Visa Photo Size: Requirements by Country (2026 Guide)

There is no single "visa photo size" and no single global authority — each destination sets its own specification, and each is run by a different government office. The US Department of State wants a square 2×2 inch (51×51 mm) photo; the UK's UK Visas and Immigration wants a 35×45 mm rectangle; China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs wants a different 33×48 mm; Japan wants a square 45×45 mm. A photo that sails through one country's automated check is auto-rejected by another. This is a side-by-side comparison hub — not a single-country guide: it pulls the current 2026 official specifications for 10 major destinations into one table, each row sourced to that country's own issuing authority, so you match your photo to the destination instead of guessing.

Visa Photo Size by Country — Full Comparison Table

The table below covers the countries that process the most visa applications, with each row sourced to that country's own issuing authority — the office that actually adjudicates the visa, named in the prose under each section. Digital pixel specs apply to online/upload submissions; print sizes apply to in-person or mail applications. Where a country sets a head-size window, it is the chin-to-crown measurement on the printed photo. Authorities differ by country: the US Department of State (travel.state.gov), the UK's UK Visas and Immigration / Home Office (gov.uk), the Schengen member-state embassies standardising on the EU Visa Code / ICAO 9303 rule, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Chinese Visa Application Service Center (visaforchina.cn), India's Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs (indianvisaonline.gov.in), Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (canada.ca), and Australia's Department of Home Affairs (homeaffairs.gov.au).

Quick rule of thumb: Three size families cover most of this table. The square 2×2 in / 600×600 px family is the US, India, and Brazil. The 35×45 mm family is the UK, Schengen, Canada, Australia, and South Korea. And two countries are outliers — China at 33×48 mm and Japan at a square 45×45 mm — so never assume a "standard" photo will pass for either.

Why the sizes differ

The split traces back to two competing conventions. The 35×45 mm rectangle is the older European standard and was adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Document 9303 as the baseline for machine-readable travel documents — that is why most of the Commonwealth, the EU, and East Asia use it. The 2×2 inch square is the US convention, retained by the State Department because its facial-recognition templates are built around a square crop; India and Brazil mirror it largely because their US-facing visa workflows were modeled on the US system. China and Japan never aligned to either — China's 33×48 mm and Japan's 45×45 mm predate ICAO harmonization and their immigration authorities kept the legacy formats. The practical takeaway: the size is a policy artifact of the issuing authority, not a technical optimum, so you cannot reason your way to the right number — you have to look it up per country.

US Visa Photo Requirements

The US Department of State publishes some of the strictest photo requirements of any country. Here is what matters for digital submissions to DS-160 and DS-11 forms.

Dimensions: 2×2 inches (51×51 mm). At 300 DPI, that is 600×600 pixels. The State Department accepts photos between 600×600 and 1200×1200 pixels — larger is fine, smaller is not.

Face position: Your face must occupy between 50% and 69% of the image's total height — measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head (including hair). The face must be centered horizontally.

File size: Maximum 240 KB for digital uploads. JPEG format only.

Background: White or off-white. No patterns, shadows, or gradients. The background must be uniformly lit.

Expression: Neutral expression, both eyes open and clearly visible. No smiling with teeth shown.

Head covering: Not permitted unless for religious reasons, and only if a signed statement is included.

Glasses: Not accepted since 2016. Remove glasses for all US visa and passport photos.

Sources: US Department of State travel.state.gov and the DS-160 online application guidelines.

UK Visa Photo Requirements

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), part of the Home Office, adjudicates UK visas and sets the photo standard; the same specification (published at gov.uk) covers UK passports through HM Passport Office. Its digital requirement is one of the strictest in this guide.

Dimensions: 35 mm wide × 45 mm tall for physical prints. For digital uploads, the photo must be at least 600 pixels wide × 750 pixels tall, saved as JPG/JPEG, with a file size between 50 KB and 6 MB.

Background: Plain cream or light grey. This is the rule that catches most applicants — UKVI rejects pure-white backgrounds, the exact opposite of the US requirement. Use a plain light-coloured wall.

Head size: The head, measured from the bottom of the chin to the crown, must be between 29 mm and 34 mm on the printed photo.

Expression: Neutral, mouth closed. Eyes open, looking directly at the camera.

Recency: Taken within the last 1 month — much tighter than the 6-month window most other countries allow. A photo from an earlier application will be rejected.

Glasses: Not permitted. Remove glasses.

Printing: If submitting a physical photo, it must be printed on photo-quality paper and must not be printed on a home inkjet printer.

Source: UK Government official guidance (gov.uk/photos-for-passports).

Schengen / EU Visa Photo Requirements

There is no single "Schengen embassy" — each application is handled by the respective member-state embassy or consulate (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and the rest of the area), but the photo rule is standardised under the EU Visa Code and the ICAO Document 9303 specification, so every Schengen state accepts the same photo. The area covers 29 European countries as of 2026.

Dimensions: 35×45 mm (3.5 × 4.5 cm). This is the same physical size as UK photos.

Background: Plain light-coloured background — white or light grey, without patterns or shadows. Unlike the UK, plain white is accepted for Schengen visas.

Head size: Face centered, looking straight ahead. The face must cover 70–80% of the frame — chin-to-crown height of 32–36 mm on the print.

Expression: Neutral, mouth closed.

Recency: Taken within 6 months.

Glasses: Permitted only if the frames do not cover any part of the eyes and there is no glare or reflection on the lenses — but consulates recommend removing them to avoid rejection.

Digital uploads: Most Schengen applications still require a hard print delivered to the Visa Application Center (VFS Global or TLScontact), but member-state digital portals generally expect a high-resolution JPEG at 300–600 DPI suitable for automated biometric mapping. Always verify with the specific consulate handling your application, as some add local digital-upload limits or per-portal file-size caps.

Source: ICAO Document 9303 Part 1 and Schengen visa application guidelines.

Canadian Visa Photo Requirements

Canada accepts two photo sizes depending on the application type.

Standard size: 35×45 mm — used for most immigration and visa applications. This matches the UK and Schengen standard.

Alternative size: 50×70 mm — required for some specific forms. Check your application form's instructions before printing.

Background: White or light-coloured. No dark or patterned backgrounds.

Head size: Head centered, face forward — the chin-to-crown measurement must fall between 31 mm and 36 mm.

Recency: Taken within the last 6 months.

Expression: Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open. Shoulders must be visible.

Glasses: Permitted only if the eyes are clearly visible with no glare and the frames cover no part of the eyes — IRCC recommends removing them to be safe.

Digital submissions: For Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) online applications, upload a JPEG with a minimum frame size of 420×540 pixels and a facial height of 372–432 pixels; IRCC targets a file size of roughly 240 KB (minimum 60 KB). The file must be unedited — IRCC rejects photos altered with filters or AI, and photos of an existing physical photo.

Source: IRCC official photo specifications.

Indian Visa Photo Requirements

India's visa and e-Visa system — adjudicated by the Bureau of Immigration under the Ministry of Home Affairs, one of the world's most frequently used digital visa platforms — uses a square photo, matching the US 1:1 aspect ratio.

Dimensions: For the regular in-person visa, 2×2 inches (51×51 mm). Square (1:1 aspect ratio). For the digital upload, the image must be a minimum of 350×350 pixels and a maximum of 1000×1000 pixels.

Head size: The head, measured from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin, should be between 1 inch and 1⅜ inches (25–35 mm). It should be centered and occupy roughly 50–70% of the photo — the often-quoted "80%" figure is incorrect for the e-Visa upload.

Background: Plain white or a light-coloured background. No shadows, no borders around the image.

Format: JPEG. For an e-Visa, the file size must be 10 KB to 1 MB; regular online forms cap it at 300 KB.

Expression: Neutral, both eyes open, facing the camera.

Recency: Taken within the last 6 months.

Head covering: Permitted only for religious reasons, and the face from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead must remain fully visible.

Source: the official Indian visa application portal at indianvisaonline.gov.in, operated by the Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs.

China, Japan, and Australia: The Specifications That Catch People Out

These three countries are where assuming a "standard" photo most often fails. Each is governed by a different authority with a format that does not match the 35×45 mm or 2×2 inch norms.

China — Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Chinese Visa Application Service Center (CVASC). China's visa photo is run through the Chinese Online Visa Application (COVA) form at visaforchina.cn, and its print size is 33×48 mm, not 35×45 mm. The portal requires an RGB digital photo of 354–420 pixels wide × 472–560 pixels tall, in JPEG, with a file size between 40 KB and 120 KB. The head must be 28–33 mm tall, the head width 15–22 mm, and the background must be pure white. Because the background is strictly white, applicants are advised to wear darker-coloured clothing so the face and shoulders separate cleanly from it — a near-white shirt against a white background is a common biometric-contrast failure.

Japan — Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Japan's photo is a square 45×45 mm, the only square format in this guide that is not 2×2 inches. The head height (bottom of chin to top of hair) must be 27 mm, with 7–7.5 mm of blank space above the head to the photo's top edge. Background is plain white or very light. A US 2×2 inch photo is sometimes accepted, but the 45×45 mm format is the Japanese embassy standard — submit it to be safe.

Australia — Department of Home Affairs. Australia adjudicates visas through the Department of Home Affairs (homeaffairs.gov.au) and allows a slight print-size variance: 35–40 mm wide × 45–50 mm tall; a standard 35×45 mm photo is the safest choice. The chin-to-crown head size must be 32–36 mm. The background must be plain white or light grey that clearly contrasts with the face. For an ImmiAccount online lodgement, supply a JPEG ideally at 1200×1600 pixels with a file size between 70 KB and 3.5 MB. Selfies are strictly prohibited — photos must be scanned originals or professional digital files — and digitally altered photos, including smartphone skin-smoothing filters, are explicitly forbidden.

How to Resize Your Photo for a Visa Application

Most people try to resize photos in image editors that default to pixel dimensions without checking DPI — then get rejected because the printed size is wrong. Here is the method that works.

Step 1: Start with the highest-resolution source you have. A photo taken on a modern smartphone at full resolution (12–50 MP) gives you plenty of data to work with. Never upscale a small photo — upscaling creates soft edges that fail biometric checks.

Step 2: Crop to the correct aspect ratio first. Use Pixotter's crop tool to crop your photo to a square (1:1) for US/India/Brazil visas, or to a 3:4.3 ratio (width:height) for 35×45 mm visas. Crop to center your face with correct head coverage before resizing.

Step 3: Resize to the exact pixel dimensions. Open Pixotter's resize tool. Enter the exact width and height in pixels from the table above. Lock the aspect ratio if you want — but for visa photos, you should already have the correct ratio from step 2.

• US / Brazil visa: 600 wide × 600 tall (square)
• India e-Visa: 600 wide × 600 tall (square; min 350×350)
• UK: 600 wide × 750 tall (minimum)
• Schengen / Australia / South Korea: 413 wide × 531 tall (35×45 mm at 300 DPI)
• Canada: 420 wide × 540 tall (minimum)
• China: 390 wide × 520 tall (within the 354–420 × 472–560 range)
• Japan: 531 wide × 531 tall (45×45 mm square at 300 DPI)

Step 4: Check the output file size. US digital submissions cap at 240 KB. If your resized photo exceeds this, use Pixotter's compress tool to reduce file size without changing pixel dimensions.

Step 5: Download and verify. Open the file and confirm the dimensions match. On Windows: right-click → Properties → Details. On Mac: open in Preview → Tools → Show Inspector.

Everything runs in your browser — your photo never leaves your device.

Common Mistakes That Get Visa Photos Rejected

Visa photo rejections are almost always avoidable. These are the mistakes that show up most often.

Wrong dimensions. A 4×6 inch print cropped to look square is not a 2×2 inch photo. Consulates measure. Submit the exact dimensions specified.

Wrong aspect ratio. Submitting a 600×800 pixel photo when 600×600 is required — even if it "looks" square — will fail automated checks. Use the pixel values in the table above.

File size too large. The US cap is 240 KB. Many smartphone JPEGs are 3–8 MB. Resize to the correct pixel dimensions first — that alone usually brings the file under the limit. If not, compress after resizing.

Wrong background. A slightly off-white background (cream, beige, pale blue) that looks neutral on your screen may fail the automated background check. Use a plain white wall or a purpose-made photo background, and ensure even lighting to eliminate shadows.

Shadows on the background or face. A shadow behind the head is one of the most common rejection reasons. Ensure the light source is in front of you, not behind.

Glasses. No country in this guide allows glasses in visa photos as of 2026. This includes prescription glasses, sunglasses, and tinted lenses.

Head covering. Not permitted except for documented religious reasons. Hats, beanies, and headbands all cause rejections.

Expression. Smiling (especially with teeth), raised eyebrows, or a tilted head will fail automated biometric checks. Face forward, neutral expression, eyes fully open.

Old photo. Most countries require a photo taken within the last 6 months. Submitting an older photo — even if it passes all other checks — can invalidate your application.

Low resolution or blurry. A 72 DPI screen-grab resized to 600×600 pixels will look blurry and fail. Start from a high-resolution source photo. See how to change image DPI if you need to adjust DPI for print submissions.

FAQ

Which countries need a 2×2 inch visa photo and which need 35×45 mm?

Three countries in this guide use the square 2×2 inch (51×51 mm) format: the United States, India, and Brazil. Five use the 35×45 mm rectangle: the United Kingdom, the Schengen Area, Canada, Australia, and South Korea. Two are outliers that match neither — China uses 33×48 mm and Japan uses a square 45×45 mm. There is no universal default, so always confirm the size against the destination country before you crop.

Why does the US want a 2×2 inch square photo when most countries use 35×45 mm?

The 35×45 mm rectangle is the older European standard and was adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Document 9303, which is why the EU, the Commonwealth, and most of East Asia use it. The US Department of State kept the 2×2 inch square because its facial-recognition templates are built around a square crop, and India and Brazil mirror the square because their US-facing visa systems were modeled on the US process. The size difference is a policy artifact of each issuing authority, not a technical requirement — which is why you cannot infer the right number and have to look it up.

Can I use the same photo for a UK visa and a Schengen visa?

Not reliably, even though both use 35×45 mm prints. The conflict is head size: UK Visas and Immigration requires a chin-to-crown measurement of 29–34 mm, while the Schengen standard (under the EU Visa Code / ICAO 9303) requires 32–36 mm. A single photo only satisfies both if its head size lands in the narrow 32–34 mm overlap. Backgrounds also differ — the UK rejects pure white, while Schengen accepts a plain light-coloured background including white. For safety, crop two separate versions rather than reusing one.

Why do UK visa photos get rejected for a white background?

UK Visas and Immigration requires a plain cream or light grey background and will instantly reject a photo on a pure-white background. This is the opposite of the US Department of State, which requires plain white or off-white. Applicants who take a photo against a white wall expecting it to be "neutral enough" are one of the most common UK rejection cases. The UK also requires the photo to have been taken within the last 1 month, far tighter than the 6-month window most other countries allow.

What is the most common reason visa photos get rejected across different countries?

Across all the countries in this guide, the top three causes are wrong dimensions, wrong background, and incorrect head size. The trap is country-specific rules that contradict each other: pure white is required by the US Department of State but rejected by UK Visas and Immigration; China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs enforces a pure-white background (so dark clothing is recommended for contrast), where most countries have no clothing rule; glasses are banned outright by the US but conditionally allowed by Schengen and Canada. A photo that passes one country's automated check can fail another's for a rule that does not even exist in the first country. Always match the photo to the destination's authority, not to a generic "passport photo."

Do China and Japan really use different sizes from everyone else?

Yes. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (via the CVASC/COVA portal) specifies a 33×48 mm print (digital 354–420 × 472–560 px, 40–120 KB JPEG), with a head height of 28–33 mm and head width of 15–22 mm against a pure-white background. Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs specifies a square 45×45 mm photo with a precise 27 mm head height and 7–7.5 mm of margin above the head. Neither aligns to the 35×45 mm ICAO standard or the US 2×2 inch square, so a photo prepared for any other country will almost certainly be rejected by China or Japan.

Is passport photo size the same as visa photo size?

Usually yes — most countries use the same photo specification for both passports and visas. The US uses 2×2 inches for both; the UK and Schengen use 35×45 mm for both. There are exceptions: some countries have slightly different background colour or recency requirements for passport photos versus visa photos, and digital-upload portals sometimes set different pixel minimums. Always check the specific application instructions for your visa rather than assuming your existing passport photo will pass.

Which countries have the strictest background and digital file rules?

Background rules split the table in two and directly contradict each other. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs demand a pure-white background, while UK Visas and Immigration rejects pure white and insists on cream or light grey — so a single "white wall" photo cannot satisfy both China and the UK. The US Department of State sits in the middle with white or off-white; Schengen embassies, Canada's IRCC, and Australia's Department of Home Affairs all accept a plain light-coloured background. On file size, China is the tightest digital target — 40 KB to 120 KB through the COVA portal — followed by the US 240 KB cap, while the UK (50 KB–6 MB) and Australia (70 KB–3.5 MB) are far more forgiving.

Will a US visa photo work for a UK visa?

No. They conflict on both of the rules that matter most. The US uses a square 2×2 inch (51×51 mm) photo on a white or off-white background; the UK uses a 35×45 mm rectangle and rejects white outright, requiring cream or light grey. The aspect ratios are different (1:1 vs roughly 7:9), so a US square cannot be cropped to a UK rectangle without recomposing the head, and the background that the US Department of State requires is the exact background UK Visas and Immigration refuses. Prepare a separate photo for each.

Related guides: Indian Passport Photo Size · UK Passport Photo Size · Schengen Visa Photo Size · Canada Passport Photo Size · Australia Passport Photo Size · Brazil Passport Photo Size · Passport Photo Background Requirements · Wallet Photo Size · Standard Photo Dimensions · Standard Photo Print Sizes · Photo Frame Sizes · How to Crop a Photo on iPhone · Resize for Printing