Get the right photo size for Indian travel documents
Indian passport and visa forms usually want a 2×2 inch square, but OCI, PAN, PCC, and exam forms often use other crops. Matching the form—not a generic “passport size”—is what keeps applications moving.
Passport Seva and many Indian visa portals describe a white or light background with a clear front view. The familiar 2×2 inch (51×51 mm) square is the default for passports and a large share of visa uploads, yet it is not universal across every Indian form.
OCI and some older PIO-related sheets may list 50.8×50.8 mm or even 35×35 mm. PAN cards commonly use 25×35 mm. Exam and “stamp size” boxes (20×25 mm, NEET postcard sizes, UPSC 40×50 mm) are not travel-document photos—cropping a passport square into those boxes will fail.
Online visa systems also enforce file size and JPEG quality. A sharp square that looks fine on screen can still be rejected if it is over-compressed or stretched from a rectangular phone shot.
Use the passport or visa guides below for posing rules. Keep this hub as your size map when the form name does not match a single obvious category.
| Specification | Official requirement |
|---|---|
| Passport (Passport Seva) | 51 × 51 mm (2 × 2 in) |
| Many visa / e-visa uploads | 51 × 51 mm square JPEG |
| OCI / some digital IDs | Often 50.8 × 50.8 mm — check the form |
| PAN card | 25 × 35 mm |
| Stamp-size boxes | 20 × 25 mm (not a passport substitute) |
| PCC / some online slots | About 50.8 × 50.8 mm |
Always confirm the latest rules on the official government site before you submit.
Cream or textured walls, wrong head size after a selfie, and beauty filters cause most delays.
- Read the millimetre or inch line on your exact PDF or portal—do not copy a neighbour’s photo size.
- Shoot in soft daylight facing a plain wall; ceiling lamps often cast a shadow behind the head.
- Keep both ears visible when the checklist asks for a full-face view.
- Export a high-quality JPEG for uploads; print matte copies only when the form asks for physical photos.
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Can I print my own passport photo at home?
Will a home-printed photo be accepted?
What size should I print?
- • Square crop for most passport and visa photos
- • Plain light background without patterns or props
- • Face centred, looking straight at the camera
- • Neutral expression, mouth closed
- • No sunglasses or tinted lenses
- • Religious headwear only if the full face stays visible
- • Submitting a rectangular phone selfie stretched into a square
- • Using a colourful curtain or textured wall as the background
- • Uploading a heavily filtered or beauty-app face
- • Sending a PAN or stamp-size crop for a passport appointment
- • File larger than the portal limit after you already cropped correctly
Is every Indian passport photo exactly 2×2 inches?
Almost all Passport Seva guidance centres on a 2×2 inch square, but always read the appointment slip. Other Indian documents (PAN, exams) use different sizes.
Can I use my visa photo for a passport appointment?
Only if both ask for the same square size and quality. Many people still retake for freshness and lighting.
Does India allow glasses in passport photos?
Tinted lenses are refused. Clear prescription glasses may be restricted depending on the current checklist—prefer photos without glasses when you can.
What background colour works best?
White or very light grey, evenly lit. Avoid cream walls that turn yellow on camera.
Can I smile?
Keep a neutral expression with the mouth closed. Broad smiles are a frequent rejection reason.
How recent must the photo be?
Use a photo from the last six months that still looks like you. Do not reuse the image printed in an old passport.
Why was my e-visa photo rejected for “quality”?
Often the file was soft, noisy, or over-compressed—not just the wrong crop. Re-export a sharper JPEG within the size limit.
Where should I start if I need OCI and a passport photo?
Prepare the passport square first, then check the OCI form for any alternate millimetre size before you print a second set.
What are Indian passport photo requirements?
Passport Seva usually wants a recent 2×2 inch colour square with a white or light background and a neutral expression. Confirm your appointment slip if another Indian form asks for a different crop.