India Passport Photo Requirements 2026
An India passport photo must be 51×51 mm (2×2 inches) on a plain white background. The head must be centered and occupy roughly 50–69% of the photo height. Passport Seva (the agency that processes passport applications) applies the same rules to passports, OCI cards, and Indian visa applications.
Documents covered
The same official specification applies to all of the following documents:
| Document | Size | |
|---|---|---|
| India Passport | 51 × 51 mm (2 × 2 in) | |
| India OCI | 51 × 51 mm (2 × 2 in) | |
| India Visa | 51 × 51 mm (2 × 2 in) |
Detailed requirements
Background
Plain white. No patterns, no textures, no shadows, no coloured walls. A creased bedsheet or curtains will fail.
Expression and eyes
Neutral expression with mouth closed. Both eyes open, looking directly at the camera. No smiling, frowning, or tilted head.
Glasses
Glasses with clear, non-tinted lenses are allowed only if there is no glare or reflection. The eyes must be fully visible. Sunglasses and heavily tinted lenses are never accepted.
Headwear
No headwear except for daily religious wear (turban, hijab) that does not cover the face. The full face from chin to top of forehead must be visible.
Recency
The photo must have been taken within the last six months and must be a true current likeness.
Digital format
For the Passport Seva online portal, the digital photo must be JPEG, between 10 KB and 1 MB, with a minimum resolution of 350×350 pixels.
Country-specific notes
- For minor passport applications, the parents' photos may also be required separately.
- For police clearance certificates and Aadhaar updates, the same 51×51 mm specification applies.
- OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) applications additionally require uploading the photo at the time of online filing.
Common rejection reasons
These are the most frequent reasons passport offices reject submitted photos.
- 1 Background is not pure white or shows visible shadows.
- 2 Head is tilted or not centered.
- 3 Glasses show glare or hide the eyes.
- 4 Photo is blurry or low resolution.
- 5 Smiling or showing teeth.
- 6 Hair covers the eyes or eyebrows.
- 7 Photo digitally filtered, beautified, or retouched.
How to take it yourself in 3 steps
Set up the background
Stand 0.5 m in front of a plain white wall — not a curtain or bedsheet. Make sure no shadow falls behind your head.
Take the photo
Camera at eye level, 1.2 m away. Look straight ahead, neutral expression, both eyes open, mouth closed.
Verify the specs
The photo must be square 51×51 mm with the head centered. The app checks every Passport Seva rule before producing a print-ready file.
Frequently asked questions
What is the size of an India passport photo? +
What background should an India passport photo have? +
Can I use a regular phone photo for an India passport? +
Can I wear glasses in an India passport photo? +
How recent does an India passport photo need to be? +
Does the same photo work for an Indian visa or OCI? +
Other countries
Take a photo that passes — automatically.
Open the app, pick your country, and we check every rule before you save.