ID photo requirements in India

In different countries, the requirements for photo documents differ. You need to read them carefully, because even in one country, different requirements for a photo are different for different documents. Webappium tried to study these parameters and help make it as easy as possible to create a photo of the desired size and provide a link to the current requirements. You can also choose the size of the paper on which you plan to print the photo.

Photograph requirements in India differ depending on the document, and passport photos changed significantly in September 2025.

Photograph for the Indian passport

Source: Passport Seva, Ministry of External Affairs of India
Format: Since 1 September 2025 the passport photo is submitted only as a digital upload through the Passport Seva portal or the mPassport app: a JPEG exactly 630 x 810 pixels (35 x 45 mm, roughly 450 DPI), between 10 KB and 250 KB. The old square 2 x 2 inch photo is no longer accepted.
Background: The background must be plain, bright white. Off-white, cream and light grey backgrounds are not accepted.
Head size and Orientation: Full face, front view, eyes open, neutral expression, mouth closed. The face should occupy about 80-85% of the frame.
General requirements: No spectacles or tinted glasses of any kind are allowed on the new-format photo. No filters, retouching or background edits are permitted, and there should be no shadows on the face or background.
The photo should be recent, taken within the last 6 months.

Create a photo for an Indian passport

Photograph for an Indian visa (e-Visa)

Source: India Visa Online, Ministry of External Affairs of India
Size: 51 x 51 mm (2 x 2 inches), square. The head, from top of hair to bottom of chin, should measure 25-35 mm (1 to 1-3/8 inches).
Format: JPEG, minimum 10 KB. Maximum file size is 300 KB for BLS/VFS visa application centres and up to 1 MB on the e-Visa portal.
Background: Plain light-coloured or white background, no shadows on the face or background, no borders around the photo.
General requirements: Full face, front view, eyes open, head centred and facing the camera directly. Eyeglasses are allowed only without tinted lenses or glare.
Head coverings: Head coverings are not permitted except for religious reasons, but the facial features from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead and both edges of the face must be clearly visible.
The photo should be recent, taken within the last 6 months.

Create a photo for an Indian visa

Photograph for an OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card

Source: OCI Services, Ministry of Home Affairs of India
Size: 51 x 51 mm (2 x 2 inches), square, colour photo with continuous-tone quality.
Background: Plain, light-coloured background. Unlike the visa photo, a pure white background is not recommended for the OCI card.
Head size and Orientation: Full face, front view, head centred in the frame, height of head 25-35 mm (1 to 1-3/8 inches), eye height between 28-35 mm from the bottom of the photo.
General requirements: Eyes must be open, level and clearly visible, not covered by hair or eyeglass frames. Mouth closed, neutral expression, even lighting with no shadows on the face or background.
Head coverings: Head coverings are not permitted except for religious reasons, but the facial features from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead and both edges of the face must be clearly shown.
The photo cannot be a selfie — have someone else take it for you.

Create a photo for an OCI card

Photo provided by Passport Seva, Ministry of External Affairs of India