Passport & Visa Photo Size by Country
Pick a country and get the exact photo size — dimensions in mm, cm and inches, the digital pixel target, the background colour and the head-height rule — so your application isn’t rejected over the photo.
- Free, no sign-up
- Works worldwide
- Instant results
- Digital upload
- 600×600 to 1200×1200 px
- Background
- Plain white or off-white
- Head / face height
- Head 25–35 mm (about 50–69% of the photo)
- ICAO Doc 9303
- Country-specific size
A 2×2 inch square. Same size for passport, the DS-160 visa, USCIS forms, the Green Card and the DV lottery.
Dimensions and background rules follow ICAO Doc 9303 and national passport authorities. Specifications can differ by document (passport vs visa vs ID) and change over time — always confirm the exact requirement with the issuing authority or embassy before printing or uploading.
What size should a passport photo be?
There is no single size. Most countries use the ICAO standard 35 × 45 mm, but the US uses a 2 × 2 inch (51 × 51 mm) square, Canada uses 50 × 70 mm, and China uses 33 × 48 mm. Pick your country above for the exact dimensions, pixel size, background colour and head-height rule.
Methodology: Physical dimensions and background rules follow ICAO Doc 9303 and national passport authorities, cross-checked across multiple 2026 references; pixel sizes are the official figures where an authority sets one (e.g. India’s 630 × 810), otherwise computed from the print size at 300 DPI. Head-height figures use each family’s documented standard — ICAO 70–80% of the frame, the US 50–69%, India a tighter 80–85% since its September 2025 ICAO switch. Specs vary by document and change over time, so the tool directs you to confirm with the issuing authority before printing. How we test & calculate.
Why the photo is where applications fail
A passport or visa application is mostly form-filling — and then there’s the photo, which is where a surprising share of rejections happen. The size is wrong, the background is the wrong shade, or the head is too big or too small in the frame. Increasingly the checks are automated: upload portals now reject a non-compliant photo on the spot, with no one to plead your case to. This tool gives you the exact target for your country before you spend money at a booth or hit upload.
Two main families, and the exceptions
Most countries follow the ICAO 35 × 45 mm portrait standard — the UK, the EU and Schengen area, Australia, Japan and many more. The big exception is the United States, whose 2 × 2 inch (51 × 51 mm)square is shared by all its documents. Then there are the genuine one-offs: Canada’s larger 50 × 70 mm, and China’s 33 × 48 mm. Because the proportions differ, a photo made for one family rarely crops cleanly to another — start from the right size.
India’s 2025 change
If you’re applying in India, note a recent shift: since 1 September 2025 the passport photo is the ICAO 35 × 45 mm size, not the old 2 × 2 inch square. Passport Seva wants a digital image of exactly 630 × 810 pixelson a pure white background, with the face filling 80–85% of the frame, and it rejects anything off automatically — glasses included. The OCI card and e-Visa still use the older square, so check which one you need.
Once the photo’s sorted
With the picture handled, make sure the rest of the trip lines up: check your passport validity against the six-month rule many countries enforce, see where your passport lets you travel visa-free, and if you’re heading to Europe, track your days with the Schengen calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there one standard passport photo size?
No. Most of the world follows the ICAO Doc 9303 standard of 35 × 45 mm (3.5 × 4.5 cm) — the United Kingdom, the EU and Schengen area, Australia, Japan and many others. But several countries set their own size: the United States uses a 2 × 2 inch (51 × 51 mm) square, Canada uses a larger 50 × 70 mm, and China uses 33 × 48 mm. A photo cropped for one family is usually rejected by the other, so pick the country first.
What size is a US passport photo?
2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm) — a square. The same size applies to the US passport, the DS-160 visa, USCIS forms, the Green Card and the Diversity Visa lottery. The background must be plain white or off-white, and the head should be between 1 and 1⅜ inches (25–35 mm) from chin to crown. For digital submissions the image is typically 600 × 600 up to 1200 × 1200 pixels.
What is the new Indian passport photo size?
Since 1 September 2025, India follows the ICAO standard of 35 × 45 mm, replacing the old 2 × 2 inch square. The Passport Seva and mPassport portals require a digital photo of exactly 630 × 810 pixels as a JPEG under 250 KB, on a plain white background, with the face filling about 80–85% of the frame — tighter than most countries. Glasses are no longer allowed, and the portal rejects non-compliant photos automatically. Note the OCI card and e-Visa still use the older 51 × 51 mm square, so check which document you are applying for.
How many pixels should a passport photo be?
It depends on the size and resolution. At 300 DPI a 35 × 45 mm photo is about 413 × 531 pixels and a 2 × 2 inch photo is 600 × 600 pixels. Many portals specify an exact pixel size instead — India wants 630 × 810, for example. When a country gives an exact figure, use that; otherwise aim for at least 300 DPI (600 DPI for print, such as Canada).
What background colour should the photo have?
A plain, uniform, light background with no shadows, patterns or objects. Most countries accept plain white or light grey; the UK specifically allows light grey or cream. A few, including India since its 2025 update, require pure white and no longer accept off-white or cream. Always match the exact wording of the issuing authority.
Can I just crop a 2×2 photo down to 35×45 mm?
It is risky. The two formats have different proportions and different head-height rules, so a straight crop usually leaves the head too large or too small, or the wrong amount of space above it. It is better to start from a photo framed for the target size. Many authorities now run automated checks that reject photos whose head size or dimensions are even slightly off.