How to use the Indian Passport Photo tool
- 1
Take the photo
Stand against a plain white wall in daylight, face the camera straight on and keep a neutral expression.
- 2
Check the preset
The page opens with India – Passport (35 × 45 mm). Switch to India – Visa / OCI for the 2 × 2 in square.
- 3
Fit the guide
Drag and zoom until your face is centred and your head sits between the crown and chin lines.
- 4
Download
Save a JPG for online forms, or a 4×6 in or A4 sheet to print.
Why use KBSnap’s Passport Photo Maker?
Two India presets
35 × 45 mm for passport forms and 2 × 2 in for visa and OCI applications.
Max KB control
Set a file-size limit for portals that cap photo uploads.
Print sheets
4×6 in, 5×7 in or A4 sheets with cut guides, as JPG or PDF.
Phone friendly
Works in the browser on Android and iPhone, including HEIC photos.
Private
Your photo is processed on your device and never uploaded.
Do you need a photo for an Indian passport?
Often you don’t. When you apply at a Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK), your photo is taken at the counter during the appointment, so a standard application booked through the Passport Seva portal doesn’t need a printed photo.
You will need your own passport size photo when:
- your form is submitted through a channel that asks you to paste a photo on it, such as a District Passport Cell or another collection centre;
- you’re applying for a very young child and the centre asks you to bring a recent photo with a white background;
- you’re applying through an Indian embassy, high commission or its service centre abroad, which set their own photo format;
- another form asks for one – exam registrations, admissions, job applications and ID cards often use the same 35 × 45 mm size.
Check the current instructions for your application type on passportindia.gov.in.
Indian passport and visa photo specifications
| Item | Passport forms | Visa / OCI |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 4.5 × 3.5 cm (35 × 45 mm) | 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm), square |
| Background | Plain white | Plain white or light |
| Head guide in the tool | 32–36 mm, face centred | 25–35 mm, face centred |
| Face | Front view, eyes open, neutral expression | Full face, front view, eyes open |
| Glasses | Best removed; no tinted lenses or glare | Remove them |
| Usual format | Printed colour photo | Digital upload (JPEG) |
The head guide uses the standard biometric range; Indian instructions mainly ask for a clear, front-facing face in the centre of the frame. Embassies and service centres abroad may ask for a different size, so follow the size printed on your form.
Visa and OCI photos: square and digital
Indian e-Visa and OCI applications are made online and ask for a square digital photo with a plain white or light background, within the file-size and pixel limits shown on the portal. Choose India – Visa / OCI, line up your face and download the digital JPG.
If the portal says the file is too large, set a maximum KB and download again. If it says the file is too small, remove the limit. Some service centres also ask for printed copies when you submit your documents, so check their checklist too.
Printing passport size photos in India
Download the 4×6 in sheet – the standard 4R print size – and any photo studio or print shop can print it in minutes. Ask for a glossy print at the original size, without borders or auto-correction, and you’ll get several copies to keep for future forms.
To print at home, use the A4 PDF on glossy photo paper at 100% / Actual size. Check one photo with a ruler: it should be exactly 3.5 cm wide and 4.5 cm high.
Many Indian application forms also want a scanned signature at a specific size – the Signature Resizer handles that, and Compress Image to 50 KB helps when a portal has a strict photo limit.
Mistakes that get Indian passport photos rejected
- An off-white or shadowed background – use a white wall in daylight.
- A face that’s too small or off-centre, often because the photo was cut out of a larger picture.
- White clothing against a white background, which makes your shoulders disappear – wear a colour.
- Tinted glasses, caps or hair over the eyes.
- Beauty filters and skin smoothing from phone camera apps.
- Old photos that no longer look like you.