Indian Passport Size Photo Maker & Size Guide
The official Passport Seva spec is 2×2in (51×51mm, 600×600px). Upload a photo, align it to the guide, and download — nothing is ever uploaded to a server.
Drop a photo here, or click to upload
JPEG, PNG, or HEIC · nothing is uploaded, it stays on your device
or
Center your face in the oval, with your eyes on the yellow line
Converting HEIC photo…
Sorry, we couldn't read that photo. Please try a different file.
This photo is smaller than the recommended output size, so the download may look slightly soft when printed.
Missing part of the person? Use Restore. Background still showing through? Use Erase. Just want to drag or resize the photo? Switch back to Pan / zoom.
Blue band = acceptable head-height range · yellow dashed = eye line · fit your head between the solid lines
Runs entirely in your browser — your photo is never uploaded.
Background removal didn't work on this photo/browser. You can still crop and download as usual.
Print multiple copies on one sheet
India passport photo specification
- Print size
- 51×51mm (2×2 in)
- Digital output
- 600×600px
- Head height (chin to crown)
- 25–35mm (49–69% of frame)
- Background
- Plain white or off-white background
- ·Neutral, natural expression, both eyes open, full face front view
- ·No glasses. Tinted or dark lenses aren't permitted, glare isn't permitted, and frames can't cover any part of the eyes
- ·Head coverings aren't permitted except for religious reasons, and even then your chin, forehead, and both edges of your face need to stay visible
- ·Photo should be recent. There's no officially stated validity window, but it needs to look like you now
- ·Full head from the top of your hair to the bottom of your chin, centered in the frame, with no shadows on your face or the background
- ·Digital file: 350 to 1000px square, 24-bit colour, 200 to 300 DPI, 20 to 100KB, not retouched or softened
Official Passport Seva guidance says photos shouldn't be retouched, enhanced, or softened, and this tool sticks to that by only cropping and resizing. Worth knowing: Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) staff also photograph you on-site at your appointment, so the photo you submit yourself mainly matters for the online application form and, for some applicant categories, printed copies you bring along. Bring a printed copy anyway if you're not sure whether you need one. Appointment slots aren't easy to rebook if you show up missing a document.
Indian passport photo size in every unit — and what "passport size photo" actually means
The photo your Indian passport application needs is a square: 2×2 inches under official Passport Seva (MEA) guidance. Here's that measurement converted to the units people usually search for:
| Unit | Full photo | Head height (crown to chin) |
|---|---|---|
| Inches | 2 × 2 in | 1 – 1⅜ in |
| Centimeters | 5.08 × 5.08 cm | 2.5 – 3.5 cm |
| Millimeters | 51 × 51 mm | 25 – 35 mm |
| Pixels (digital upload) | 600 × 600 px | ~49–69% of frame height |
One thing worth clearing up, because it causes real confusion: in everyday use, "passport size photo" in India is a generic term for the small ID photo that PAN card forms, bank KYC, college admissions, resumes, and exam applications (NEET, UPSC, and most competitive exams) all ask for — and that generic photo is usually a 3.5×4.5cm rectangle, not the 2×2in square above. The square 2×2in spec on this page is specifically what the Passport Seva Online Portal wants for an actual passport application. If a form other than your passport application is asking for a "passport size photo," double-check its own instructions for the exact size before you use this tool's output on it.
You'll also sometimes see forms ask for a "stamp size photo" alongside the passport size one — that's a separate, smaller print, roughly 2×2.5cm, common on older government and bank forms. It's not interchangeable with either of the sizes above.
Making a passport size photo online, without Photoshop
You don't need Photoshop, a Word template, or a hand-cut printout to get this right. Upload any clear, front-facing photo — taken on a phone is fine — and the tool on this page lines your head up against the official crown-to-chin guide, squares the frame off to exactly 2×2in, and exports it at 600×600px, which comfortably fits inside the Passport Seva portal's accepted 350–1000px range. If a background swap is needed, keep it plain white or off-white; that's what Passport Seva actually checks for, not a particular shade of blue or grey.
Because the cropping and resizing happen locally in your browser using the canvas element, your photo is never uploaded to a server, so there's nothing to worry about on the privacy side either.
The Passport Seva process, and where your photo fits in
Most guides treat the "Indian passport photo" as a single, isolated spec to hit. In practice it sits inside a multi-step process on the Passport Seva Online Portal, and where exactly your photo matters depends on which step you're at.
When you fill out the application form on the portal, you upload a digital photo that has to meet the 2×2in (51×51mm) size and background rules. This is the file this tool produces. But at your Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) appointment, staff photograph you again on-site as a standard part of the process, no matter what you uploaded. Your own photo isn't a replacement for that step. It mainly governs how your application looks on the portal and, for many applicants, what you bring as a printed copy to the appointment itself.
Whether a printed copy is actually required varies by PSK and application category. Tatkaal (expedited) and police-verification cases in particular have been known to ask for physical copies even when the process is nominally paperless. The safe default is to bring 2 or 3 printed copies at the correct 2×2in size to your appointment, even if you're not sure they'll get used. Appointment slots are limited and hard to rebook, so it's not worth finding out the hard way that you needed one.
What PSK staff actually check
Rejections at the photo stage are rarely about pixel dimensions since the online portal validates that automatically. What trips people up in person is the more qualitative stuff: tinted or photochromic lenses, glare across the glasses, a background with visible texture or shadow instead of flat white or off-white, hair covering the forehead or the edge of the face, or a photo that looks visibly filtered or smoothed. None of that shows up as a "wrong size" error. It shows up as a manual rejection at the counter, and that's what actually costs you the appointment slot.
Tatkaal photo requirements aren't different
There's a persistent myth that expedited (Tatkaal) applications have a separate or looser photo spec. They don't. The size, background, and framing requirements are identical to the normal category. What changes with Tatkaal is processing speed and the documentation needed to prove urgency, not the photo itself.
Where to get a passport size photo taken in India
Local photo studios and the photocopy-cum-photo shops clustered around most PSKs will take and print a passport size photo for a small fee, usually somewhere around ₹30–₹100 depending on the city and how many copies you need. That's a reasonable option if you'd rather not deal with lighting and framing yourself, but keep in mind they're producing the same 2×2in spec covered on this page — paying for it doesn't buy you extra accuracy.
The free alternative is doing it yourself: a phone camera against a plain white wall, then upload the result to the tool above. It checks the size, background, and head-position rules for you and exports a file that's ready for the Passport Seva Online Portal, or for printing at home or at a local shop.
Related photo requirements
Common rejection reasons
Background isn’t plain or uniform
Shadows, patterns, furniture, or other people in frame are among the most common reasons photos get bounced back. Use a plain wall and even, shadow-free lighting.
Head size or position is off
Too zoomed in, too zoomed out, or off-center. Each country specifies an exact head-height range and crown position, and that's exactly what the crop guide in this tool aligns to.
Glasses, glare, or head coverings
Most countries now disallow glasses entirely (or require them glare-free with no frame over the eyes), and disallow non-religious head coverings that hide the hairline or face.
Photo is filtered, retouched, or AI-enhanced
Beauty filters, background blur, skin smoothing, and AI-generated backgrounds are explicitly rejected by several passport authorities, including the UK’s HM Passport Office.
Photo is outdated
Most countries require a photo taken within the last 6 months (the UK requires within the last month). An old photo, even a good one, can be rejected on this basis alone.
Expression or eye contact issues
Closed eyes, mouth open, smiling with teeth showing, or not looking straight at the camera are all common rejection triggers. A neutral, closed-mouth expression is the safe default.
Want the full picture across every country? See all passport photo requirements for 2026, read how to take a passport photo at home, or check what to wear and expression rules.
Frequently asked questions
What size is an India passport photo?
It needs to be 2x2 inches, or 51x51mm in metric, with the head (measured top of hair to bottom of chin) between 1 and 1⅜ inches, or 25 to 35mm.
Are glasses allowed in Indian passport photos?
They're discouraged, and tinted or dark lenses aren't allowed at all. If you do wear glasses, the frames can't cover your eyes and there can't be any glare on the lenses.
Does this tool store or upload my photo?
No. It all happens locally in your browser. No image data is ever uploaded or stored anywhere.
Do I still need a printed photo if I upload one on the Passport Seva Online Portal?
Often, yes. The portal accepts a digital upload with your application, but plenty of Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) appointments still expect a physical copy on hand, especially for police verification or Tatkaal categories. Check your appointment confirmation for specifics, and bring a printed copy just in case.
Will the PSK take my photo anyway, even if I bring my own?
Yes. PSK staff photograph every applicant on-site as a standard part of the process, no matter what you bring with you. Your own photo mainly covers the online application form and any printed-copy requirement, it doesn't replace the in-person capture.
What actually gets applicants rejected at the photo stage in India?
In practice, it's usually one of a handful of things: tinted glasses or glare on the lenses, a colored or patterned background instead of plain white or off-white, hair covering the forehead or edges of the face, or a photo that looks clearly retouched. PSK and passport office staff check these by hand, not just with software.
What is the Indian passport photo size in cm and pixels?
It's 5.08 x 5.08cm (2x2 inches), the same physical size as a US passport photo. This tool exports it at 600x600 pixels, which sits inside the Passport Seva portal's accepted 350 to 1000px square range.
What is the ratio and aspect ratio of an Indian passport size photo?
It's a perfect square, so the ratio is 1:1 — 2x2in, 51x51mm, or 600x600px, whichever unit you're working in. That's worth knowing because plenty of other Indian ID photos aren't square: the generic "passport size photo" used on most forms is a 3.5x4.5cm rectangle instead, so a photo cropped for one won't always pass for the other.
How do I make a passport size photo online for free?
Upload a clear, front-facing photo to the tool above, drag it to line up your head with the guide, and download. There's nothing to install and no Photoshop or Word template involved — the cropper does the measuring and squares off the file at 2x2in (600x600px) automatically, and it's free with no account needed.
How many photocopies of my passport size photo do I need for a passport application?
The Passport Seva Online Portal only asks for a single digital upload during the application itself. If your appointment category calls for a printed copy too (Tatkaal and police-verification cases most often do), two or three prints at the correct 2x2in size is a safe number to bring — check your appointment confirmation, since it varies by PSK and category.
How do I change or update the photo on my Indian passport?
You can't edit the photo on an existing passport directly — a new photo only gets attached the next time you apply, whether that's a renewal, a reissue, or a correction request. At that appointment, PSK staff photograph you fresh regardless of what you upload beforehand, so the current photo on your passport gets replaced as part of the normal renewal process, not through a separate photo-change request.
Is a photo required for an Indian passport renewal?
Yes. Renewal applications go through the same Passport Seva process as a fresh application, including a digital photo upload on the portal and an in-person photo capture at your PSK appointment. There's no renewal path that skips the photo step.
Do some Indian passport forms ask me to sign across the photo or write my name and date on it?
Some paper forms and older-style applications do ask for a signature across a printed photo, or your name and date written on the back — it's a physical-copy requirement you handle by hand after printing, separate from the digital file spec. If your appointment confirmation mentions it, do it on the printed copy, not the digital upload.
What's the difference between a "passport size photo" and a "stamp size photo" in India?
They're not the same thing, even though both get requested on Indian forms. A passport size photo is the 3.5x4.5cm photo most documents ask for (or 2x2in/51x51mm specifically for the MEA passport application). A stamp size photo is smaller, usually around 2x2.5cm, and shows up on things like bank forms or older government applications. Check which one your form actually names before you print.