Indian Passport Photo (Passport Seva, 35 x 45 mm): size and requirements
The Indian Passport Photo size is 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 inches). Plain white background; dress should be in dark colour; head 80 to 85 percent of the photo height. Last verified 2026-10-07 against Passport Seva, Ministry of External Affairs.
For the printed photo needed at a Passport Seva Kendra in India: children under 4, and diplomatic or official passport forms. Adults applying in India are photographed at the counter and need no print. Not for an Indian visa or OCI card, which are 2 x 2 inch, and Indian missions abroad set their own size.
Requirements at a glance
- Size
- 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 inches)
- Head height
- Head 80 to 85 percent of the photo height (close up of the head and top of the shoulders such that the face takes up 80-85% of the photograph (our reading: face height as a share of photo height))
- Background
- plain white background; dress should be in dark colour
- 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
- 827 x 1063 px (600 DPI), plus a 4 x 6 inch print sheet
What trips people up
- CheckThe Passport Seva standard is 4.5 x 3.5 cm (45 x 35 mm) with a white background, not the 2 x 2 inch photo many apps still show for India. Indian missions abroad use their own size; for example the Consulate General in San Francisco lists 35 x 35 mm for passport services and 51 x 51 mm for visa and OCI, so check which authority you are applying to.
- CheckPassport Seva says the face takes up 80 to 85 percent of the photograph, which we read as face height against photo height. That is a much tighter crop than most countries ask for, so a looser passport-style crop will come out too small.
- CheckMost adults in India need no print at all: the Passport Seva Kendra captures your photo and biometrics at the counter. Only children under 4 and diplomatic or official applications bring a photo.
- CheckPassport Seva says a photograph in computer print will not be accepted and the dress should be dark; print our file on photo paper at a lab, and avoid white clothing.
- CheckDo not sign the photo and do not use a photo cut from a group picture; both are listed as reasons for refusal.
Known portal issues
- Note
Photo is 2 x 2 inch but Passport Seva wants 35 x 45 mm
Pick the Indian passport document in our tool, which outputs 35 x 45 mm at 600 DPI. Read the fix
Good to know before you pay
If you are an adult applying inside India, you do not need a photo: it is taken at the Passport Seva Kendra during your appointment.
Source and verification
Read from the official page. Last checked 2026-10-07 at Passport Seva, Ministry of External Affairs.
The photograph should be in color and in the size of 45mm x 35mm.
Close up of the head and top of the shoulders such that the face takes up 80-85% of the photograph.
Background of the photograph should be White.
Minor applicants below the age of 4 years need to carry a Passport size photograph for the processing of application at the PSK/POPSK/PO. For applicants above the age of 4 years, photographs will be captured at the PSK/POPSK/PO itself.
Background of the photograph should be plain white and the dress should be in dark colour
Photograph in computer print will not be accepted
PASSPORT SERVICES 35 X 35 mm
Measurements are from the Passport Seva PDF 'Guidelines for capturing photographs for minors below 4 years of age' (v2.1, May 2024). The FAQ sentences are from the Passport Seva portal's own English UI text (locales/en/translation.json and the FAQ page chunk), saved as sources. The portal's general page also says 'carry the recent Passport size photograph (4.5 X 3.5 cm) with white background'. The 80-85% rule says 'face' and 'of the photograph' without naming an axis; our 0.80 to 0.85 head-height range is an interpretation (face height against photo height). No ICAO document is saved, so no ICAO comparison is made. The mission example (35 x 35 mm for passport services, 51 x 51 mm for visa and OCI) is from the Consulate General of India, San Francisco 'Photo Specification' PDF (https://www.cgisf.gov.in/content/1553603082PHOTO%20SPECIFICATION.pdf).
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
