Guide To Visa Photo Size Requirements

For your Indian passport to be considered valid, a passport size photo with specific dimensions and other necessary specs is mandatory. Further, if you wish to travel the world and explore its many wonders, your visa needs to have the prescribed visa photo size of the country you are travelling to. Some of the destinations you will travel to from India do not require a visa for entry or exit. In such cases, you will be relieved of the visa formalities. However, as many of the destinations do need a visa for Indian citizens, here is a guide to the photo specs for an Indian passport and the visa photo size requirements of some major travel destinations.

Popular Read: How to apply for Visa?

Indian Passport – Photo Specs 

• Quantity needed for application – 2 
• Size – 51mm x 51mm or 2 x 2 inches 
• Colour – Natural colour for clear visibility of skin tone 
• Head size and position – 35mm – 40mm; Centered position with eyes looking at the camera 
• Recency – Taken within the last 6 months 
• Background – Plain white 
• Smile – None; Neutral expression 
• Eyes – Open, towards the camera 
• Spectacles – Prescription spectacles only 
• Headgear – Religious purposes only with clear visibility of the face 
• Dimensions and size (pixels) – 10KB – 300 KB and 350 x 350 px – 1000 x 1000 px 
• Dress code – Casual or professional 
• Beard – Optional

Read: Visa Interview – Questions, Answers, Tips

Guidelines to Indian Passport Photo

• Each application must have 2 photos as per the specifications 
• Filtered photos and photos older than 6 months will not be accepted. 
• Ensure that your eyes are clearly visible, without sunglasses or tinted prescription glasses 
• In case of thick lenses that obstruct the view of your eyes, remove them; any glare in the photo will not be accepted
• No headwear except for religious purposes will be permitted; any shadows in the photo will entail rejection
• Avoid red-eye
• Keep your hair pulled back 
• Clarity in lighting is key 
• Dress appropriately 

Visa Photo Size for Europe / the Schengen Area, US, Thailand, Singapore, China, UK, and Dubai

Schengen Visa Photo Requirements 

The Schengen area is one of the most frequently visited areas by Indians. It is crucial to know the Schengen visa photo requirements as the Schengen visa grants you access to 26 countries that form the Schengen area. These include – Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. If you are travelling to Europe, the Schengen visa is the most commonly used one. Your search for the Europe visa photo size is right here!

Know in-depth: How to get your Schengen visa from India?

Here are some photo specs as per the rules of the Europe visa photo size / Schengen visa photo size – 

• Quantity needed for visa application – 2
• Size – 35mm x 45mm
• Head size and position – 32mm – 36mm; Facing forward 
• Recency – Taken within the last 6 months 
• Background – Bright coloured; light grey preferred
• Smile – None; neutral expression 
• Eyes – Open, towards the camera
• Spectacles – Prescription glasses only 
• Headgear – For medical or religious purposes only 
• Dimensions and size (pixels) – Not specified
• Dress code – Avoid colours matching the background

Guidelines to Europe visa photo size / Schengen visa photo size – 

• Head size should meet the mentioned requirements; this is measured from the chin to the top of your head
• Blurred photos will not be accepted
• If you usually have a bear, it is accepted; if not, avoid growing it out 
• Any headwear or fancy jewellery worn not for medical or religious reasons will not be accepted; even for the accepted reasons, your face must be clearly visible
• Sunglasses, tinted lenses, glare or thick-rimmed spectacles will not be accepted; eyes must be clearly visible 
• Hair must be kept off the face 
• Lighting must portray your natural skin tone; overexposed or underexposed photos and shadows in the photo must be avoided 
• Background must be bright-coloured, preferably grey; white must be avoided 
• Avoid smiling; have a relaxed look

Known: France Visa From India: Explained

US Visa Photo Requirements 

The United States of America is a popular destination for Indians to travel to, a study in, and work at. Indian citizens must obtain a US visa before travelling. To make the visa formalities details easier to understand, we have compiled a list of quick rules regarding the US visa photo size. The dimensions and specifications of the US photo size need to be clearly understood to avoid rejection of your visa application due to the photo given.

Know: Tourist Visa for USA from India

Here are some photo specs as per the rules of the US visa photo size – 

• Quantity needed for visa application – 2
• Size – 2 x 2 inches 
• Colour – Visa photo to be in colour; not black and white 
• Head size and position – Your head must be between the size of 1 and 1 3/8 inches from the chin to the top of your head 
• Recency – Taken within the last 6 months 
• Background – Plain, solid white or a shade of off white 
• Smile – Neutral expression; a soft smile is accepted
• Eyes – Open and clearly visible, towards the camera
• Spectacles – None to be worn 
• Headgear – Allowed for religious purposes only 
• Dimensions and size (pixels) – 600 x 600 px – 1200 x 12000 px
• Dress code – No uniform will be accepted; most other clothing is accepted 
• Beard – If you usually have a beard, it is accepted; if not, avoid growing one for the photo

Also read: 10 Amazing Countries That Offer Visa On Arrival For Indians

Guidelines for US visa photo size – 

• Ensure that the lighting is correct because both, overexposed and underexposed photos will not be accepted 
• Your visa photo needs to be recent, and not older than 6 months before the time of visa application 
• An easy way to know if your head position is correct is to ensure that your nose is the centre point of the photo
• Use a solid white or off white background only; designs or coloured backgrounds are not permissible 
• Avoid any work uniform; religious clothing is accepted
• Any eyewear is not permitted
• Wired or wireless headphones, Bluetooth, or other devices that are not regularly used hearing aids are not accepted 
• The photos must be on glossy or matte paper 

If you are taking the photo yourself or scanning an existing one, the following rules need to be adhered to- 

• No digital enhancing or alteration 
• Use a plain background for the photo
• Your face must cover about 55 % of the photo and must be positioned in the centre
• Use correct pixel dimensions as mentioned above 

You can also use the government’s free tools to aid you in getting the correct photo for your visa application to the US. 

Thailand Visa Photo Requirements 

A much-visited tourist destination for Indians, Thailand is a spectacular place of visit. However, Indian citizens need to avail a visa on arrival if they are planning for a stay duration of no more than 15 days for tourism purposes. For a longer stay duration, you will need to apply for the regular visa. However, both, the visa on arrival and the regular visa have similar guidelines to be met with respect to the Thailand visa photo size. 

Read: Thailand Tourist Visa for Indians: Explained

Here are some photo specs as per the rules of the Thailand visa photo size – 

• Quantity required for visa application – 2 
• Size – 40mm x 60mm 
• Colour – Photo must be in colour; black and white will not be accepted 
• Head size and position – Head should occupy 70 – 80 % of the photo; centred and looking forward 
• Recency – Taken within the last six months 
• Background – Solid white colour only; no designs will be accepted 
• Smile – Neutral expression must be maintained; teeth must not be visible 
• Eyes – Open and clearly visible; toward the camera
• Spectacles – Allowed if only the eyes are clearly visible 
• Headgear – Accepted for religious or medical purposes only 
• Dimensions and size (pixels) – 1200 dpi minimum 
• Dress code – Avoid light-coloured clothing 
• Beard – Not specified

Guidelines for Thailand visa photo size – 

• The exact measurements of the visa photo size are non-negotiable 
• Lighting must be correct in order to avoid overexposure or underexposure of the photo 
• Smiling is not accepted for the visa photo; ensure to maintain a neutral expression 
• Spectacles are accepted only if the frames are not thick, lenses do not have glare and are not tinted
• Avoid red-eye 
• Digital alterations will not be permitted 
• No headwear except for religious and medical purposes will be allowed; in any case, your face and ears must be clearly visible  
• No uniforms or light-coloured clothing must be worn 
• Your head position needs to be squared off with the camera and your upper shoulders in view 
• Ensure that there is no glare on the background caused due to a flash 

Singapore Visa Photo Requirements

One of the most commonly visited countries for tourism and work purposes, Singapore is frequented by many Indians. It is essential to know the details of the Singapore visa photo size before applying for the Singapore visa. 

Here are some photo specs as per the rule of the Singapore visa photo size – 

Also read: Covering Letter For Visa: What it is and how you can make one

• Quantity needed for visa application – 2
• Size – 35mm x 45mm
• Colour – Natural skin tone needs to be visible 
• Head size and position – 25mm x 35mm; centred and forward-looking 
• Recency – Taken within the last 3 months
• Background – Solid white 
• Smile – Neutral expression 
• Eyes – Open and clearly visible 
• Spectacles – Prescription glasses only 
• Headgear – For religious purposes only 
• Dimensions and size (pixels) – Not bigger than 150KB and a camera of 2 megapixels or higher must be used 
• Dress code – Not specified 

Guidelines for Singapore visa application – 

• No kind of filtered photo is permitted
• Any photo older than three months will not be accepted
• Glasses are allowed only if you wear them on a daily basis; eyes should be clearly visible 
• Headwear allowed only for religious purposes 
• Hair can be let down as long as it does not cover your face 
• Avoid wearing white clothes as they will not be in contrast to the background 
• Photos must be printed on a good, semi-matte paper
• Neutral expression to be maintained with a closed mouth
• Lighting needs to be correct to avoid any shadows, overexposure, or underexposure
• The camera is to be set 0.5 – 2 metres away from you

Know: What is a Sponsorship Letter for Visa?

China Visa Photo Requirements

China is a country visited by Indians for tourism and study purposes. It is essential to know the specifications of the China visa photo size. 

Here are some photo specs as per the rule of the China visa photo size –

• Quantity for visa application – 2 
• Size – 33mm x 48mm
• Colour – Natural skin tone must be seen 
• Head size and position – 15mm – 22mm; centred 
• Recency – Taken within the last 6 months
• Background – Solid plain white or light blue only 
• Smile – Neutral expression 
• Eyes – Open and clearly visible 
• Ears – Clearly visible 
• Spectacles – Thin rimmed eyewear only
• Headgear – For religious purposes only
• Dimensions and size (pixels) – Not specified 
• Dress code – Clothing to not be the same colour as the background 
• Beard – Optional

Write your own Self-introduction letter!

Guidelines for China visa photo size – 

• Beards accepted if it reflects the everyday look 
• Headwear worn for religious purposes must not block the face
• Portraits or side shots are not permitted
• A 3mm – 5mm of plain white space between the top of your head and the top of the photo must be maintained 
• Lighting must be evenly distributed 

UK Visa Photo Requirements

A very popular destination for studying and work, the United Kingdom attracts many Indians. 

Here are some photo specs as per the rules of the UK visa photo size – 

• Quantity needed for visa application – 2
• Size – 45mm x 35mm 
• Colour – Only colour photos are accepted
• Head size and position – 29mm – 34mm; squared with upper shoulders visible
• Recency – Taken in the last 30 days 
• Background – Cream or light grey 
• Smile – Neutral expression 
• Eyes – Open and visible
• Spectacles – Only if prescribed 
• Headgear – For religious and medical purposes only
• Dimensions and size (pixels) – Not specified 
• Dress code – Not specified
• Beard – Optional

Guidelines for UK visa photo size – 

• The size 45mm x 35mm cannot be from a larger photo 
• True colours with no digital enhancements will be accepted 
• If you are on a wheelchair, it must be covered with a sheet so that it is not visible 
• Ensure to maintain a neutral expression with your mouth closed 
• Prescription glasses are allowed only if eyes are clearly visible 
• Headwear worn for religious or medical purposes must not cover the face 
• Letting your hair down is allowed as long as your face is clearly visible

Dubai Visa Photo Requirements

A country often visited by Indians for tourism, study, and work purposes, Dubai offers several growth opportunities. 

Here are some photo specs as per the rules of the Dubai visa photo size –

• Quantity needed for visa application – 2
• Size – 43mm x 55mm 
• Colour – Only colour photos are accepted
• Head size and position – Head should occupy 60 – 70% of the photo area; centred
• Recency – Taken within the last 6 months 
• Background – Plain white or off white
• Smile – Neutral expression 
• Eyes – Open and visible
• Spectacles – None to be worn 
• Headgear – For religious purposes only
• Dimensions and size (pixels) – Not specified 
• Dress code – Not specified
• Beard – Optional   

Guidelines for Dubai visa photo size – 

• The size 43mm x 55mm cannot be from a larger photo 
• True colours with no digital enhancements will be accepted 
• Ensure to maintain a neutral expression with your mouth closed 
• No spectacles are allowed
• Headwear worn for religious purposes must not cover the face 
• Letting your hair down is allowed as long as your face is clearly visible

Ensure to check these lists before you head to your desired travel destination!

Further read: New Zealand Tourist Visa for Indians: Explained