What is the passport size photo size in pixels?

413 × 531 pixels at 300 DPI for the standard 35 × 45 mm Indian passport photo.

Can the background be off-white?

Off-white and light grey are both accepted, but pure white is the safest and most widely approved option.

Should I smile in a passport size photo?

No. The expression must be neutral with mouth closed and eyes open looking straight at the camera.

MEA discourages it. If you must wear them, ensure no glare on the lenses and no thick frames covering your eyes.

What file size is accepted?

Most government portals accept 10–300 KB JPEG. Our editor compresses to that range automatically.

Passport Size Photo: Size in mm, Pixels and KB

A passport size photo in India is 35 mm wide × 45 mm tall — roughly 413 × 531 pixels at 300 DPI. The file must be a JPEG, usually under 300 KB, on a plain white or light-grey background. This page covers the exact specifications, the most common rejections, and how to produce a compliant photo from any phone photo.

Specifications at a glance

Dimensions: 35 mm × 45 mm
Pixels at 300 DPI: 413 × 531 px
File format: JPEG
File size: 10 KB – 300 KB
Background: Plain white or light grey
Face coverage: 70–80 % of frame height

What the Indian passport rules actually say

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) specifies a 35 × 45 mm photo with a plain light background, neutral expression, both ears visible (where hairstyle allows), and the face clearly centred. The rules apply to fresh passport applications, tatkal applications, re-issue, and PCC.

Different government forms reuse the same physical size but ask for different pixel and KB targets, which is where most online submissions fail.

Why DPI matters as much as pixels

DPI (dots per inch) tells a printer how dense to pack pixels. 35 × 45 mm at 300 DPI is 413 × 531 px. The same pixel count at 72 DPI prints almost five times bigger and is rejected at the photo counter.

Always set the DPI flag when exporting from your editor. Phone cameras default to 72 DPI; you must override this before printing.

Common rejection reasons

The single biggest reason photos are rejected is a non-uniform background — a textured wall, a slightly shadowed corner, or any object behind the head. Other frequent issues include partial smile, tilted head, hair covering the eyebrows, and reflections off spectacles.

Background shows shadow, texture or another colour
Eyes not clearly visible (glasses glare, hair, closed eyes)
Head tilted or face off-centre
Photo printed at the wrong DPI so size is off
File too large or saved as PNG instead of JPEG

From phone photo to compliant passport photo

Take the photo against a plain white wall in daytime, with the phone at eye level on a stand. Upload it to our editor, pick the 35 × 45 mm preset, set DPI to 300, and the tool will crop to the correct head-and-shoulders framing and compress to under 300 KB automatically. Download as JPEG and you are ready to print or upload.

Make your passport photo View size requirements

Frequently asked questions

What is the passport size photo size in pixels?: 413 × 531 pixels at 300 DPI for the standard 35 × 45 mm Indian passport photo.
Can the background be off-white?: Off-white and light grey are both accepted, but pure white is the safest and most widely approved option.
Should I smile in a passport size photo?: No. The expression must be neutral with mouth closed and eyes open looking straight at the camera.
Can I wear glasses?: MEA discourages it. If you must wear them, ensure no glare on the lenses and no thick frames covering your eyes.
What file size is accepted?: Most government portals accept 10–300 KB JPEG. Our editor compresses to that range automatically.