asks parents to bring a recent passport-size print, 4.5 x 3.5 cm (35 x 45 mm), with a white background.

Its guidelines for these photos follow the ICAO pattern: a colour close-up of the head and shoulders with the face filling 80 to 85% of the frame, the child looking at the camera with eyes open, even light without shadows or red eye, and the head centred. Only one colour print goes in the photo box of the form. It must not be smaller than the box and must not be signed.

Which format you need depends on the channel. Applications made in India need no photo at all, apart from the 35 x 45 mm print for a child under 4. Diplomatic and official passport applicants are the other exception: they paste two colour 4.5 x 3.5 cm photos with a white background on the printed form.

Applications made through an Indian mission need the 630 x 810 pixel JPG uploaded to the portal, and some missions add prints. VFS Global in the US asks for one 35 x 45 mm print identical to the uploaded photo, and the Embassy of India in The Hague asks for two 35 x 45 mm prints with a light background. A digital photo can be cropped and resized to exactly 630 x 810 pixels and printed at 35 x 45 mm on a 4x6 inch sheet at a photo counter. Use real photo paper: Passport Seva refuses computer printouts for children's photos.

The older 2 x 2 inch (51 x 51 mm) size survives on mission pages written before the ICAO rule, such as an earlier passport checklist from the High Commission of India in Ottawa. That High Commission now makes an ICAO-compliant photo upload mandatory.

Where to submit the photo

In India, apply on the Passport Seva portal or mobile app, book an appointment and attend the PSK or POPSK with your original documents; the photo is taken at the counter. To change the photo in an existing passport, for example after your appearance has changed, apply for a re-issue.

Abroad, fill in the form on the Global Passport Seva portal for the mission that covers where you live, upload the photo and signature, then submit at the mission or its application centre. In the US, the Embassy of India sends passport applicants to VFS Global and says the photo, signature and document uploads are mandatory: without them the application is not accepted.

How to get your India passport photo

  1. Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the India passport: 35 × 45 mm print, 630 × 810 px digital file, plain white background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
  2. Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: exactly 630 x 810 pixels; close-up framing; no software changes; glasses off, eyes clear.
  3. Prepare a print or digital file. Which format you need depends on the channel. Applications made in India need no photo at all, apart from the 35 x 45 mm print for a child under 4.
  4. Submit the photo with your application. In India, apply on the Passport Seva portal or mobile app, book an appointment and attend the PSK or POPSK with your original documents; the photo is taken at the counter.

Make this photo online

India passport photo FAQ

A printed Indian passport photo is 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in), the 4.5 x 3.5 cm size Passport Seva describes. The digital version uploaded through an Indian mission is 630 x 810 pixels, a JPG or JPEG file of up to 250 KB, with the face filling 80 to 85% of the picture on a white background.

No, unless the applicant is under 4. Passport Seva captures the photograph and fingerprints of every applicant at the PSK or POPSK. For a child below 4 years, bring one recent colour print of 4.5 x 3.5 cm with a white background, following the Passport Seva guidelines for minors.

Missions use Global Passport Seva Version 2.0, and since 1 September 2025 they accept only ICAO-compliant photos. Upload a colour JPG of exactly 630 x 810 pixels, up to 250 KB, with a white background and the face filling 80 to 85% of the frame, taken from 1.5 metres with your mouth closed and glasses off. Check whether your mission also wants prints: VFS Global in the US asks for one 35 x 45 mm print identical to the upload.

No. The MEA's photo guidelines say to take glasses off to avoid reflections, and the passport portal flags photos with glare on the lenses. Dark or coloured lenses that hide the eyes are refused as well.

The MEA guidelines say photos should be unaltered by computer software, and the Global Passport Seva portal repeats that the photo must be unaltered. Take the picture in front of a plain white background with even light instead of fixing it afterwards. VFS Global in the US does tell applicants to crop the photo and resize it to exactly 630 x 810 pixels before uploading.

Not under the current rules. The MEA's ICAO guidelines call for 630 x 810 pixels, which is the 35 x 45 mm shape, and VFS Global in the US and the Embassy of India in The Hague both ask for 35 x 45 mm prints. Some older mission pages still mention 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm); follow your mission's newest checklist.

Apply for a re-issue of your passport. Passport Seva says this is the route when your appearance has changed or when a child's photo needs updating. In India the new photo is taken at the PSK; abroad you upload a new ICAO-compliant photo with the re-issue application. VFS Global in the US also asks for a change-of-appearance form with a photo affixed.

Keep the expression natural and the mouth closed. The MEA guidelines say the mouth should not be open, and Passport Seva's guidance for printed photos rules out grinning, frowning and raised eyebrows. VFS Global's US instructions ask for no smiling or frowning.

Related photo specifications

Other India documents

Passports nearby

Also 35 × 45 mm

Was this page helpful?

No ratings yet. Be the first to rate this page.

Official sources

  1. Ministry of External Affairs, Passport Seva. Guidelines for ICAO Compliant Photographs for Passport Applications mportal.passportindia.gov.in. Checked 3 November 2026.
  2. Ministry of External Affairs, Passport Seva. Global Passport Seva portal (GPSP 2.0), photo upload guidance mportal.passportindia.gov.in. Checked 3 November 2026.
  3. Ministry of External Affairs, Passport Seva. Getting Started passportindia.gov.in. Checked 3 November 2026.
  4. Ministry of External Affairs, Passport Seva. FAQs: Services Available (photographs for minors, change of appearance) passportindia.gov.in. Checked 3 November 2026.
  5. Ministry of External Affairs, Passport Seva. Guidelines for Capturing Photographs for Minors below 4 Years of Age passportindia.gov.in. Checked 3 November 2026.
  6. Ministry of External Affairs, Passport Seva. FAQs: Application Form (diplomatic and official passports) passportindia.gov.in. Checked 3 November 2026.
  7. Embassy of India, Washington DC. Passport Services indianembassyusa.gov.in. Checked 3 November 2026.
  8. VFS Global, Indian consular application centres in the USA. Adult checklist: re-issue of passport vfsglobal.com. Checked 3 November 2026.
  9. VFS Global, Indian consular application centres in the USA. Passport Seva photo and signature upload instructions assets.ctfassets.net. Checked 3 November 2026.
  10. Embassy of India, Kuwait. Advisory on ICAO Compliant Photograph for Indian Passport Applicants indembkwt.gov.in. Checked 3 November 2026.
  11. Embassy of India, The Hague. Checklists for Passport indianembassynetherlands.gov.in. Checked 3 November 2026.
  12. Embassy of India, The Hague. Basic requirements and photo specifications indianembassynetherlands.gov.in. Checked 3 November 2026.
  13. Ministry of External Affairs, Passport Seva. Guides (ordinary passport and minors) passportindia.gov.in. Checked 3 November 2026.
  14. Embassy of India, Washington DC. Guidelines for ICAO compliant photographs (PDF) indianembassyusa.gov.in. Checked 3 November 2026.
  15. Embassy of India, Bern. Notice on ICAO photo requirements indembassybern.gov.in. Checked 3 November 2026.
  16. VFS Global. Indian passport and consular services in the USA services.vfsglobal.com. Checked 3 November 2026.
  17. Consulate General of India, Milan. Mandatory uploading of ICAO photograph, signature and documents cgimilan.gov.in. Checked 3 November 2026.
  18. Consulate General of India, Jeddah. Global Passport Seva Version 2.0 (PDF) cgijeddah.gov.in. Checked 3 November 2026.
  19. Embassy of India, Paris. Practical guidelines for uploading photo and signature (PDF, 29 April 2026) eoiparis.gov.in. Checked 3 November 2026.
  20. Embassy of India, Astana. Passport renewal from 1 July 2026 (PDF) indembastana.gov.in. Checked 3 November 2026.

Requirements can change, so always confirm with Ministry of External Affairs, Passport Seva before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.

Cite this page

"India passport photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/india/passport-photo

Categories: