India Passport, Visa and OCI Photo Size Guide (2026)

India uses different photo rules for different documents. An Indian passport photo is 4.5 x 3.5 cm on a plain white background, and you usually do not need one at all if you apply at a Passport Seva Kendra, because the photo is taken there. Indian visa photos are square digital files. OCI photos are square too, but must have a light background that is not white. This guide sets out each set of rules separately so you do not mix them up. For other countries, see our passport and visa photo size chart.

Checked on 19 September 2026 against the Passport Seva application instruction booklet, the Indian e-Visa portal, the regular visa instructions and the OCI services FAQ.

Indian photo rules at a glance

Do I need a photo for an Indian passport?

Often not. The Passport Seva instruction booklet says: "Photograph is NOT REQUIRED for applications submitted at Passport Seva Kendra (PSK), Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK)." Your photo is taken when you attend.

Where a paper photo is needed, the booklet asks you to paste "your recent passport size photograph (4.5 cm length x 3.5 cm width) in colour". It adds: "Background of the photograph should be plain white, and the dress should be in dark colour." Photos "with dark background or in uniform, or with eyes hidden under coloured or dark glasses will not be accepted", and a "Photograph in computer print will not be accepted." Clear glasses are allowed, but "Glares on eyeglasses should be avoided with a slight upward or downward tilt of the head."

For children under 4, Passport Seva's guidelines ask for a 45 mm x 35 mm colour photo with a white background, with the face taking up 80–85% of the photo.

What photo does an Indian e-Visa need?

The e-Visa portal asks for a digital photo in JPEG format, between 10 KB and 1 MB, where "The height and width of the Photo must be equal." The photo should "present full face, front view, eyes open and without spectacles", and the "Background should be plain light colored or white background."

Note that glasses are not allowed for the e-Visa photo, even though clear glasses are allowed for the passport photo.

What photo does a regular Indian visa need?

The regular visa instructions ask for a square JPEG of 10–300 KB, and say: "Head should measure 1 inch to 1-3/8 inches (25mm to 35mm)." The portal's image guide sets the pixel size at a minimum of 350 x 350 and a maximum of 1000 x 1000 pixels. Check the portal's instructions for your visa category before uploading, as the form's own checks decide what it accepts.

What photo does an OCI card need?

The OCI rules are easy to get wrong, because the background must not be white. The OCI FAQ says the photo should be "of square shape of size not less than 51x 51 mm (with 80% coverage of face)" and must have a "plain light color background (not white) without the border". The digital file must be JPEG or JPG, up to 200 KB, and between 200 x 200 and 900 x 900 pixels.

Can I edit the photo or use AI?

Identity photos should show you exactly as you look. Do not retouch, filter or AI-edit the photo, and note that Passport Seva does not accept computer prints for paper applications. Kissemall's passport photo preview tool has no India-specific preset, and its output is an AI-generated preview, so do not use it for an Indian passport, visa or OCI application.

Checklist before you submit

• Passport: check whether you need a photo at all (not needed at PSK or POPSK); if you do, 4.5 x 3.5 cm, plain white background, dark clothes, no computer print
• e-Visa: square JPEG, 10 KB–1 MB, light or white background, no glasses
• Regular visa: square JPEG, 10–300 KB, 350–1000 px, head 25–35 mm
• OCI: square, at least 51 x 51 mm, light background that is not white, JPEG up to 200 KB, 200–900 px
• For every document: recent, unedited, and nothing covering your face

For other visas, compare our China visa photo guide and Schengen visa photo guide, or see every country in the passport and visa photo size chart.

Key takeaways

• Indian passports, visas and OCI cards each have their own photo rules; never reuse one set for another.
• At a Passport Seva Kendra your photo is taken on site, so you usually do not need to bring one.
• Visa and OCI photos are square digital files with strict file-size limits.
• OCI photos need a light background that is not white, unlike the passport's plain white.
• Do not edit or AI-generate identity photos.