Indian Regular Visa Photo Requirements

The photo upload for regular (paper) Indian visas applied for through Indian missions and their visa centres, from the Indian Visa Online instructions.

Based on official sources · last checked

Rate this guide

Quick answer

What photo do I need for a regular Indian visa?

The Indian Visa Online portal asks regular visa applicants for a square JPEG of 10 KB to 300 KB showing the full face from the front, eyes open, head 25–35 mm from hair to chin, on a plain light or white background without borders. Some missions now also ask for ICAO-compliant photos.

For a regular Indian visa, applied for through an Indian mission or its visa centre, you fill in the form on Indian Visa Online and upload a square JPEG of 10 KB to 300 KB. It shows your full face from the front with eyes open, the head 25–35 mm from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin, on a plain light-coloured or white background with no shadows or borders.

Regular visas are for people who cannot use the e-Visa, or need a type of visa it does not cover. Each applicant books a separate appointment with the Indian mission they apply to.

Regular visa photo specifications

Format JPEG
File size Minimum 10 KB, maximum 300 KB
Shape Square: height and width must be equal
Face Full face, front view, eyes open
Head size 1 to 1⅜ inches (25–35 mm) from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin, centred
Background Plain light-coloured or white
Shadows and borders No shadows on the face or background, and no borders

Make square visa photo Make India e-Visa photo

No official pixel size

Some photo tools label a square preset "190 × 190 px for VFS". We could not find that size in the official instructions, which set a square shape and a 10–300 KB file size only. Make sure your file is at least 10 KB.

Missions with ICAO photo rules

The Embassy of India in Bern says uploading an ICAO-compliant photo has been mandatory since 1 December 2025 for both passport and visa applications, with the face covering about 85% of the photo, a uniform, preferably white background, and a maximum of 250 KB. Other missions may follow, so read your mission's notices before you apply. The ICAO rules are explained on Indian passport photos abroad.

How the regular visa application works

  1. Go to indianvisaonline.gov.in, choose the Indian mission you are applying to, and fill in the online form.
  2. Upload your photo while you fill in the form. You cannot change the form once it is submitted, so check everything first.
  3. Keep the Application ID, and book an appointment with the mission if you choose to; each applicant needs a separate appointment.
  4. Follow your mission's instructions for submitting the printed form and your documents, in person or through its visa centre.

Sample photos

Correct photo example
Correct
Correct photo example: plain light background
Plain light background
Rejected photo example: shadows on face
Shadows on face
Rejected photo example: coloured background
Coloured background
Rejected photo example: face too small
Face too small
Rejected photo example: head tilted
Head tilted
Rejected photo example: hair across eyes
Hair across eyes
Rejected photo example: blurred
Blurred

Samples show pose and background. Crop your visa photo to a square.

How to make a regular Indian visa photo

  1. Take the photo on a plain background. Stand in front of a plain white or light-coloured wall in even light, looking straight at the camera with your eyes open and glasses off.
  2. Crop it to a square. Crop so height and width are equal and your head, from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin, takes about 25–35 mm of a 2-inch square (roughly half to two-thirds of the height), centred.
  3. Save a JPEG of 10–300 KB. Save it as a JPEG between 10 KB and 300 KB with no border. If the file is not a JPG, such as a HEIC photo from an iPhone, convert it with the free 123PhotoTool JPEG converter.
  4. Upload it on Indian Visa Online. Upload it while you fill in the form, check it before you submit, and keep your Application ID for the appointment.

Regular visa photo FAQ

The Indian Visa Online portal asks for a square JPEG (equal height and width) of 10 KB to 300 KB, with the head measuring 25–35 mm (1 to 1⅜ inches) from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin, on a plain light-coloured or white background.

Almost. Both are square JPEGs on a plain light or white background, but the e-Visa allows files up to 1 MB and says no spectacles, while the regular visa allows up to 300 KB and gives a head size of 25–35 mm. See the e-Visa photo rules.

We could not find that pixel size in any official instruction. The portal sets a square shape and a 10–300 KB file size, not a pixel size. Some missions, such as the Embassy of India in Bern, now ask for ICAO-compliant photos for visa applications too, so check your mission's notice.

The portal asks you to upload a digital photo. Read the checklist of the mission or visa centre where you submit, in case it asks for anything more.

The regular visa instructions do not mention glasses, but the e-Visa rules say without spectacles and Indian missions' ICAO guidelines say to remove glasses to avoid reflections. Take them off to be safe.

Was this guide helpful?

No ratings yet. Be the first to rate this guide.

Official sources

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.