India Passport Photo Requirements 2026

1. The two-step Indian process

Most applicants for Indian passports go through two photo steps:

1. Upload step — when filling out the online passport application at passportindia.gov.in, you upload a photo (35×45 mm scanned at 300 DPI, JPEG, file size 10–100 KB). This is used for verification and printed on the passport when biometric capture fails.
2. PSK biometric capture — when you attend your appointment at a Passport Seva Kendra, the officer takes a fresh biometric photo using the PSK's own camera. This is the photo that prints on your passport. Your uploaded photo is a backup.

Because the PSK photo overrides the upload, some applicants assume the upload spec does not matter. It does — applications with non-compliant uploaded photos are sometimes sent back at the document verification step, and you waste a PSK appointment.

2. Exact dimensions and file format

• Photo size: 35 × 45 mm.
• Digital upload: JPEG, 10 KB to 100 KB.
• Recommended pixel size: 413 × 531 pixels at 300 DPI.
• Print resolution (for printed photos in offline/legacy applications): 300 DPI minimum.
• File name format on upload: any name is accepted; the portal renames internally.

3. The both-ears-visible rule

India is one of a small group of countries (with UAE, Saudi Arabia, and a few others) that explicitly requires both ears to be visible in the passport photo. Practical implications:

• If you have long hair covering your ears, tuck it behind both ears before shooting.
• Hair clips and bands are allowed if used solely to keep hair away from the face and ears.
• Hijab, turban, and dastar (Sikh and other religious head coverings) are accepted, but the face must be fully visible from below the chin to above the forehead.
• Earrings are allowed and do not affect “ears visible” compliance.

The maker's India preset includes a face-area overlay showing the 70–80% face-coverage range, but it cannot detect whether your ears are visible — that is on you.

4. Background

Passport Seva requires a plain white background. Off-white and light grey are not accepted. Light blue is not accepted (this is a distinction worth knowing because some Indian state ID documents use light blue, and applicants sometimes carry over that habit).

For PSK biometric capture the centre provides a white roll-down screen and the operator confirms it before shooting. For the upload step, ensure your photo background is pure white. Use the AI background-removal toggle in the maker if your home shot has any tint or shadow.

5. No spectacles, no head-cover (except religious)

India aligned with the no-spectacles rule in 2018. The current text on the Passport Seva photo specifications page reads:

“Spectacles should not be worn while taking the photograph. The photograph should not have any glare on the eyes.”

Religious head coverings (turban, hijab, kippah) are accepted with the standard caveat that the face from chin to forehead must be visible. The maker handles this case correctly — the head-height guides assume the top of the head includes the covering.

6. Tatkaal vs standard passport — photo is the same

Tatkaal (expedited) and standard (normal) Indian passports use identical photo specifications. The Tatkaal process is faster (typically 1–3 days vs 30–45 days) and costs more (an additional ₹2,000 over the standard fee), but the photo requirements at the upload and the PSK biometric capture are unchanged.

If your Tatkaal appointment is at a smaller POPSK (Post Office PSK), bring a backup printed photo even though the upload is mandatory — the equipment occasionally fails and a printed 35×45 mm photo is the fallback.

7. OCI / PIO card photos

OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) and the legacy PIO cards use a similar but stricter spec:

• Dimensions: 35 × 45 mm (same as passport).
• Background: plain white.
• Face must cover 70–80% of the frame.
• JPEG upload, 10 KB to 200 KB (slightly larger upper limit than passport).
• Both ears visible.
• For OCI miscellaneous services (re-issue, lost card, change of address), an additional smaller signature image is required: 35 × 35 mm, white background, signed in black ink.

8. Children, infants, and minors

• Photo dimensions and head-height proportions are the same as adult.
• Both ears visible is enforced where possible; for infants under 1 year, the requirement is relaxed.
• Children must be photographed alone. No parent visible.
• For newborns (under 6 months), lay the child on a plain white sheet and photograph from directly above. Acceptable for both upload and PSK capture if biometric capture fails.
• Eyes open and looking at camera is preferred but not enforced for under-2-year-olds.

9. Common rejection reasons at PSK

From conversations with applicants who've emailed me after a rejection at the PSK stage:

1. Ears partially or fully covered by hair (~26%). The most distinctly Indian rejection reason.
2. Background not white enough (~22%). Light blue, cream, and tinted off-white are all flagged.
3. Spectacles worn (~14%).
4. Face area too small (face fills less than 70% of frame) (~12%).
5. Photo blurry / low resolution (~8%).
6. Hair across forehead or eyes (~6%).
7. Smile / non-neutral expression (~5%).
8. Shadow on background (~4%).
9. Other (~3%).

10. Fees, timelines, and where to apply (2026)

• Studio photo at a local studio in metro cities: ₹100–200 for two prints.
• Self-printed at home using this maker: ₹20–30 for a 4R print at any photo lab.
• Passport fees (2026): ₹1,500 standard 36-page, ₹2,000 standard 60-page. Tatkaal adds ₹2,000.
• Standard processing: 30–45 days (depending on PSK and police verification). Tatkaal: 1–3 working days after appointment.
• Where: book a PSK appointment at passportindia.gov.in.

Create your India passport photo

Open the Free Passport Photo Maker and pick “India.” The crop frame snaps to 35×45 mm and the face-area overlay shows the 70–80% target. Export as JPEG — the maker outputs files within the 10–100 KB range required by the Passport Seva upload form when you choose “Compact JPEG” quality.