India · Passport (DPC / SPC / CSC)
India passport photo
Passport Seva's instruction booklet asks for a 4.5 x 3.5 cm photo on plain white with dark clothing — though if you apply at a PSK or POPSK the photo is captured at the centre and you don't bring one. Some Indian missions abroad publish a 2 x 2 inch spec instead; follow the checklist of the office you're applying to.
Sources last checked September 16, 2026. Some values are not fully verified: see below.The check is free and runs on your device. You pay only if you download the finished file: $4.99, or $6.99 with a 4 × 6 in print sheet.
The exact specification
The same numbers the checker applies, drawn from our India guide. The official source of each value is listed under the table.
- Printed size
- 1 × 35 × 45 mm
- Print rules
- Good-quality photo paper. The booklet does not accept computer prints, and the photo must match the box printed on the form — not merely fit inside it.
- Digital file
- No online upload spec published
- Head size
- 70%–80% of the photo height
- Background
- Plain white
- Glasses
- The booklet bans eyes hidden under coloured or dark glasses and asks you to lose glare with a slight upward or downward tilt of the head.
Where these values come from
- Printed size, Print rules, Head size, Background, Glasses: checked against Passport Seva - Instructions for filling of passport application form and supplementary form (V3.0); Passport Seva - Guidelines for capturing photographs for minors below 4 years of age (v2.1); Passport Seva - Application form FAQ (diplomatic and official passport photographs); High Commission of India, Ottawa - Photo specification, as set out in our India Passport Photo Size and Rules for 2026 guide. Adult face height not published; ICAO-family default.
Not fully verified. The 45 x 35 mm size and the white background are published by Passport Seva. The face-height window is not: the only published figure (80–85%) applies to children under four. Some Indian missions abroad publish a different 2 x 2 in specification instead. Follow the checklist of the office you are applying to.
What the free check covers
We measure
- Head size against the published window
- Eye position, where the authority sets one
- Head tilt and rotation
- Background brightness and evenness
- Sharpness and exposure
Only you can confirm
- Glasses — we can't reliably detect them, so we flag rather than pass
- Expression and mouth position
- Red eye
- Filters, retouching or AI edits made before upload
We are an independent service, not affiliated with any government. The issuing authority always makes the final decision — a pass here means your photo meets the published measurements we can check.
What does a failure look like? See our accepted and rejected passport photo examples, with the fix for each one.
Common questions
Passport Seva's instruction booklet specifies a photograph 4.5 cm long by 3.5 cm wide, which is 45 x 35 mm, in colour on a plain white background. The photo must not be smaller than the box printed on the application form.
Usually not. The official instruction booklet states that a photograph is not required for applications submitted at a Passport Seva Kendra or a Post Office Passport Seva Kendra, where your photo is captured at the centre. Photos are needed for applications lodged at a DPC, SPC or other citizen service centre.
We could not confirm any February 2026 change on a Passport Seva or Ministry of External Affairs source. The official instruction booklet already specifies 4.5 cm x 3.5 cm, which is the same 45 x 35 mm shape. Treat undated claims about a sudden switch with caution.
Plain white. The instruction booklet also asks for dark-coloured clothing, so that you contrast with the background, and rules out photographs with a dark background or taken in uniform.
No. The instruction booklet says a photograph in computer print will not be accepted, and asks for a print on good quality photo paper with a continuous-tone quality. Use a photo studio for the print itself.
The official guidance for minors below four years asks for a colour photograph 45 mm x 35 mm on a white background, framed so the face takes up 80 to 85 percent of the photograph, with the child looking directly at the camera.
Keep reading
Requirements India e-Visa Photo Upload: Size, Format and Fixes
The photo India's e-Visa portal accepts: square JPEG, 10 KB to 1 MB, no glasses, plain white or light background, plus fixes for the upload errors.
Read the guide
Requirements OCI Photo Requirements 2026: Square Photo and Signature
OCI photo and signature specs from the MHA portal and VFS USA: square photo, pixel and KB limits, background, face size, and where the sources disagree.
Read the guide
Requirements India Passport Photo Size and Rules for 2026
India passport photo requirements from Passport Seva's own instruction booklet: 4.5 x 3.5 cm, plain white background, and when you need no photo at all.
Read the guide