India · OCI card
OCI card photo
The OCI photo is a square, unlike the Indian passport's rectangle: at least 51 x 51 mm printed, 200 x 200 to 900 x 900 pixels as a JPEG under 200 KB online, on a plain light background the Ministry's FAQ says is not white. The application also needs a separate signature image, which we don't make — the photo we do. Check it free before you upload.
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 × 51 × 51 mm
- Print rules
- VFS Global requires the physical photo affixed to the form to be identical to the uploaded file — print the same file you upload. The MHA PDF asks for continuous-tone photo paper with no visible pixels.
- Digital file
- JPEG/JPG · 200 × 200 to 900 × 900 px · 200 kB max
- Head size
- 25–35 mm chin to crown
- Background
- Plain light-coloured — the OCI FAQ rules out pure white
- Glasses
- Not banned outright: the MHA PDF rules out tinted or dark lenses and glare on clear lenses. Removing them removes the glare problem entirely.
Where these values come from
- Printed size, Print rules, Digital file, Head size, Background, Glasses: checked against Ministry of Home Affairs - Online OCI Services FAQ (question 9: photograph specifications); Ministry of Home Affairs - Requirement of photograph for OCI registration (PDF); Ministry of Home Affairs - OCI Miscellaneous Services FAQ; VFS Global - OCI services in the USA (photo and signature prerequisites); VFS Global - OCI document checklist, foreign national by birth (adult); High Commission of India, Ottawa - Photo specification (PDF); Embassy of India, Washington DC - OCI card reissue guidelines, as set out in our OCI Photo Requirements 2026: Square Photo and Signature guide.
Not fully verified. Pixel, byte, format and background rules come straight from the MHA OCI FAQ and specification PDF. The head-size rule is where official sources conflict: the MHA PDF says 25–35 mm while HCI Ottawa's PDF says 35–40 mm on the identical layout. We check against the MHA figure and show both to you.
About background editing. The MHA PDF bans retouched or enhanced photos and the FAQ rules out a white background — a replacement composite could fail both. Off by default.
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
A square photo. The Ministry of Home Affairs OCI FAQ asks for a square image of at least 51 x 51 mm, at least 200 x 200 pixels and at most 900 x 900 pixels, as a JPEG no larger than 200 KB. VFS Global's US pages allow up to 1500 x 1500 pixels and 500 KB.
Usually not as it is. The Passport Seva booklet describes a 4.5 x 3.5 cm rectangular print, while the OCI portal wants a square image with equal height and width. A rectangular file will not fit the OCI upload, and cropping a small print square tends to leave the face too small.
A plain, light-colored background. The OCI portal's FAQ adds the words not white, while the Ministry's photo specification PDF simply says plain light colored. An off-white or other light, even background with no pattern or shadow fits both wordings. Your shirt must also contrast clearly with it.
VFS Global's US pages ask for a signature image with a 1:3 height-to-width ratio, at least 200 x 67 pixels and at most 1500 x 500 pixels. The Ministry's FAQ says the signature, like the photo, must be a JPEG no larger than 200 KB. VFS's checklist asks for blue or black ink.
Yes, for applications through VFS Global in the USA. Its document checklist says the physical photo must be affixed to the physical application form, the digital photo must be uploaded online, and the two must be identical. Print the same file you upload rather than having a second photo taken.
Sometimes. The Ministry's OCI miscellaneous services FAQ says cardholders upload a copy of the new passport and a latest photo each time a new passport is issued up to age 20, and once after completing 50. A foreign spouse of an Indian citizen or OCI cardholder uploads one with every new passport.
Keep reading
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