The quick reference table

These are the most-quoted official requirements as of September 2026. Rules change and consulates interpret edge cases differently — treat this table as a solid starting point, then confirm against the issuing authority’s own page before submitting. The maker tool’s presets encode the same numbers.

Requirement	US passport & visa	India passport (since Sept 2025)	UK passport	Schengen / EU visa	China visa	Canada passport	Australia passport
Print size	2×2 in (51×51 mm)	35×45 mm	35×45 mm	35×45 mm	33×48 mm	50×70 mm	35×45 mm
Head size (crown→chin)	25–35 mm (50–69%)	face fills 80–85% of photo	29–34 mm (64–76%)	32–36 mm (71–80%)	28–33 mm (58–69%)	31–36 mm (44–51%)	32–36 mm (71–80%)
Digital pixels	600–1200 px square	exactly 630×810 px	≥600×750 px	≈413×531 px (300 dpi equiv.)	354–420 × 472–560 px (COVA)	print-first; portals vary	print-first; portals vary
File limits	≤240 KB JPEG (DS-160)	≈10–250 KB JPEG	50 KB–10 MB	varies by consulate	~40–120 KB JPEG (COVA)	varies	varies
Background	plain white / off-white	white	plain light grey or cream	plain light	white	white or light-coloured	plain light-coloured
Photo age	≤6 months	≤6 months	≤1 month (online)	≤6 months	≤6 months	≤6 months	≤6 months
Glasses	not allowed	not allowed	allowed, no glare	discouraged	not allowed	allowed if eyes visible, no glare	allowed, no glare
Expression	neutral, mouth closed	neutral, mouth closed	neutral, mouth closed	neutral, mouth closed	neutral	neutral	neutral, mouth closed

India changed spec on 1 September 2025. Under the MEA’s GPSP 2.0 rollout, passport applications require an ICAO-compliant photo: 35×45 mm, exactly 630×810 px JPEG, ≈10–250 KB, face filling 80–85% of the photo on a white background — the old 2×2 in square is no longer accepted for passports. The file-size window is enforced at both ends: the ICAO notice says “less than 250 KB”, but the Passport Seva portal also rejects over-compressed files below roughly 10 KB. The India e-visa upload is a separate spec that stayed square: JPEG, 10–300 KB, minimum 350×350 px, height equal to width. Older guides quoting a 2×2 in India passport photo are now a year out of date. Missions abroad are transitioning to the same ICAO format, though a few consular channels still quote 51×51 mm during the changeover.

China’s two specs disagree. The paper photo is 33×48 mm, but the COVA online portal enforces a pixel window of roughly 354–420 × 472–560 px — a ≈3:4 shape, wider than the paper ratio. For the online application the pixel window is what the portal enforces, which is why our China preset outputs 420×560 px.

Two table cells worth a footnote. The UK size appears above as 35×45 mm like every other row — GOV.UK itself phrases it as “45 mm high by 35 mm wide”, same shape either way. And Australia doesn’t mandate a single size: the Passport Office accepts 35–40 mm wide × 45–50 mm high — our preset outputs the standard 35×45 mm that sits inside that window.

How to read the head-size column

“Head size” means the vertical distance from the crown (top of the head, hair included) to the bottom of the chin — not the whole photo and not just the face. On a US 2×2 in photo the head must measure 25–35 mm, roughly half to two-thirds of the frame. Schengen’s 32–36 mm on a 45 mm frame means the head fills noticeably more — about 71–80%. Canada’s 50×70 mm photo asks for a smaller head fraction (31–36 mm of 70 mm ≈ 44–51%) — the same framing that passes a Schengen check fails a Canadian one. This is why the maker tool draws a head-size guide band sized to each preset rather than one generic oval.

The digital rules people miss

Print rules describe the paper photo; online applications add a second layer of pixel and byte limits. The ones that produce real rejections:

• US visa (DS-160 / CEAC): square JPEG, minimum 600×600 px, maximum 1200×1200 px, ≤240 KB. A 4000-px phone photo fails the maximum — bigger isn’t automatically better.
• UK online renewal: at least 600×750 px, 50 KB–10 MB, JPEG. The minimum file size trips up heavily compressed photos.
• India passport (since 1 Sept 2025): JPEG, exactly 630×810 px, ≈10–250 KB — the portal enforces both ends.
• India e-visa: JPEG, 10–300 KB, minimum 350×350 px, height equal to width — a different, still-current spec from the passport one.
• China COVA upload: JPEG, commonly quoted 40–120 KB and 354–420 × 472–560 px.

Other countries, same families

Many requirements reuse these sizes: New Zealand, Japan, France, Germany, Spain and most of Latin America sit in the 35×45 mm / ~32–36 mm head family (small national variations apply — Japan, for instance, publishes 35×45 mm with a 34±2 mm head). Brazil uses 5×7 cm, and several Gulf states publish their own square formats. When in doubt, find the two numbers that matter — print size and head height — and the rest usually follows the ICAO pattern: plain light background, neutral expression, recent photo, no retouching.

From table to tool

The maker on the homepage encodes eight presets from this table — crop shape, output pixels, head-size band and file window — and the printing guide covers turning the download into a correctly-sized paper photo. For the other half of compliance (lighting, expression, recency), see taking the photo at home.

Frequently asked questions

Are passport photo rules the same in every country?

No — they converge, but they don't match. Most of Europe and much of Asia use 35×45 mm with the head filling roughly 70–80% of the frame, while the US uses a 2×2 in square. Canada is the outlier at 50×70 mm, China uses 33×48 mm, and India switched its passport photo from 2×2 in to the ICAO 35×45 mm format in September 2025. Even when sizes match, head-size bands and file rules differ — always check the specific document.

What does 'head size' actually measure?

Crown-to-chin: the vertical distance from the top of the head (including hair) to the bottom of the chin, expressed in millimetres on the printed photo or as a percentage of photo height. US rules want 25–35 mm of a 51 mm photo (~50–69%); Schengen wants 32–36 mm of 45 mm (~71–80%); India wants the face filling 80–85% of the photo.

Do digital upload rules differ from print rules?

Yes — this catches people out. A printed photo has no file size, but the online application that precedes it often does: US visa (DS-160) wants a 600–1200 px JPEG under 240 KB, the UK portal wants ≥600×750 px between 50 KB and 10 MB, an India passport upload (since Sept 2025) is exactly 630×810 px JPEG between ≈10 and 250 KB, and China's COVA window is 354–420×472–560 px at ~40–120 KB.

Is a white background always required?

Nearly always. The US, China and India specify plain white or off-white; the UK allows light grey or cream; Schengen guidance calls for a plain light background. What's universally banned is patterns, textures, scenery and shadows — a busy background is among the top rejection triggers everywhere.

How recent must the photo be?

Typically six months or less — the rule for US passports/visas, Schengen visas, China and India. The UK requires less than one month for online applications. If your appearance has changed materially (new glasses you must wear, major weight change, facial surgery), take a new photo regardless of the calendar.

Which preset should I pick for a country not in the list?

Match the print size, not the country name. Most of Europe and much of Asia sit in the 35×45 mm / 32–36 mm head family — pick Schengen or Australia. Gulf states and many others reuse the same ICAO-derived spec. Then confirm the head-size band and file rules against your issuing authority's page, since national variations exist.