India Indian Visa / e-Visa / OCI (Indian Visa Online / passportindia.gov.in) Photo Size

Specifications

Indian visa/passport photo: 51 x 51 mm square, 350-1000 px and Rs. fees

Passport Seva fees in rupees (Rs.) from the MEA fee table

MEA, Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) and POPSK network

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) - Consular, Passport and Visa Division (passportindia.gov.in) sets the rules.

Indian passports are issued by the MEA through the Passport Seva project: a network of Passport Seva Kendras (PSK), Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSK) and Regional Passport Offices (RPO). Applicants register online at passportindia.gov.in, pay the fee, book an appointment, attend the PSK for document verification and biometrics, and then undergo police verification. Visas and e-Visas for foreigners are handled separately on indianvisaonline.gov.in and use the square 51 x 51 mm / 350-1000 px photo. Aadhaar is the primary identity document.

Inside India, applicants use the Passport Seva Kendra network. Abroad, Indian missions and VFS Global centres handle passport and OCI services. Visa applicants for India use the indianvisaonline.gov.in portal and VFS / visa application centres.

• Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) — MEA-run centres in major cities for document verification, biometrics and photo capture.
• Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) — Department of Posts outlets in smaller towns extending the PSK network.
• Regional Passport Office (RPO) — The regional MEA office that approves and dispatches passports; about 40 RPOs across India.
• passportindia.gov.in — The online portal where you register, pay and book the PSK appointment.
• VFS Global centres (abroad) — Indian passport, OCI and visa applications outside India are routed through VFS Global.
• indianvisaonline.gov.in — The e-Visa portal where foreigners upload the square photo and passport bio-page scan.
• Photo studios — Studios near every PSK produce the 51 x 51 mm square print and the 350-1000 px digital file.
• Home photography — Shoot against a white wall and use the PixlReady India 51 x 51 mm preset for the 600 x 600 px upload.

On indianvisaonline.gov.in, upload a square JPEG between 350 x 350 and 1000 x 1000 px, 10-300 KB, on a white background, then upload the passport bio-page scan separately. For an Indian passport, book the PSK appointment on passportindia.gov.in.

passportindia.gov.in booking, Rs. 2,500 fee and police verification

The Indian passport journey runs online to a PSK appointment, then police verification, then dispatch. e-Visa for foreigners is fully online.

1. Register on passportindia.gov.in, choose fresh or reissue, select 36 or 60 pages and normal or Tatkaal.
2. Pay the fee: Rs. 2,500 for a 36-page adult 10-year passport, Rs. 3,500 for 60 pages, Rs. 1,750 for a minor's 36-page booklet.
3. Add Rs. 2,500 Tatkaal if you want expedited issuance.
4. Book an appointment at the nearest PSK or POPSK.
5. Attend the PSK with original documents (Aadhaar, PAN, birth certificate, old passport), two 51 x 51 mm photos, and biometrics (fingerprints and signature).
6. Police verification follows at your residential address for most adults; Tatkaal cases are issued on a post-paid or no-verification basis where eligible.
7. The passport is printed and dispatched by speed post to the address printed on the booklet.
8. For an e-Visa, apply at indianvisaonline.gov.in, upload the square photo and bio-page scan, pay, and receive the e-Visa by email.

Shooting a square 51 x 51 mm Indian visa photo at home

1. Stand against a plain white or off-white wall with even lighting and no shadows.
2. Frame a square head-and-shoulders shot so the crown-to-chin head is 25-35 mm (about 60-70% of the frame).
3. Show both ears and the full facial outline; hair must not cover the eyebrows or eyes.
4. Face the camera directly, mouth closed, both eyes open and looking at the lens.
5. Prescription glasses are allowed only with no reflection; sunglasses and tinted lenses are banned.
6. Remove hats; religious head coverings are allowed only if worn daily and the full face is visible.
7. Use the PixlReady India 51 x 51 mm preset to produce the 600 x 600 px, 300 DPI frame.
8. For the e-Visa portal, keep the JPEG between 350 x 350 and 1000 x 1000 px and 10-300 KB.
9. Do not use a rectangular 35 x 45 mm photo - the Indian visa requires a square 2 x 2 in frame.
10. Take the photo recently; do not reuse a picture from an old passport or social media.

Use the passport cropper with the India preset.

Indian Visa Online upload: 350 x 350 to 1000 x 1000 px, 10-300 KB

The Indian Visa Online portal enforces strict pixel and file-size limits: the square JPEG must be between 350 x 350 px and 1000 x 1000 px and 10-300 KB. Files outside these ranges are rejected automatically. For e-Visa, the photo and the passport bio-page scan are uploaded separately.

• Format: colour JPEG only.
• Pixels: square, between 350 x 350 and 1000 x 1000.
• File size: between 10 KB and 300 KB.
• Background: plain white or off-white, no shadows.
• Head 25-35 mm (60-70% of frame), both ears visible.
• Eyes open, neutral expression, mouth closed.
• No sunglasses; prescription glasses only with no glare.
• No retouching, filters or beauty mode.
• For e-Visa, upload the photo and the passport bio-page scan as separate files.

Compress an oversized JPEG with the image compressor.

Printing square 51 x 51 mm (2 x 2 in) Indian photos

Two printed 2 x 2 in (51 x 51 mm) photos are typically taken to the PSK or visa application centre. A 4 x 6 inch sheet fits four square 51 x 51 mm frames in a two-by-two grid.

• Print at 300 DPI so the square frame renders at 600 x 600 pixels.
• Use high-quality photo paper; office paper is returned.
• Make two identical prints for the PSK or VFS centre.
• Keep the background white or off-white, not cream.
• Do not write on the front; keep prints clean.
• Do not trim a rectangular photo down to a square.
• For e-Visa you do not need prints - the digital upload is the only image.
• Aadhaar and other supporting documents are not printed on photo paper.

Print-dialog settings: 300 DPI guide · 200 KB upload guide.

Why the PSK rejects rectangular photos and out-of-range JPEGs

• Using a rectangular 35 x 45 mm photo instead of the square 51 x 51 mm frame.
• Digital file outside 350 x 350 to 1000 x 1000 px, or outside 10-300 KB.
• Background that is not white or off-white, or has shadows.
• Sunglasses, tinted lenses or glasses with glare.
• Hair covering the eyebrows, eyes or ears.
• Digital retouching, filters or beauty mode.
• Photo older than six months or reused from an old passport.
• Missing Aadhaar, birth certificate or parent consent at the PSK.
• Selfies with a tilted head or visible arm.
• Other people, furniture or patterns in the background.

Minors, Aadhaar and parental consent

Minors under 18 get a 5-year or till-18 passport (Rs. 1,750 for 36 pages) and need consent from both parents or the legal guardian. Newborn photos must show the child alone on a white sheet.

• The child must appear alone - no parent, toy or dummy in frame.
• Lay infants on a white sheet and shoot from above.
• Both parents must give consent on the PSK application; a guardian affidavit is needed otherwise.
• The child's birth certificate and Aadhaar (if issued) are required.
• Eyes should be open and looking at the camera as far as age allows.
• Minors between 15 and 18 may choose a 10-year full-validity passport.
• A 10% fee rebate applies to minors under 8.
• School admission photos are not accepted for passports.

Aadhaar, PAN, OCI, police verification and Annexure forms

The Indian passport sits inside a web of identity documents: Aadhaar, PAN, the OCI card, police verification and a set of sworn Annexure affidavits.

• Aadhaar (आधार) is the 12-digit biometric identity number required as the primary proof of identity and address.
• PAN card is the tax identity number used as a supporting document.
• OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India) card is a lifelong visa/status for persons of Indian origin abroad, using the same square photo.
• Police verification (पुलिस सत्यापन) checks the applicant's residential address before the passport is issued.
• Tatkaal is the expedited service: an extra Rs. 2,500 on top of the application fee.
• ECR (Emigration Check Required) status applies to blue-collar workers going overseas; ECNR is the non-required status.
• Annexure affidavits (Annexure A, D, E, etc.) are sworn declarations used for lost passports, minor consent and no-objection cases.
• A Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) costs Rs. 750 and is needed for overseas employment and residence visas.
• The 36-page booklet is standard; the 60-page jumbo booklet is for frequent travellers.
• Relinquishment certificates and surrender certificates are required when an Indian citizen acquires foreign citizenship.

India local details: Hindi terms, PSK network and Aadhaar

Indian passport guidance is bilingual English and Hindi. The PSK/POPSK network, Aadhaar and police verification are the structural details that shape every application.

• Hindi official terms: पासपोर्ट (paasport, passport), फोटो (photo), पासपोर्ट सेवा केंद्र (Passport Seva Kendra), पुलिस सत्यापन (police verification), आधार (Aadhaar).
• Fee terms in Hindi: सामान्य (normal) vs तत्काल (Tatkaal, expedited), 36 पृष्ठ (36 pages) vs 60 पृष्ठ (60 pages).
• The MEA fee table (passportindia.gov.in): Rs. 2,500 for a 36-page adult 10-year passport, Rs. 3,500 for 60 pages, Rs. 1,750 for a minor's 36-page booklet, plus Rs. 2,500 Tatkaal.
• Replacement of a lost or damaged 36-page passport costs Rs. 5,000 (10-year) or Rs. 4,250 (5-year); 60-page replacement is Rs. 6,000.
• A 10% rebate applies to minors under 8 and to senior citizens over 60.
• The PSK network covers major cities; POPSK outlets in post offices extend it to smaller towns; around 40 Regional Passport Offices (RPOs) approve cases.
• e-Visa categories include tourist, business, medical, conference and medical-attendant visas, all using the same 51 x 51 mm square upload.
• VFS Global handles Indian passport and OCI applications abroad; the square photo requirement is identical.
• Police verification is the step most likely to delay a passport; Tatkaal applicants may be exempt on a post-verification basis.
• Major PSK locations include Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune and Jaipur; around 40 Regional Passport Offices approve cases.
• The e-Visa categories (tourist, business, medical, conference) are all applied for at indianvisaonline.gov.in and use the same 51 x 51 mm square upload.

Gotchas

• Indian visa photos are square 2 x 2 in (51 x 51 mm), not rectangular 35 x 45 mm.
• Digital JPEG must be 350 x 350 to 1000 x 1000 px and 10-300 KB.
• Adult 36-page fee Rs. 2,500, 60-page Rs. 3,500, minor Rs. 1,750, Tatkaal +Rs. 2,500.
• Apply at a PSK or POPSK after booking on passportindia.gov.in; police verification follows.
• e-Visa uploads the photo and passport bio-page scan separately.