OCI Card Photo (Overseas Citizenship of India): size and requirements
The OCI Card Photo size is 51 x 51 mm (2.01 x 2.01 inches), or 900 x 900 pixels for online upload (minimum 200 x 200, maximum 900 x 900), file under 200 KB. Plain light color background (not white) without the border; head 49 to 69 percent of the photo height. Last verified 2026-10-07 against Ministry of Home Affairs, OCI Services.
For the Overseas Citizen of India card application on ociservices.gov.in: the square digital upload and the 2 x 2 inch print for the mission or outsourcing agency. Not for an Indian visa, which has different file limits, and not for an Indian passport.
Requirements at a glance
- Size
- 51 x 51 mm (2.01 x 2.01 inches), or 900 x 900 pixels for online upload (minimum 200 x 200, maximum 900 x 900), file under 200 KB
- Head height
- Head 49 to 69 percent of the photo height (height of head should measure 1 inch to 1-3/8 inches (25 mm to 35 mm); upload with 80% coverage of face)
- Eye line
- 56 to 69 percent from the bottom of the photo
- Background
- plain light color background (not white) without the border
- Expression
- Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open, looking at the camera
- Glasses
- Allowed without glare or tint
- Head covering
- Only for religious or medical reasons; full face visible
- We deliver
- 900 x 900 px (300 DPI), under 200 KB, plus a 4 x 6 inch print sheet
What trips people up
- CheckThe OCI portal wants a light-coloured background that is explicitly not white, the opposite of the Indian visa and passport. We default to a light grey here.
- CheckThe upload is a square JPEG between 200 x 200 and 900 x 900 pixels and no more than 200 KB. We render 900 x 900 and compress under the limit.
- CheckThe portal asks for about 80 percent face coverage on the upload while the printed 2 x 2 inch sheet uses the 25 to 35 mm head rule. Follow the print rule; it keeps the face large enough for both.
- CheckDo not retouch, enhance or soften the photo; the OCI specification sheet lists this among the reasons for rejection.
Source and verification
Read from the official page. Last checked 2026-10-07 at Ministry of Home Affairs, OCI Services.
The photograph should be in colour and of the size of 2 inch x 2 inch (51 mm x 51 mm).
height of head should measure 1 inch to 1-3/8 inches (25 mm to 35 mm)
The minimum dimensions are 200 pixels (width) x 200 pixels (height). The maximum dimensions are 900 pixels(width) x 900 pixels (height).
The images of the photograph and signature must be in JPEG/ JPG format with max size 200 KB.
It should have plain light color background (not white) without the border
Do not retouch or otherwise enhance or soften the photo.
Babies under one year do not have to have their eyes open.
Print rules (quotes 1, 2, 6, 7) from the OCI 'Requirement of photograph for OCI Registration' PDF at source.url (ociservices.gov.in, May 2025). Upload rules (quotes 3 to 5: 200 x 200 to 900 x 900 px, JPEG 200 KB, light but not white background) are from the second source, FAQ 9 'Photo Specifications' at https://ociservices.gov.in/onlineOCI/faq. The number of prints is not stated on either, so printsRequired is left undefined; the children's relaxations are from the PDF's 'Flexibility in Childrens' photographs' section (under one: eyes; under ten: face height and eye position; babies and infants: face position, expression, eyes and line of sight).
We are an independent service, not a government website. Applying for a passport or visa is done with your government; we only prepare the photo.
Frequently asked questions
