India Passport Photo Requirements: Complete Guide for 2025

Size: 51mm × 51mm (approximately 2 inches × 2 inches) for physical photos. For the online Passport Seva portal, the digital photo must be between 10KB and 1MB, in JPEG format, 200×200 to 800×800 pixels, with a minimum 200 DPI resolution.

Background: Plain white or off-white background only. Coloured backgrounds, patterned backgrounds, or backgrounds with objects or other people are rejected. The background must be evenly lit with no shadows or gradients.

Head position: Face must be directly facing the camera, with no tilting. Ears must be clearly visible (hairstyle should not cover ears). The head (including hair) must occupy 70-80% of the photo frame from the top of the head to the chin.

Expression: Neutral, natural expression with mouth closed. No smiling, no frowning. Eyes must be open, clearly visible, and looking directly at the camera. Squinting or looking away from the camera is not accepted.

Eyes and glasses: Spectacles are NOT permitted in Indian passport photos as per the current guidelines. Remove glasses before taking the photo.

Head coverings: Head coverings are accepted only for religious reasons. The face must be clearly visible even when a head covering is worn.

Print quality (physical photos): High-quality photographic print, not an inkjet print. Matte or semi-glossy finish. No creases, marks, or damage.

The Passport Seva portal has specific digital requirements that differ from the physical photo requirements. For online applications, the photo must be: JPEG format, file size between 10KB and 1MB, dimensions between 200×200 pixels and 800×800 pixels (square format), minimum 200 DPI, RGB colour mode.

The photo upload interface on the Passport Seva portal will reject files that don't meet these specifications with an error message. If your photo upload is rejected, check: file format (must be JPEG, not PNG or WebP), file size (must be between 10KB and 1MB), dimensions (must be square — width equals height), and that the image quality is sufficient (no blurriness, no heavy compression artefacts).

A 300×300 to 600×600 pixel JPEG at 90% quality (approximately 50-150KB) will satisfy all Passport Seva photo requirements while meeting the specified constraints.

Taking your own passport photo is possible with a modern smartphone and attention to the following steps.

Setup: Choose a plain white wall as the background. Ensure the lighting source is in front of you (facing a window on an overcast day provides ideal diffused lighting). Avoid direct sunlight from the side, which creates harsh shadows on the face.

Camera setup: Use the rear camera (not the front-facing selfie camera) for better image quality. Ask someone else to take the photo, or use a phone stand and a timer. Ensure the camera is at face height, not above or below (tilted angles create perspective distortion).

Framing: Center the face in the frame. The top of the head should be near the top of the frame with about 5mm of space. The face should occupy 70-80% of the height. Shoulders should be visible but the photo doesn't need to show below the shoulders.

After taking: Transfer the photo to your computer or use a dedicated passport photo app to crop to the exact required dimensions, verify the background is plain white, and export in the correct format and size.

Professional photo studios that specialise in passport photos have calibrated equipment, proper lighting setups, and experience with the exact specifications required. A studio photo is typically more reliable for the first attempt and costs ₹50-150 for a set of 4-6 photos in most cities.

Home photography is suitable when you need a digital-only submission (Passport Seva online application) and cannot easily visit a studio. The main challenges at home are achieving even lighting without shadows and ensuring a perfectly white background. These are manageable with some care.

For applications where the physical photo will be sent by post or submitted in person (which now applies to fewer cases with the Passport Seva online system), use a professional studio photo to avoid rejection on quality grounds.

Background not white: Grey walls, off-white painted walls, and walls with faint patterns are commonly rejected. A pure white background is the safest choice.

Glasses worn: As mentioned, glasses are not permitted in current Indian passport photos.

Shadows on face or background: Lighting from the wrong angle or from a single source creates shadows. Use front-facing diffused light.

Head not centred or frame too zoomed out: The face should occupy 70-80% of the frame — full-body shots or photos showing only from the chest up are not acceptable.

Low print quality (for physical submissions): Inkjet prints, blurry photos, and photos with colour casts are rejected. Only use professional photographic paper prints.

Expression issues: Smiling, open mouth, or closed eyes — even a slight squint — can lead to rejection.