OFFICIAL CONSULAR SPECIFICATION● PHOTO REQUIREMENTS GUIDEIndian Passport & OCI Card Photo Guidelines: Digital Uploads
Compare Indian overseas passport uploads (630×810 pixels, maximum 250 KB), OCI uploads and e-Visa photos. Check backgrounds, file limits and the instructions for your mission.
Choose the application before preparing a photo. Try the assessment first. Paid downloads include a clean JPEG and print-ready sheet; review the package price before checkout.
Keep passport, OCI and visa photo preparation in separate folders. This guide covers several application names, so the first useful check is whether the document you are reading matches the form you are filling in. Do not carry a crop setting from one project into the next without checking it.
Who this guide is for
Use these preparation steps when an application asks you to supply a portrait and you need a repeatable way to check clothing contrast, reflections and file quality. The receiving portal remains the source for the actual specifications.
India photo requirements by application
Overseas passport uploads use 630×810 pixels, JPEG, maximum 250 KB, a white background and 80–85% face coverage. Rollout dates vary by mission; the UK notice applies from 1 December 2025. OCI, regular visa and e-Visa uploads have separate rules.
| Application | Digital upload | File size | Background | Our export |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passport (overseas) | 630×810 px | ≤250 KB | White | 630×810 px |
| OCI online | 200×200–900×900 px | ≤200 KB | Light colour, not white | 600×600 px |
| e-Visa | ≥350×350 px | 10 KB–1 MB | Light colour or white | 600×600 px |
| Regular visa | 350×350–1000×1000 px | 10–300 KB | Light colour or white | 600×600 px |
Yes. Use even lighting, remove glasses, look straight ahead and keep your eyes open and mouth closed. Our tool supports background replacement with white and biometric cropping. The result is edited; official passport guidance asks for unaltered photos. Keep the original background photo and confirm acceptance with your receiving mission. Facial retouching, sharpening and generated padding are disabled.
Digital upload pixels and printed dimensions are separate. Passport print preset: 35×45 mm; OCI print preset: 51×51 mm. Follow your mission’s checklist for paper copies. Download the single JPEG for upload, not the A4 print sheet.
The authority describes face coverage, not a measured face-area formula. Our passport crop uses crown-to-chin height as an approximation. Review the full head and upper shoulders, glasses and head coverings manually; acceptance is decided by the receiving authority.
Key Biometric Specifications
Preparing the photo
Practical preparation tips; use the linked application instructions for requirements.
- Make a small checklist from the current application page: document name, upload or paper route, permitted format and required dimensions. Keep the source link with the checklist. If the page describes a different application, stop before copying its numbers.
- Choose clothing that lets you see the shoulder outline against the backdrop in the camera preview. If the shirt and wall merge, change the clothing or capture setup before taking the photo; painting in an outline afterwards is not a substitute.
- For passport and e-Visa photos, remove spectacles before capture. Look directly at the camera, keep the eyes open and mouth closed, and use even lighting without shadows. Passport guidance recommends about 1.5 metres between the camera and applicant. Keep your full head and upper shoulders visible.
- Transfer the full-resolution image, open it at normal pixel size, and inspect the chin and shoulders for a hard flash shadow. Retake under softer light if needed. Save an untouched original so a failed export does not become the starting point for every retry.
Mandatory Consular Rules
- OCI portal FAQ: square JPEG/JPG, 200 x 200 to 900 x 900 pixels, maximum 200 KB.
- Overseas passport upload guidance specifies 630×810 pixels, maximum 250 KB, white background and 80–85% face coverage. Use the current mission checklist; passport uploads and OCI uploads are separate formats.
- OCI portal FAQ: full face centered, front view, light-colour background (not white) without a border.
- Check mission/provider instructions for physical prints instead of applying online pixel limits to paper copies.
- Passport and e-Visa submissions have separate instructions; verify the document and route before choosing a preset.
- e-Visa uploads use a square JPEG of at least 350×350 pixels, between 10 KB and 1 MB, on a light or white background. Our e-Visa preset exports 600×600 pixels.
Troubleshooting the photo
A bright shirt merges with the wall
When adjacent areas have nearly the same brightness and colour, the edge becomes difficult to distinguish.
Try a contrasting top and inspect the shoulder boundary before capture. Do not solve this by digitally changing the garment colour.
Top Rejection Pitfalls to Avoid
- Wearing white clothing that blends into the plain white background.
- Glare on spectacle lenses or heavy frames.
- Flash shadows underneath the chin or behind the shoulders.
India photo requirements and document options
Digital and printed copies
Overseas passport upload: 630×810 JPEG, maximum 250 KB, white background. OCI upload: square JPEG/JPG, 200–900 pixels per side, maximum 200 KB, light background that is not white. e-Visa: square JPEG, at least 350×350 pixels, 10 KB–1 MB. Our OCI and e-Visa presets export 600×600 pixels. Keep printed dimensions separate and check the mission checklist. Upload the single JPEG, never the A4 sheet. Passport preparation preserves the original backdrop without retouching or sharpening; keep an untouched original and check the mission policy on software preparation.
Questions about this guide
How should I label photos when preparing passport and OCI paperwork together?
Include the application name and capture date in each folder. Keep copies of the instructions used, and check each final export against its own checklist instead of treating the folders as interchangeable.
Can reducing file size remove glare from spectacles?
No. Compression changes how the picture is stored. A reflection covering an eye remains a reflection, so change the lighting and retake rather than repeatedly lowering quality.
About this guide
ApprovaVisa editorial team
Requirements come from the linked authority source. Where our summary and the authority differ, follow the authority.
Prepare Your India Photo
Check the receiving authority’s instructions before preparing a photo. Use professional photography where required, and retain the original image when digital alterations are prohibited.
Choose the application before preparing a photo. Try the assessment first. Paid downloads include a clean JPEG and print-ready sheet; review the package price before checkout.