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India PCC / birth certificate photo requirements

The 2 × 2 in photo rules set by Ministry of External Affairs, Passport Seva for the India PCC / birth certificate, with the official wording and sources.

Based on 19 official sources · last checked Official sources Page history

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Quick answer

What size is the India PCC / birth certificate photo?

There is no single size. Inside India, a police clearance certificate (PCC) is applied for through Passport Seva and your photo is taken at the Passport Seva Kendra. Abroad, each Indian mission sets its own list: VFS Global in the US asks for two 2 x 2 inch (51 x 51 mm) prints for a PCC and for birth registration, while the UK and Australian centres want two ICAO-style 35 x 45 mm prints that match a photo uploaded online.

A police clearance certificate (PCC) is issued to Indian passport holders who need one for a residence permit, a job, a long-term visa or immigration; Indian missions do not issue one for a tourist visa. Passport Seva notes that a PCC is not strictly a passport service but a requirement of foreign governments, generally treated as valid for six months. In India you apply online through Passport Seva and attend a PSK or POPSK, where photographs and fingerprints are captured, so you bring no photo.

Abroad, the Indian embassy or consulate issues the PCC, and each one publishes its own checklist. The Embassy of India in Washington has moved PCC applications to Global Passport Seva Version 2.0 with an ICAO-compliant photo upload, and its VFS Global checklist also asks for two 2 x 2 inch prints. VFS Global centres in the UK and Australia want two 35 x 45 mm ICAO-style prints that match the upload, and the Consulate General of India in Munich asks for one print of 4.5 x 3.5 cm.

The same missions register the births of children born abroad to Indian parents, using an online Ministry of Home Affairs form, and some issue a birth certificate based on an Indian passport. These services need passport-size photos too: VFS Global in the US asks for two 51 x 51 mm prints with a white background, and the High Commission of India in Ottawa asks for two recent 2 x 2 inch colour photos of the child.

India PCC / birth certificate photo size and specifications

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

Print sizeSet by each mission: 2 x 2 in (51 x 51 mm) at VFS Global US; 35 x 45 mm at VFS Global UK and Australia and in Munich
Digital sizeGPSP 2.0 upload for a PCC: 630 x 810 pixels (ICAO guidelines, VFS Global Australia)
Head heightFace takes up 80 to 85% of the photo where the ICAO guidelines apply (Australia)
BackgroundWhite (UK, Australia, US birth services); plain light-coloured (US PCC)
ColourColour
Photo ageNot older than 6 months (VFS Global US)
Print qualityPhotographic paper (US); good quality photo paper, no computer prints (CGI Munich)
Pixels when printed600 × 600 px at 300 dpi · 1200 × 1200 px at 600 dpi (calculated)
2 in2 in40.6–43.2 mm
2 × 2 in photo drawn to scale, with the 40.6–43.2 mm head height from chin to crown. Background: white.

In the official words

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

Photos should be unaltered by computer software.

PCC checklist 2025[7]

Photograph in computer print will not be accepted

How to apply for PCC[8]

Key requirements

  • In India, no photo to bring

    For a PCC applied for in India, Passport Seva requires applicants to appear at the PSK or POPSK, where photographs and biometrics are taken. A PCC can be issued to a minor if a foreign government asks for one, and no age limit is set.

  • Abroad, the checklist decides

    Sizes differ by mission: two 2 x 2 inch (51 x 51 mm) prints at VFS Global in the US, two 35 x 45 mm prints at VFS Global in the UK and Australia, and one 4.5 x 3.5 cm print at the Consulate General of India in Munich. Use the checklist of the mission that covers where you live.

  • Upload first where the portal asks

    VFS Global in the UK advises uploading the photo, signature and documents before the appointment, the Australian checklist says an application is not accepted without them, and Munich rejects applications with wrong photo specifications. The ICAO-style upload is 630 x 810 pixels with the face filling 80 to 85% of the frame.

  • Prints identical to the upload

    The UK and Munich checklists ask for the printed photo to be the same as the one uploaded online, and the US checklist asks for prints no older than 6 months.

  • Photos of the child for birth registration

    To register a birth in the US, VFS Global wants two identical 51 x 51 mm photos of the child taken within 6 months, on a white background, shoulders visible, without glasses or flash reflection, and in good light. The High Commission in Ottawa asks for two recent 2 x 2 inch colour photos of the child.

  • Dark clothes, plain background

    Several missions want dark clothing against a white background: VFS Global in the US for birth services, the High Commission in Ottawa for PCC photos, and the Munich consulate, which also refuses dark backgrounds and uniforms.

Do's and don'ts

Do

  • Follow the photo checklist of the mission handling your application.
  • Upload the photo and signature before the appointment where the portal asks.
  • Print on good quality photo paper.
  • Wear dark clothes against a white background.
  • Keep the prints identical to the uploaded photo.
  • Count the prints required: two in the US, UK and Australia, one in Munich.

Don't

  • Do not use a black and white photo.
  • Do not sign the photo.
  • Do not bring a photo printed on an office or home printer.
  • Do not wear glasses that hide or reflect on your eyes.
  • Do not use a picture cut from a group shot.
  • Do not alter the photo with software.

Sample photos

How a India PCC / birth certificate photo should look, and the mistakes that most often get photos rejected. Each example is drawn to this document's 2 × 2 in, 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

Leave glasses off. VFS Global's US checklists for birth registration, birth certificates and PCCs for foreign nationals say photos must be taken without glasses, and the ICAO guidelines attached to the Australian PCC checklist ask for glasses to be removed to avoid reflections.

The Munich consulate refuses photos with the eyes hidden behind coloured or dark glasses and, for clear lenses, suggests a slight upward or downward tilt of the head to avoid glare.

Headwear and religious dress

Religious head coverings are accepted on the Munich and Australian checklists, provided your whole face shows from chin to forehead and edge to edge.

Munich also asks for the head to be in the centre of the frame with both ears visible, and for hair to stay clear of the eyes. A natural expression is expected, with no grinning, frowning or raised eyebrows.

Babies and children

A PCC can be issued to minors when a foreign government asks for one, and Passport Seva sets no age limit for it. Each PCC application covers one country only.

For a birth registration, the photos show the newborn. The US checklist wants the shoulders in view and no flash reflection, and the two prints must be identical. In Ottawa the High Commission asks for two recent colour photos of the child at 2 x 2 inches, with the parents' passports and the child's birth certificate.

Inside India there is nothing to print. Abroad, most PCC applications now combine an upload on the Global Passport Seva portal with prints for the file. The Australian checklist attaches the MEA's ICAO guidelines, with a 630 x 810 pixel image, a white background and the face filling 80 to 85% of the frame, and asks for two 35 x 45 mm prints.

The square 35 x 35 mm size appears in older BLS International checklists for the Toronto and Ottawa jurisdictions, which ask for four such photos. The High Commission of India in Ottawa's own PCC checklist from June 2022 asks for one 2 x 2 inch photo, and the High Commission now makes an ICAO-compliant photo upload mandatory. Check the current checklist before printing. A digital photo can be printed at the size your mission asks for on a 4x6 inch sheet at a photo counter.

Where to submit the photo

In India, register on the Passport Seva portal or app, fill in the PCC form, book an appointment and visit the PSK or POPSK; PCC applications are not accepted at Passport Seva camps. The PCC is sent to your address once a clear police verification report arrives.

Abroad, complete the online application for your mission, print it, and hand it in with your documents and photos at the mission or its application centre. In the US, VFS Global takes PCC applications in person by appointment or by courier.

For a birth registration in the US, fill in the online MHA form, print two copies signed by both parents, and send them to VFS Global with the photos, the child's birth certificate and the parents' documents.

How to get your India PCC / birth certificate photo

  1. Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the India PCC / birth certificate: 2 × 2 in print, 630 × 810 px digital file, white background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
  2. Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: in India, no photo to bring; abroad, the checklist decides; upload first where the portal asks; prints identical to the upload.
  3. Prepare a print or digital file. Inside India there is nothing to print. Abroad, most PCC applications now combine an upload on the Global Passport Seva portal with prints for the file.
  4. Submit the photo with your application. In India, register on the Passport Seva portal or app, fill in the PCC form, book an appointment and visit the PSK or POPSK; PCC applications are not accepted at Passport Seva camps.

Make this photo online

India PCC / birth certificate photo FAQ

It depends on where you apply. In India no photo is needed, because it is taken at the PSK or POPSK. Abroad, follow your mission's checklist: VFS Global in the US asks for two 2 x 2 inch (51 x 51 mm) prints, the UK and Australian VFS Global centres want two 35 x 45 mm ICAO-style prints, and the Munich consulate one 4.5 x 3.5 cm print.

No. Passport Seva says all applicants, including infants, must be present at the PSK or POPSK to give their fingerprints and photographs, and its guidance for the visit says a photograph is not required.

Passport-size photos of the child. VFS Global in the US asks for two identical 51 x 51 mm prints with a white background, taken within 6 months, showing the shoulders, without glasses or flash reflection. The High Commission of India in Ottawa asks for two recent 2 x 2 inch colour photographs. Registration starts with an online form from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Yes, where both are required. VFS Global in the UK asks for prints that are the same as the photo uploaded online, and the Munich consulate asks you to attach one colour photo that matches the uploaded one. Munich rejects applications with wrong photo specifications.

Only where the checklist asks for it. Older BLS International checklists for Toronto and Ottawa ask for four 35 x 35 mm photos, but the High Commission in Ottawa's own PCC checklist asks for 2 x 2 inches, and the US, UK, Australian and Munich checklists use 2 x 2 inches or 35 x 45 mm. Confirm with your mission before printing.

Yes, where the mission issues PCCs to foreigners who lived in India. VFS Global in the US asks foreign nationals for two identical 51 x 51 mm photos with a white background, taken within 6 months and without glasses, pasted on a miscellaneous application form.

Passport Seva says no validity period is specified for a PCC, but foreign governments generally treat it as valid for six months. One application covers one country only.

Related photo specifications

Other India documents

Other documents nearby

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Official sources

  1. Ministry of External Affairs, Passport Seva. FAQs: Services Available (Issue of Police Clearance Certificate) passportindia.gov.in. Checked 1 November 2026.
  2. Ministry of External Affairs, Passport Seva. Getting Started passportindia.gov.in. Checked 1 November 2026.
  3. Ministry of External Affairs, Passport Seva. FAQs: Passport Seva Camp passportindia.gov.in. Checked 1 November 2026.
  4. Embassy of India, Washington DC. Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) for Indian Nationals indianembassyusa.gov.in. Checked 1 November 2026.
  5. VFS Global, Indian consular application centres in the USA. PCC checklist (August 2026) vfsglobal.com. Checked 1 November 2026.
  6. VFS Global, Indian consular services in the UK. Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) Indian passport holders: document checklist vfsglobal.com. Checked 1 November 2026.
  7. VFS Global, Indian consular services in Australia. PCC checklist 2025 vfsglobal.com. Checked 1 November 2026.
  8. Consulate General of India, Munich. How to apply for PCC cgimunich.gov.in. Checked 1 November 2026.
  9. VFS Global, Indian consular application centres in the USA. Registration of birth checklist vfsglobal.com. Checked 1 November 2026.
  10. VFS Global, Indian consular application centres in the USA. Birth certificate checklist vfsglobal.com. Checked 1 November 2026.
  11. VFS Global, Indian consular application centres in the USA. PCC for non-Indian nationals checklist vfsglobal.com. Checked 1 November 2026.
  12. High Commission of India, Ottawa. Registration of Birth hciottawa.gov.in. Checked 1 November 2026.
  13. High Commission of India, Ottawa. Checklist and Information Booklet for PCC hciottawa.gov.in. Checked 1 November 2026.
  14. BLS International, for the High Commission of India in Canada. Police Clearance Certificate checklist, Toronto jurisdiction (Rev. 8.0) blsindia-canada.com. Checked 1 November 2026.
  15. Embassy of India, Washington DC. Guidelines for ICAO compliant photographs (PDF) indianembassyusa.gov.in. Checked 1 November 2026.
  16. VFS Global. Indian passport and consular services in the USA services.vfsglobal.com. Checked 1 November 2026.
  17. High Commission of India, Pretoria. Miscellaneous consular services form (PDF) hcipretoria.gov.in. Checked 1 November 2026.
  18. VFS Global, Indian consular application centres in the USA. Miscellaneous services form – PCC (PDF) vfsglobal.com. Checked 1 November 2026.
  19. Global Passport Seva Portal 2.0 mportal.passportindia.gov.in. Checked 1 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.

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"India PCC / birth certificate photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/india/pcc-birth-certificate-photo

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