The India regular visa photo rules in plain words
The photo is square: 2x2 inches (51x51 mm), which is 603x603 pixels at 300 DPI. The digital file is a JPEG of 10 KB to 300 KB. For the e-Visa, up to 1 MB is allowed. The full head, from top of hair to chin, measures 25-35 mm.
- Background: plain light-coloured or white, with no shadows and no border.
- Eye height: from 1 1/8 in (28.6 mm) from the bottom. The official page cuts off the upper limit, and 1 3/8 in is implied.
- Glasses: the rule is not stated, so removing them is safest.
- Head covering: religious only, face fully visible.
- Submission: printed and digital.
Printed copy as well
Some missions also want a printed 2x2 inch photo to go with the printed form. Look at the instructions of the mission handling your application, because the printed and online requirements can both apply.
How to take the photo at home with a phone
Find a plain white or light wall, free of patterns, and stand about a metre in front of it so you do not cast a shadow. Face a window for even light. A helper should hold the phone at eye level and shoot from a short distance, keeping the camera upright so the picture is square on.
- Take off your glasses, since the rule is unclear.
- Look straight into the lens with a neutral expression.
- Keep the whole head in view with the face centred.
- Take several pictures and keep the sharpest.
Common reasons an India visa photo is rejected
- Not square. A rectangular picture will be refused or stretched.
- File too small or too large. Outside 10-300 KB for the standard visa.
- Shadows or a border. The background must be clean and without frame.
- Head size outside 25-35 mm. Too small to verify, or cropped too tightly.
- Dark or patterned background. Use plain light or white.
- Blur. A soft or low-resolution file will not be accepted.
Printing or uploading
For the online form, upload the JPG as it is and do not resize it again, as extra compression can break the pixel size or file limit. For a paper form, print the photo at 2x2 inches on photo paper at 300 DPI.
The picture is processed in your browser and not uploaded to our servers. If an authority rejects a photo made with our tool, you can ask for a full refund within 30 days by email.