Passport Photo Size in CM, MM, Pixels & Dimensions Guide

Country-wise comparison table

Indian passport photo size

The standard Indian passport photo size is 35 mm × 45 mm — that is 3.5 cm × 4.5 cm. At 300 DPI this equals 413 × 531 pixels. The image must be between 20 KB and 300 KB when saved as JPEG for online uploads. The background must be plain white or a very light solid colour. Your face should occupy 70–80% of the frame and your eyes must sit between 28 mm and 35 mm from the bottom edge.

• Size: 35 mm × 45 mm (3.5 cm × 4.5 cm)
• Resolution: 300 DPI minimum
• Pixels: 413 × 531 at 300 DPI
• File size: 20 – 300 KB
• Background: Plain white / light
• Expression: Neutral, both eyes open, mouth closed
• No spectacles, head covering (unless religious), earrings or teeth visible

US passport photo size

The US requires a 2 inch × 2 inch square photo — which is 51 mm × 51 mm or 5.1 cm × 5.1 cm. At 300 DPI this is 600 × 600 pixels. The file must be between 54 KB and 240 KB for the online DS-160 / DS-260 forms. The head must measure between 25 mm and 35 mm (1 inch to 1.375 inches) from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head.

• Size: 51 mm × 51 mm (2 in × 2 in)
• Resolution: 300 DPI minimum
• Pixels: 600 × 600 at 300 DPI
• File size: 54 – 240 KB
• Background: White or off-white only
• Expression: Neutral, both eyes open
• Glasses not permitted (removed from rules in November 2016)

UK passport photo size

The UK standard is 35 mm × 45 mm — the same mm dimensions as India but with slightly different framing rules. At 300 DPI this is 413 × 531 pixels. The photo must be printed on matte or glossy photo-quality paper and the file size should be between 50 KB and 600 KB. A plain cream, light grey or white background is accepted.

• Size: 35 mm × 45 mm (3.5 cm × 4.5 cm)
• Resolution: 300 DPI
• Pixels: 413 × 531 at 300 DPI
• File size: 50 – 600 KB
• Background: Cream, light grey or white
• Expression: Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open and visible
• No head coverings except for religious or medical reasons

Schengen passport photo size

All 27 Schengen countries (including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands and others) use a uniform 35 mm × 45 mm photo. This equals 3.5 cm × 4.5 cm and 413 × 531 pixels at 300 DPI. The file size limit is usually 40 – 400 KB. A light grey or off-white background is preferred.

• Size: 35 mm × 45 mm (3.5 cm × 4.5 cm)
• Resolution: 300 DPI
• Pixels: 413 × 531 at 300 DPI
• File size: 40 – 400 KB
• Background: Light grey or off-white
• Face centred and occupying 70 – 80% of height
• No smiling — neutral expression required

India Voter ID & SIR photo size

The photo required for the Indian Voter ID (EPIC) card and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) enumeration form is 35 mm × 45 mm — the same physical size as an Indian passport photo, i.e. 3.5 cm × 4.5 cm or 413 × 531 pixels at 300 DPI. The Election Commission allows a more generous file size — up to 2 MB (2048 KB) — so you rarely need aggressive compression. The background must be plain white or a very light solid colour and the face should occupy 70 – 80% of the frame with a neutral expression.

• Size: 35 mm × 45 mm (3.5 cm × 4.5 cm)
• Resolution: 300 DPI
• Pixels: 413 × 531 at 300 DPI
• File size: up to 2048 KB (2 MB)
• Background: Plain white / light
• Expression: Neutral, both eyes open, mouth closed
• Accepted for Voter ID (EPIC), SIR enumeration form and Form 6 / 8 corrections

What is DPI and why does it matter?

DPI stands for dots per inch — it measures how many pixels are packed into each inch of a printed photo. A higher DPI means sharper prints. Most governments require 300 DPI as the minimum standard for passport photos. At 300 DPI, a 35 mm wide photo contains roughly 413 pixels (35 mm ÷ 25.4 mm/in × 300 ≈ 413 px).

File size in KB is what online portals check when you upload a digital photo. If the file is too large, the portal will reject it. If it is too small, compression artifacts may make the photo unreadable. JPEG quality is the easiest way to control file size — reducing quality from 100% to 85% often halves the KB without visible loss.

Frequently asked questions