Quick answer
Do I need a photo for my baby's Indian passport?
Yes, if your child is under 4. Passport Seva asks you to bring a recent 4.5 × 3.5 cm colour photo with a white background, face filling 80–85% and eyes open, to the PSK or POPSK. Children aged 4 and over are photographed at the counter, and every child must attend in person.
For a child under 4 years of age, Passport Seva asks you to carry one recent passport-size photo of 4.5 × 3.5 cm, in colour, with a white background, to the Passport Seva Kendra or POPSK. Children aged 4 and over are photographed at the counter. Every child, including a newborn, must attend in person.
The rules for the photo come from Passport Seva's "Guidelines for capturing photographs for minors", published by the Ministry of External Affairs.
Baby passport photo requirements
| Who needs it | Children below 4 years of age applying in India |
|---|---|
| Number | One recent photo |
| Size | 4.5 × 3.5 cm (45 mm high, 35 mm wide) |
| Colour | Colour, natural skin tones, appropriate brightness and contrast |
| Background | White, with no distracting shadows |
| Framing | Close-up of the head and top of the shoulders; face 80–85% of the photo; full head from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin, centred |
| Eyes and pose | Eyes open and clearly visible, no hair across them, full face front view, looking at the camera, natural expression |
| Lighting | Uniform, with no shadows, flash reflections or red eye |
| Head coverings | Only for religious reasons, with the whole face visible |
Every child attends
Passport Seva's FAQs say it is mandatory for all applicants, including infants, to be physically present at the PSK or POPSK. Book the appointment in the child's name and bring the photo with the original documents.
Photographing a baby or toddler
The official rules are the same as for adults, which is hard with a baby. These practical ideas help you meet them:
Lay your baby on a white sheet
Lay a plain white sheet on a bed or the floor near a window, lay your baby on their back and photograph them from directly above. No hands or toys should appear in the photo, and the sheet should be smooth so it shows no shadows or folds.
Toddlers: sit them in a chair
Put a white sheet over the back of a high chair or car seat, or stand your toddler against a white wall, and photograph them at their eye level. Make a sound just above the camera to get them to look straight at it with their eyes open.
Do
- Use soft, even daylight from a window
- Crop to a close-up of the head and top of the shoulders, with the face filling 80–85% of the photo
- Take many shots and pick one with open eyes and a closed mouth
Don't
- Use a flash, which causes shadows, reflections and red eye
- Include a dummy, toy, blanket or a hand in the photo
- Edit or filter the photo, or use a patterned background
Sample photos
How to get your baby's passport photo
- Check your child's age. Only children under 4 need a printed photo. From age 4, the photo is captured at the PSK, POPSK or Passport Office.
- Take the photo on white. Lay your baby on a smooth white sheet in soft daylight, or sit a toddler against a white wall, and photograph them with their eyes open and looking at the camera.
A smooth white sheet in soft daylight 
From above, eyes on the camera
A hand in the photo - Crop and print it. Crop to a close-up of the head and top of the shoulders, with the face filling 80–85%, and print it in colour at 4.5 × 3.5 cm on photo paper.
Head and top of the shoulders - Bring it to the appointment. Take your child, the photo and the original documents to the PSK or POPSK on the appointment date.
Baby and child passport photo FAQ
Yes. Passport Seva says every applicant, including infants, must be present in person at the PSK or POPSK. For a child under 4 you also bring one recent 4.5 × 3.5 cm colour photo with a white background.
Passport Seva's guidelines for minors say the eyes must be open and clearly visible. Try when your baby is awake and alert, such as after a feed or a nap.
No. Passport Seva says that for children aged 4 and over, the photo is captured at the PSK, POPSK or Passport Office, as it is for adults.
Applications through Indian missions use Global Passport Seva Portal 2.0, where you upload a 630 × 810 pixel ICAO photo of up to 250 KB with a white background for each applicant, including children. See applying abroad.
Passport Seva says minors' passports are valid for 5 years or until the child turns 18, whichever is earlier. Children aged 15 to 18 can choose a 10-year passport. To update a child's photo, apply for a re-issue.
Official sources
- Passport Seva: Guidelines for capturing photographs for minors (PDF)
- Passport Seva: Guides (minor applicants)
- Passport Seva: FAQs – services available
- Passport Seva: Getting Started
Last checked . Requirements and fees can change, so always confirm with the issuing agency before you apply. This site is independent and not affiliated with any government agency.