India Passport Photo Requirements 2026: Size, Background, and Rules

Passport photo rejections in India are common — most are due to wrong dimensions, incorrect background colour, or expressions. This guide covers the official Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) requirements so your application is accepted first time.

India Passport Photo Specifications

• Size: 35×45mm (width × height)
• Pixels at 300 DPI: 413×531 pixels minimum
• Background: White only (plain, without patterns)
• Expression: Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open and looking directly at camera
• Head coverage: Face should cover 70–80% of the frame
• Glasses: Not permitted (updated rules)
• Head covering: Not permitted except for religious reasons
• Photo age: Taken within last 6 months

Online Application Photo Requirements (Passport Seva Portal)

• File format: JPEG/JPG only
• File size: 10KB to 50KB (maximum 50KB)
• Dimensions: 35×45mm (413×531 pixels)
• Resolution: 300 DPI
• Resize to 35×45mm to get the correct dimensions, then Compress to 20KB to meet the file size limit.

How to Prepare Your Photo Online (Free)

1. Open 35×45mm Resizer — resize to exactly 413×531 pixels 2. Open Compress to 20KB and upload the resized photo 3. Download — ready for the Passport Seva portal No studio visit needed for digital applications.

Common Rejection Reasons

• Background not fully white (shadows, patterns, off-white)
• Face not centred or too small in the frame
• Wearing glasses (not permitted)
• File size over 50KB or format not JPG
• Photo older than 6 months