Passport Photo Size in India — Complete Specifications (2026)

Indian Passport Photo Specifications

Common Mistakes That Cause Rejection

• Wrong background — Many studios use blue or grey backgrounds. Indian passports require white or near-white only.
• Shadows — Shadows behind the head or on the face are a common rejection reason. Use two light sources or stand far enough from the background wall.
• Face too small — If your face is less than 50% of the photo height, it will be rejected. The chin-to-crown measurement must be between 25mm and 35mm.
• Looking to the side — You must look directly at the camera. Even a slight turn of the head can lead to rejection.
• Overexposed or underexposed — The photo should have even lighting. Extremely bright or dark photos get rejected during the automated quality check.

How to Make a Passport Photo at Home

1. Set up — Stand about 1 metre in front of a plain white wall. Have someone hold the phone at your eye level. Use the rear camera for better quality.
2. Lighting — Face a window for soft, natural light. Avoid direct sunlight, which creates harsh shadows. If shooting at night, use two lamps placed on either side.
3. Take the photo — Look straight at the camera with a neutral expression. Keep your mouth closed and eyes fully open.
4. Use Toolkiya — Upload your photo to the Toolkiya Passport Photo Tool. It automatically crops to the correct 2x2 inch ratio, ensures proper face positioning, and compresses the file to meet size requirements.
5. Print or upload — Save the final JPEG. For online applications, upload it directly. For physical submissions, print on glossy photo paper.

Passport Photo Sizes by Country

If you are applying for a visa or passport in another country, note that requirements differ:

Toolkiya supports multiple country presets, so you can select your destination and get the exact dimensions automatically. For Aadhaar card photo specs, check our Aadhaar photo size guide.