Passport & Visa Photo Size Requirements by Country 2026

Last updated: October 9, 2026. Passport and visa photo sizes are not universal. The United States and India use a 2 x 2 inch (51 x 51 mm) square; the UK, Schengen countries and Australia use 35 x 45 mm; Canada uses a tall 50 x 70 mm; and China uses 33 x 48 mm. Submitting the wrong size, aspect ratio or background is one of the most common reasons applications are returned. This reference gives you the exact passport photo size requirements for 24 countries plus the 29-nation Schengen area, the head-size and eye-position rules, the difference between digital (pixels and file size) and printed (millimetres) photos, background colour rules, and a free way to resize any photo to the exact dimensions before you apply. Generate your compliant file with the passport photo sheet maker.

Quick answer: The most common sizes are 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) for the USA and India, 35 x 45 mm for the UK, Schengen area, Australia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Mexico, 50 x 70 mm for Canada and Brazil, 33 x 48 mm for China, and 50 x 60 mm for Turkey. Digital uploads must match exact pixel dimensions and file-size limits — for the US DS-160, that means a square JPEG of 600 x 600 to 1200 x 1200 pixels under 240 KB. Always confirm your specific application's requirement, then resize with a free tool and check the result.

Photo Size by Country (Master Table)

The table below lists the standard passport photo size for each country, the equivalent digital pixel dimensions at 300 DPI, the required background, and the head height where the country publishes one. Some countries apply a different size to visas than to passports; where that is common, the note column or the description below flags it. The Schengen row covers all 29 member states, including Germany, France, Italy and Spain, which are also listed separately.

Country	Print size (mm)	Print size (inches)	Digital (px at 300 DPI)	Background	Head height
United States	51 x 51 mm	2 x 2 in	600 x 600 to 1200 x 1200	White or off-white	25-35 mm (50-69%)
United Kingdom	35 x 45 mm	1.38 x 1.77 in	At least 600 x 750	Light grey or cream	29-34 mm
Schengen area (29 countries)	35 x 45 mm	1.38 x 1.77 in	At least 240 x 320 (VFS)	White or light grey	32-36 mm (70-80%)
Germany	35 x 45 mm	1.38 x 1.77 in	413 x 531	White	32-36 mm
France	35 x 45 mm	1.38 x 1.77 in	413 x 531	White or light grey	32-36 mm
Italy	35 x 45 mm	1.38 x 1.77 in	413 x 531	White	32-36 mm
Spain	35 x 45 mm	1.38 x 1.77 in	413 x 531	White	32-36 mm
Canada	50 x 70 mm	2 x 2.75 in	591 x 827	White or light	31-36 mm (face)
Australia	35 x 45 mm	1.38 x 1.77 in	413 x 531	White	32-36 mm
China	33 x 48 mm	1.30 x 1.89 in	390 x 567	White	28-33 mm
Japan	35 x 45 mm	1.38 x 1.77 in	413 x 531	White	32-36 mm
India	51 x 51 mm	2 x 2 in	600 x 600	White	35-40 mm
New Zealand	35 x 45 mm	1.38 x 1.77 in	413 x 531 (3:4 ratio)	White or light	30-36 mm
Brazil	50 x 70 mm	2 x 2.75 in	591 x 827	White	Head centred
UAE	43 x 55 mm	1.69 x 2.17 in	Varies by document	White	34-38 mm
Thailand	35 x 45 mm	1.38 x 1.77 in	413 x 531	White	30-36 mm
Vietnam	40 x 60 mm	1.57 x 2.36 in	472 x 709	White	30-36 mm (75-80%)
Singapore	35 x 45 mm	1.38 x 1.77 in	413 x 531	White	29-34 mm
South Korea	35 x 45 mm	1.38 x 1.77 in	413 x 531	White	29-34 mm
Malaysia	35 x 50 mm	1.38 x 1.97 in	413 x 591	White	29-34 mm
Mexico	35 x 45 mm	1.38 x 1.77 in	413 x 531	White	Head centred
Philippines	35 x 45 mm	1.38 x 1.77 in	413 x 531	White	Head centred
Turkey	50 x 60 mm	1.97 x 2.36 in	591 x 709	White	Head centred
Nigeria	35 x 45 mm	1.38 x 1.77 in	413 x 531	White	32-36 mm

A few important variants sit on top of the table. Japan passports use 35 x 45 mm, but some Japanese visa posts specify a 45 x 45 mm (or 2 x 2 inch) photo, so confirm for the exact document you are applying for. Vietnam and Thailand visas often use a larger 4 x 6 cm (40 x 60 mm) photo even where the passport size is 35 x 45 mm. Canada passport photos must normally be taken by a commercial photographer and dated on the back. When a size is genuinely unclear, the visa photo size guide tracks the country-by-country detail.

Head-Size and Eye-Position Rules

Size is only half the requirement. Even a correctly sized photo fails if the head is too small, too large, or positioned wrongly in the frame. Head height is measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head — the crown as if the person were bald, not the hairline. Eye position matters where a country publishes it.

Country	Head height (chin to crown)	Head as % of photo	Eye position	Notes
USA	25-35 mm (1-1 3/8 in)	50-69%	56-69% from bottom	Centred horizontally; 600x600-1200x1200 px digital
UK	29-34 mm	About 65-75%	Not fixed	Plain light-grey or cream background
Schengen	32-36 mm	70-80%	Not fixed	Face centred; white or light-grey background
Canada	31-36 mm (face)	Roughly 45-52%	Not fixed	Tall 50 x 70 mm frame; commercial photographer
Australia	32-36 mm	About 71-80%	Not fixed	Crown measured as if bald; 35-40 x 45-50 mm accepted
China	28-33 mm	About 58-69%	Not fixed	Head width 15-22 mm; no glasses
Japan	32-36 mm (about 34 mm)	About 71-80%	Not fixed	MOFA guidance around 34 mm plus or minus 2 mm
India	35-40 mm	About 69-78%	Not fixed	White background; face fully visible

The percentages matter most for the United States, where a head smaller than 50 percent or larger than 69 percent of the frame is refused, and for the Schengen area, where a face filling less than about 70 percent of the frame is rejected. If you are cropping a photo yourself, keep a small margin above the head and centre the face horizontally. Verify the finished crop in the photo maker and checker, which measures dimensions and aspect ratio.

Digital (px + File Size) vs Printed (mm)

A printed photo is judged by its physical size in millimetres, while a digital upload is judged by its pixel dimensions and file size. The two are linked by the print resolution: at 300 DPI, a 35 x 45 mm photo becomes 413 x 531 pixels. When an application asks you to upload a photo, it usually specifies pixels and a maximum file size, not millimetres, so do not simply scale by size — match the pixels exactly.

Country / form	Digital pixels	Format and file size	Printed size
USA (DS-160 visa upload)	600 x 600 to 1200 x 1200	JPEG, 240 KB or less	2 x 2 in (51 x 51 mm)
UK (online passport)	At least 600 x 750	JPEG, 50 KB to 10 MB	35 x 45 mm
Schengen visa (VFS upload)	At least 240 x 320	JPEG	35 x 45 mm
Most 35 x 45 mm countries	413 x 531 at 300 DPI	JPEG	35 x 45 mm
India (e-Visa)	About 350 x 350 to 1000 x 1000	JPEG, 10 KB to 1 MB	2 x 2 in (51 x 51 mm)

Two practical traps catch people here. First, a photo that looks correct on screen can fail because the pixels are wrong — a rectangular phone photo submitted where a square is required, for example. Second, a file can exceed the size limit even at correct dimensions; the US DS-160 caps the upload at 240 KB, so if your JPEG is larger, re-export it at a lower quality rather than downscaling below 600 x 600. For US visa applications, the DS-160 photo validator checks the square ratio, pixel range and file size in one step, and our DS-160 guide walks through the form itself.

Background Colour Rules

Background is a pass-or-fail rule and one of the easiest to get wrong at home, because a wall that looks white to the eye often scans as grey.

Background rule	Countries	What to use
Plain white required	USA, Canada, Australia, India, China, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Turkey, Nigeria	Plain white or off-white wall with even lighting and no shadows
White or light grey	Schengen area, New Zealand, Brazil	White is safest; light grey is accepted
Light grey or cream	United Kingdom	Plain light grey or cream, no texture or pattern
Never acceptable	All countries	Coloured or patterned walls, gradients, doors, objects, shadows, or a background altered in editing software

If your only available wall is slightly grey, you can nudge the background brighter in the editor, but keep the change minimal and natural. Heavy background replacement is treated as a digital alteration and can invalidate the photo.

How to Resize to the Exact Size

You do not need Photoshop to hit an exact pixel size. A free browser tool handles the whole job and keeps your photo private.

Choose your country. Open the passport photo sheet maker and select the destination. The tool holds presets for the USA, UK, Schengen, Canada, China, Japan, Australia, India and more, with the exact millimetres and pixels.
Upload and crop. Drag the crop box so the head fills the required fraction of the frame and the face is centred. The tool outputs the exact pixel dimensions for that country.
Whiten the background if needed. Use the brightness slider for a near-white wall; leave real background replacement alone.
Download the single photo. Use this for online uploads such as the DS-160 or a UK online renewal.
Or generate a print sheet. For a physical application, produce a 4 x 6 inch sheet at 300 DPI with faint cut lines, print it at 100 percent, and measure one photo before cutting.
Verify. Confirm the finished file in the photo maker and checker. For Indian passports specifically, see the Indian passport renewal from the USA guide, which notes the exact photo and document rules for that route.

Why Photos Get Rejected

Across countries, the same handful of faults account for most rejected photos. Avoid these and your file is very likely to pass.

Wrong size or aspect ratio: the photo is not the exact millimetres or pixels, or the square/rectangle shape is wrong.
Head too small or too large: outside the allowed percentage of the frame.
Wrong background: not plain white where required, or with a shadow, pattern or gradient.
Face not centred or tilted: the head is off-axis or the chin line is uneven.
Glasses or glare: frames over the eyes or a reflection spot; several countries ban glasses outright.
Expression: smiling, open mouth, or an unnatural look, where a neutral closed-mouth expression is required.
Shadows or uneven light: a dark patch behind the ear, under the chin, or on the wall.
Digital alteration: filters, retouching, beauty mode or a replaced background.
Old photo: most countries require one taken within the last six months.
Poor quality: blur, pixelation or a print that is not on photo-quality paper.

Because size and ratio faults are invisible to the eye, always run the final file through the checker before submitting. It takes seconds and catches the failures a quick glance cannot.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size is a passport photo?

It depends on the country. The USA and India use 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm); the UK, Schengen area, Australia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Mexico use 35 x 45 mm; Canada and Brazil use 50 x 70 mm; China uses 33 x 48 mm; and Turkey uses 50 x 60 mm. Always confirm the exact size for your specific document before you apply.

What are visa photo size requirements by country?

Most countries apply their passport photo size to visas as well: 2 x 2 inches for the USA and India, 35 x 45 mm across the Schengen area, the UK and most of Asia, and 50 x 70 mm for Canada. Some differ for visas: Vietnamese and Thai visas often use 40 x 60 mm, and some Japanese posts ask for 45 x 45 mm. Check the instructions on your application.

What pixel size do I need for a US visa photo?

For the DS-160 online form the photo must be a square JPEG between 600 x 600 and 1200 x 1200 pixels and no larger than 240 KB. A printed US passport photo is 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) instead. Resize to the pixel range and keep the file under the size limit.

How big should my head be in the photo?

For the USA the head must be 25 to 35 mm, or 50 to 69 percent of the photo height, with the eye height at 56 to 69 percent. The UK requires 29 to 34 mm. Schengen countries require 32 to 36 mm, about 70 to 80 percent. Canada measures 31 to 36 mm and Australia 32 to 36 mm from chin to crown.

What background colour should a passport photo have?

Plain white is required by the USA, Canada, Australia, India, China, Japan and most Asian countries. The UK accepts plain light grey or cream, and Schengen countries accept white or light grey. Never use a patterned or coloured background, a gradient, or a background edited in software.

Is a visa photo the same as a passport photo?

Often, but not always. The USA uses the same 2 x 2 inch photo for passports and visas. Most other countries also apply their passport standard to visas, but some differ: Vietnam and Thailand often use a larger 40 x 60 mm visa photo, and some Japanese posts ask for 45 x 45 mm. Always read the photo instructions on your specific application.

How do I resize my photo to the exact size?

Upload your photo to a free passport photo tool, select your country, and crop so the head fills the required fraction of the frame. The tool outputs the exact pixel dimensions for that country. Save a single photo for online uploads, or generate a 4 x 6 inch print sheet at 300 DPI for a paper application.

What is the difference between digital and printed photo requirements?

Printed photos are judged by physical size in millimetres, such as 35 x 45 mm or 2 x 2 inches. Digital uploads are judged by pixel dimensions and file size, such as 600 x 600 to 1200 x 1200 pixels under 240 KB for the US DS-160. The two are linked by print resolution: at 300 DPI, 35 x 45 mm equals 413 x 531 pixels.

Why was my passport photo rejected?

The most common reasons are the wrong size or aspect ratio, a head that is too small or too large, a background that is not plain white, an off-centre or tilted face, glasses or glare, smiling, shadows, digital retouching, or a photo older than six months. Run the file through a checker to catch the size and ratio problems you cannot see by eye.

How many passport photos do I need to print?

Most applications need one or two identical photos. A single 4 x 6 inch print holds six US 2 x 2 inch photos or eight 35 x 45 mm photos, so one cheap print gives you the required photos plus spares. Print at 100 percent actual size and measure one photo before cutting.

Sources & Verification

This page is compiled from official government photo specifications and embassy guidance checked on October 9, 2026. Photo rules change and vary by document type, so verify the exact requirement at the source for your destination and application before you submit.

Last verified: October 9, 2026. See our editorial standards and full source list.

Passport Photo Size Requirements — 24-Country Chart (2026)