Searching for "passport photo size in pixels" usually means one of two things. Either you're uploading a photo to an online application and the form is rejecting your file, or you're preparing a digital file to print and want the head size to come out right on paper.
These are different problems with different answers. This guide separates them clearly, then lists the official digital specs for several countries.
- **There is no single passport photo size in pixels.** Each online application sets its own rules.
- **US visa (DS-160):** square JPEG, 600 x 600 to 1200 x 1200 px, 240 KB or less.
- **US online passport renewal:** no fixed pixel size; JPG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF, 54 KB to 10 MB.
- **UK online passport:** at least 600 px wide x 750 px tall, 50 KB to 10 MB.
- **Canadian online renewal:** 1200 x 1800 to 3000 x 4500 px, JPEG, 200 KB to 5 MB.
- **India:** the e-Visa takes a square JPEG of 10 KB to 1 MB, but the regular online visa form caps it at 300 KB. Don't mix them up.
- **For printing,** pixels only matter together with resolution: 2 x 2 in at 300 DPI is 600 x 600 px.
## Printed vs. digital: why pixels mean different things
A **printed photo** has a physical size, such as 2 x 2 inches or 35 x 45 mm. Pixels only matter because they decide how sharp the print is. The link between the two is resolution, measured in dots or pixels per inch (DPI or PPI):
**pixels = inches x DPI**
A **digital photo** for an online application never gets printed by you. The authority's system checks the file directly, so what counts is the pixel dimensions, file size, file type and how your head is framed within the image. Many online systems don't use a physical size at all.
Mixing these up causes common errors, like uploading a tiny 413 x 531 pixel crop to a form that requires at least 600 x 750. The US visa form is the opposite case: it wants a square 600 x 600 file, which our [US visa photo](/us-visa-photo) and [DV lottery photo](/dv-lottery-photo) pages produce and check.
## Digital passport and visa photo specs by country
These are the file requirements for online applications, taken from each authority's official page. Always double-check the page for your specific application before uploading, because systems change.
| Application | Pixel dimensions | File size | Format | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US nonimmigrant visa (DS-160) | Square, 600 x 600 to 1200 x 1200 | 240 KB or less | JPEG | [State Department](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/photos/digital-image-requirements.html) |
| US Diversity Visa entry | 600 x 600, square | 240 KB or less | JPEG | [State Department](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/photos.html) |
| US passport online renewal | Not specified; crop in the application | 54 KB to 10 MB | JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC, HEIF | [State Department](https://travel.state.gov/en/passports/renew-replace/online/upload-digital-photo.html) |
| UK passport online | At least 600 wide x 750 tall | 50 KB to 10 MB | Not specified on GOV.UK | [GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/photos-for-passports/rules-for-digital-photos) |
| Canadian passport online renewal | 1200 x 1800 minimum, 3000 x 4500 maximum (width x height) | 200 KB to 5 MB | JPEG | [Canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports/photos.html) |
| Indian e-Visa | Square (height equals width); no pixel range published | 10 KB to 1 MB | JPEG | [Indian e-Visa portal](https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html) |
| Indian regular visa (online form, via an Indian mission) | Square (height equals width); no pixel range published | 10 KB to 300 KB | JPEG | [Indian visa online instructions](https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/instruction.html) |
### Extra rules that matter as much as pixels
**US visa photos (DS-160):**
- Color, 24 bits per pixel, sRGB color space
- Compression ratio of 20:1 or less
- Head height (chin to top of hair) between 50% and 69% of the image height
- Eye height between 56% and 69% of the image height, measured from the bottom, per the State Department's [photo composition template](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/photos/photo-composition-template.html)
- If you scan an existing 2 x 2 inch print, scan it at 300 pixels per inch
**US online passport renewal:**
- Don't scan or photograph a printed photo
- Frame the photo so the bottom edge is at your shoulders, with a little room around your face
- Don't text the image to yourself; it can lower the quality
**UK online passport:**
- If you take the photo on your own device, include your head, shoulders and upper body, and **don't crop it**. GOV.UK says the cropping is done for you.
- You can also get a photo code from a photo booth or shop, which GOV.UK says is more likely to be approved.
**Canadian online renewal:**
- Head (chin to crown) between 45% and 50% of the photo's height
- **Must be taken in person by a commercial photographer.** Home photos don't qualify.
**India (two different limits):**
- The **e-Visa** upload takes a square JPEG between 10 KB and 1 MB, and says "without spectacles".
- The **regular visa** online form asks for the same square JPEG but caps it at 300 KB, and asks for the head to measure 1 to 1 3/8 inches (25 to 35 mm). A file made for the e-Visa's 1 MB limit can be too big for the regular form, so compress it below 300 KB if that is your route. Our tool's India visa format holds the stricter 300 KB limit, so its output fits either form.
If your image is below a minimum pixel size, enlarging it in software won't add real detail. It usually makes the photo soft or pixelated, which is itself a rejection reason. Retake the photo at your camera's highest quality setting instead.
## Printed passport photo sizes converted to pixels
If you're preparing a file to print, use this table. It shows the pixel dimensions a correctly sized photo has at common print resolutions. 300 DPI is a widely used minimum for sharp photo prints.
| Printed size | Used for | At 300 DPI | At 600 DPI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 x 2 in (51 x 51 mm) | US passport and US visa prints | 600 x 600 px | 1200 x 1200 px |
| 35 x 45 mm | UK passport, Schengen visas, many others | about 413 x 531 px | about 827 x 1063 px |
| 50 x 70 mm | Canadian passport | about 591 x 827 px | about 1181 x 1654 px |
| 4 x 6 in photo sheet | Printing several photos at once | 1200 x 1800 px | 2400 x 3600 px |
The official physical sizes come from the [US State Department](https://travel.state.gov/en/passports/apply/help/photos.html), [GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/photos-for-passports/photo-requirements) and [Canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports/photos.html). The pixel values are simple conversions, not official requirements.
### Head size matters more than pixel count
A file with the right pixel dimensions can still fail if your head is the wrong size inside it. Printed head-size rules:
| Document | Head size rule |
|---|---|
| US passport | 1 to 1 3/8 in (25–35 mm), bottom of chin to top of head |
| UK passport | 29–34 mm, chin to crown |
| Canadian passport | 31–36 mm, chin to crown |
| Schengen visa (German missions) | Face 32–36 mm, or 70–80% of the photo |
At 300 DPI, a US head height of 25–35 mm works out to roughly 295–413 pixels inside the 600 x 600 image. More on that exact size is in [600x600 photo](/blog/600x600-photo).
## How to print a passport photo from a digital file
1. **Crop to the exact aspect ratio** (1:1 for 2 x 2 in; 7:9 for 35 x 45 mm).
2. **Set the resolution** so the physical size is correct. A 600 x 600 pixel image tagged at 300 DPI prints at exactly 2 x 2 inches.
3. **Place photos on a 4 x 6 inch canvas** if you want several copies on one print, keeping each photo at its true size.
4. **Print at 100% scale.** Turn off "fit to page," "fill" or borderless auto-scaling, which quietly resize the image.
5. **Measure the print** with a ruler before you submit it.
Paper and print quality rules vary. The US accepts matte or glossy photo-quality paper. The UK requires prints "printed to a professional standard" and not cut down from a larger picture, so check your country's rules first. More detail in our guide on [how to take a passport photo at home](/blog/how-to-take-a-passport-photo-at-home).
## Common file errors and fixes
| Error | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "File too large" | Uncompressed or very high-resolution image | Export as JPEG at high quality, and reduce dimensions only down to the allowed range |
| "File too small" | Heavy compression or a tiny crop | Re-export from the original file at higher quality |
| "Invalid dimensions" | Image not square, or below the minimum | Crop to the required ratio from the original, uncropped photo |
| "Unsupported format" | HEIC uploaded to a JPEG-only form | Convert to JPEG without applying filters or edits |
| Photo looks blurry after upload | Image sent by messaging app, or upscaled | Transfer the original file by cable, email or cloud storage |
| Face not detected | Shadows, tilt, or head too small in frame | Retake with even lighting and closer framing |
## What about Schengen and other visa photos?
Most Schengen visa applications don't use a standardized pixel spec for applicants. Consulates usually ask for a printed 35 x 45 mm photo or take your facial image at the appointment. The Netherlands, for example, says that if you apply through an external service provider, a digital photo is taken at your appointment. See our [Schengen visa photo requirements](/blog/schengen-visa-photo-requirements) guide for details.
For the appearance rules that apply regardless of file format, see our [US passport photo requirements](/blog/us-passport-photo-requirements) and [UK passport photo requirements](/blog/uk-passport-photo-requirements) guides.
## Key takeaways
- Digital and printed photo specs are separate. Check which one your application needs.
- Online forms set their own pixel, file-size and format limits, and they differ a lot between countries.
- For printing, pixels only make sense alongside DPI. At 300 DPI, 2 x 2 inches is 600 x 600 pixels.
- Head position within the image matters as much as the pixel dimensions.
- Never upscale, filter or retouch to meet a spec. The issuing authority decides whether your photo is acceptable, and many reject altered images.
If you want the crop and the byte budget handled for you, [start with our tool](/photo), then check the finished file's pixels and kilobytes against the table above.
## Frequently asked questions
### What is a 2x2 inch passport photo in pixels?
At 300 DPI, a 2 x 2 inch photo is 600 x 600 pixels; at 600 DPI it is 1200 x 1200 pixels. The US State Department's digital image rules for visa applications accept square images from 600 x 600 up to 1200 x 1200 pixels.
### What is 35x45 mm in pixels?
At 300 DPI, 35 x 45 mm is about 413 x 531 pixels. At 600 DPI it is about 827 x 1063 pixels. Whether that is enough depends on the authority: a UK online passport photo, for example, must be at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall.
### What size in pixels is a UK digital passport photo?
GOV.UK says a digital passport photo must be at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall, and between 50 KB and 10 MB. If you take the photo on your own device, don't crop it: the service does that for you.
### Does a US online passport renewal photo have a pixel size?
The State Department's online renewal page doesn't list a fixed pixel size. It requires a JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF file between 54 KB and 10 MB, and lets you crop and reposition the photo in the application.