Passport Photo Size in India: cm, mm, Pixels and KB (2026)
An Indian passport photo is 3.5cm x 4.5cm (35x45mm). If you apply online and visit a PSK, no photo is uploaded at all; it is captured live at the counter. Only paper applications at a DPC, Speed Post Centre or CSC need a pasted colour print of that size.
The Indian passport photograph size is 3.5cm wide by 4.5cm tall (35x45mm) on paper. If you apply online and visit a Passport Seva Kendra (PSK), no photo is uploaded at all; the counter captures it live. If you submit a paper application at a District Passport Cell, Speed Post Centre or Citizen Service Centre, you paste one colour print of that size in the box on the form.
Two very different rules depending on how you apply
Most applicants today book a PSK appointment online through the Passport Seva portal. The official Passport Seva instruction booklet says clearly that a photograph is not required for applications submitted at a PSK or Post Office PSK, since your photo is taken there with a camera at the counter as part of the biometric enrolment step. The paper-photo rule below only applies to the smaller number of applicants using a DPC, an authorised Speed Post Centre or a Citizen Service Centre such as a Common Service Centre kiosk.
This split explains why you will see two completely different answers online for "passport photo size": people applying through a PSK correctly say there is nothing to prepare, while people who filled the older paper route insist on a strict 3.5x4.5cm print. Both are right, just for different application paths.
| Document | Format | File size (KB) | Dimensions | Other rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photo (PSK / Post Office PSK applicants) | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Captured live at the counter; no photo upload or print needed |
| Photo (DPC/SPC/CSC paper applicants) | Colour print, continuous-tone photo paper | Not applicable (physical print) | 3.5cm (width) x 4.5cm (height) | Plain white background, dark clothing, not signed, no computer print, no dark glasses or uniform |
| Signature/thumb impression | Handwritten in the box on the form | Not applicable | Must stay inside the box, not touching the boundary | Illiterate applicants use a left thumb impression instead |
Source: Passport Seva Application Form Instruction Booklet, passportindia.gov.in (checked September 2026).
Need a print-ready photo for a DPC/SPC application, an old passport renewal record, or a visa form that still wants a JPEG? Use the passport size photo maker to crop to 3.5x4.5cm and get a print sheet.
cm, mm, inches and pixels, side by side
Since different portals and forms quote the size differently, here is the same measurement in every unit you might see:
- 3.5cm x 4.5cm
- 35mm x 45mm
- Approximately 1.38 inches x 1.77 inches
Be careful with pages that quote a pixel size or KB range as if it applies to every Indian passport. The instruction booklet for applications in India does not publish a pixel or KB figure, because for most applicants the photo is taken live at the PSK. The 630x810px, up to 250KB figures come from ICAO photo notices issued by Indian missions abroad (for example the Embassy of India in Berne, effective 1 December 2025) for passport and visa applications filed through that mission. If you are applying from abroad, follow your own mission's notice; if your form in India asks for a scanned photo, check that form's own KB limit.
Getting the physical print right
If your application route does need a pasted photo, the details matter more than people expect, since a rejected photo means a second trip to get a fresh print made.
- Take the photo against a plain white background with even, shadow-free light.
- Keep the face centred, both ears visible, and avoid glare across spectacles if you wear them.
- Print on good quality photo paper at a studio at 3.5cm x 4.5cm. The booklet says a computer print is not accepted and the photo must not be smaller than the box.
- Cut the print cleanly with no white border showing and paste one colour photo in the box.
- Do not sign across the photograph. The signature or thumb impression goes in its own separate box on the form.
Do not paste a black-and-white photo, a computer printout, a photo with a dark background, or one where you are wearing a uniform or dark glasses. The instruction booklet says these are not accepted.
If you are preparing a photo before your PSK visit anyway
Some applicants still like to have a good-quality photo ready as a backup, or need one for a supporting document such as an employer's identity certificate or an annexure that still asks for a pasted photograph. In that case, crop and clean up the shot with the white background photo tool so the background is genuinely plain white rather than an off-white wall with shadows, then size it to 3.5x4.5cm with the passport size photo maker rather than guessing the crop by eye and getting it rejected at the print shop counter.
What actually happens at the PSK counter
At the appointment, an official captures your live photograph along with your biometrics such as fingerprints, as part of the same visit where your documents are verified. This is why the online application form itself does not ask you to upload a photo file for most categories: the photo capture is bundled into the in-person verification step rather than treated as a separate document upload, unlike some SSC or UPSC application forms that do ask for a file at the time of filling the form.
Checklist before you submit
- Confirm whether your specific application route needs a printed photo at all, since PSK applicants generally do not.
- If you do need a print, measure it against 3.5cm x 4.5cm, not the older 2x2 inch convention some older guides still mention.
- Keep clothing dark enough to contrast with the white background, and avoid all-white clothing that blends in.
- Recheck the current Passport Seva instructions for your city if your application type is unusual, such as a minor, a tatkaal request, or a police-verification exempt category, since these can carry extra document rules.
Tools for this
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to upload a passport photo online before my PSK appointment?
For most online applicants who visit a Passport Seva Kendra, no. The photograph is captured live at the counter, so there is no digital upload step for it.
What is the passport photo size in pixels?
The instruction booklet for applications in India does not publish a pixel size, because the photo is captured live at the PSK. Indian missions abroad that take digital uploads, such as the Embassy of India in Berne, ask for 630x810px and up to 250KB under their ICAO notice.
Can I use a 2x2 inch photo for an Indian passport?
The prescribed size in the current instructions is 3.5cm x 4.5cm, not 2x2 inches. Stick to the metric size when getting a print made.
What background does a passport photo need?
Plain white, with dark clothing as the booklet asks so it does not blend into the background, and no shadows on the face.
Can I sign on the passport photo?
No. The photograph should not be signed. The signature or thumb impression goes in its own separate box on the form.
Is a phone photo accepted for the paper application route?
It can be, as long as it is printed at a proper studio on continuous-tone photo paper at the correct size and meets the background and lighting rules; the booklet says a photograph in computer print will not be accepted.
Sources
- Passport Seva, Application Form Instruction Booklet (checked 2026-09)
- Embassy of India, Berne: Notice regarding ICAO photo requirements (checked 2026-09)
Rules and limits change. Always check the latest official notification or portal before you submit a form.