Passport Photo Size and Requirements in India
Passport Seva publishes photograph rules in its application form instruction booklet. For typical manual submissions, applicants prepare a recent colour photo sized 3.5 × 4.5 cm with a plain white background. Framing matters as much as size: even lighting, a neutral expression, and both ears visible are commonly required. Some Passport Seva Kendra appointments capture the photo at the centre instead of accepting a home print — always check which process applies to your application type.
The table below summarises the points covered in Passport Seva guidance that applicants ask about most often: photo dimensions, aspect ratio, background, quality, and print use. It does not replace the official PDF.
| Requirement | What to follow |
|---|---|
| Photo dimensions | 3.5 × 4.5 cm colour photograph (standard size cited for Indian passport applications in Passport Seva guidance). |
| Aspect ratio | 3.5 : 4.5 (width : height) — crop to this ratio so the printed size matches 3.5 × 4.5 cm. |
| Background | Plain white background. Busy walls, patterns, or uneven colour behind the head often fail checks. |
| Resolution / quality | Use a clear, recent colour photo suitable for official use. Passport Seva guidance emphasises correct framing and print quality rather than a single public pixel count — follow the booklet DOs and DON’Ts for your application type. |
| Print / use | Manual form submissions typically need a printed photo on photo-quality paper. Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) appointments often capture the photograph on-site — confirm which applies before you print or upload. |
Passport photo size in cm, inches and pixels
If you searched for passport photo size in centimetres, the figure used for many Indian applications is 3.5 cm wide by 4.5 cm high. Inches and millimetres below are the same rectangle converted for a print shop. They are not a different official size.
Pixels are only a print estimate. At 300 dots per inch, 3.5 × 4.5 cm is about 413 × 531 pixels. Passport Seva does not publish that pair as a single pixel rule for every form. Use it when you are preparing a print, then follow the latest booklet for your application.
| Unit | Width | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Centimetres | 3.5 | 4.5 |
| Millimetres | 35 | 45 |
| Inches | ~1.38 | ~1.77 |
| Pixels at 300 DPI | ~413 | ~531 |
Passport Seva Kendra vs printed photo
A home print matters when your form asks you to paste or carry a photograph. In that case the usual target is the 3.5 × 4.5 cm colour print on photo-quality paper, with a white background and the framing in the booklet.
Many Passport Seva Kendra appointments capture the photograph at the centre. If that is your process, a studio print may not be what the counter uses. Read the instruction booklet for your application type before you spend time on a print sheet.
Some other portals ask for a small JPEG instead of a print. That is a different rule. If the notification sets a file-size cap, compress the photo toward that limit only after you match the portal’s own size — do not treat a 20KB exam upload as a passport specification.
How to prepare your passport photo
- Read the Passport Seva instruction booklet for your application type (PSK on-site capture vs printed photo for a manual form).
- Take a recent photo in even light against a plain light-coloured wall — neutral expression, both ears visible.
- Open the passport photo maker, upload the image, crop to the 3.5 × 4.5 cm ratio, and set a white background if needed.
- Download a single photo or an A4 print sheet, depending on how you will submit.
- Compare your export with the official DOs and DON’Ts list before you visit the centre or paste the photo on a form.
Checklist before you submit
- Plain white background, with no pattern, furniture, or shadow behind the head.
- Both ears visible, unless the latest booklet for your form says otherwise.
- Even lighting on the face — no flash glare, heavy shadow, or a tilted selfie angle.
- Cropped to the 3.5 : 4.5 width-to-height ratio so a print is 3.5 × 4.5 cm.
- Printed on photo-quality paper when a physical photo is required, not ordinary office paper.
- Unsigned. Do not write across the photograph if the rules require a blank photo.
- Recent enough that it still looks like you. The booklet sets how recent; do not guess a date.
- Compared with the latest Passport Seva booklet DOs and DON’Ts before you submit.
Common Reasons Passport Photos Are Rejected
- Wrong size or aspect ratio — not cropped to 3.5 × 4.5 cm, so the face is too large or too small in the frame.
- Non-white or cluttered background — patterned walls, furniture, or shadows behind the head.
- Uneven lighting or strong shadows on the face or ears.
- Head tilted or a selfie angle instead of a straight-on portrait.
- Ears covered by hair when the instructions require both ears visible.
- Sunglasses, flash glare, or a soft/blurred image that hides facial detail.
- Printed on ordinary paper instead of photo-quality paper when a printed photo is required.
- Signing or writing across the photograph when rules require an unsigned photo.
Passport photo questions
What is the passport photo size in India?
For many Indian passport applications the usual printed size is a colour photograph 3.5 cm wide by 4.5 cm high, on a plain white background. That figure comes from Passport Seva guidance for typical manual forms, not from a private studio standard. Passport Seva Kendra appointments often take the photo at the centre, so confirm your application type before you print. A correct size does not guarantee the centre will accept a home photograph.
What are passport photo dimensions in cm and inches?
In centimetres the usual size is 3.5 cm wide and 4.5 cm high. Converted for print, that is about 1.38 by 1.77 inches, or 35 by 45 millimetres. The inch and millimetre rows are arithmetic conversions of the centimetre size. They are not a second official specification.
What is the passport size photo ratio?
The ratio is 3.5 : 4.5 (width : height), which is the same proportion as 7 : 9. Crop to that ratio so the face is not stretched when the photo is printed at 3.5 × 4.5 cm. A square crop or a wide landscape frame will not match the printed size.
Do I need a specific pixel size?
Passport Seva guidance emphasises framing and print quality rather than one public pixel count for every form. At 300 DPI, 3.5 × 4.5 cm is about 413 × 531 pixels. Treat that as an approximate print estimate, not an official Passport Seva pixel mandate. If another portal asks for a digital file, follow that portal’s own rules and the latest booklet.
Can I make a passport size photo online for free?
Yes. You can crop a portrait to the 3.5 × 4.5 cm ratio, set a plain white background, and download a single photo or an A4 print sheet with the free passport photo maker on this site. Processing stays in your browser and the file is not uploaded to our servers. A finished crop is a preparation aid. Compare it with the Passport Seva booklet before you submit.
Why was my passport photo rejected?
Photos are often turned away for the wrong size or ratio, a non-white or busy background, uneven light, a tilted head, ears covered by hair, blur, ordinary paper, or writing on the print. The exact rule depends on your application type. Read the official DOs and DON’Ts, and check whether your centre captures the photograph itself.
Official source
Passport Seva — Application form instruction booklet (PDF)Verify latest requirements on the official source before submitting — government rules can change.
Crop to passport size online
Use our passport photo maker to crop a portrait to Indian passport photo dimensions (3.5 × 4.5 cm) and prepare a print sheet. Processing stays in your browser.
Open passport photo maker