Quick answer
What size visa photo do Indians need?
It depends on the destination. The US wants 2 × 2 inches (600 × 600 px digital), Schengen countries and Singapore 35 × 45 mm, China 33 × 48 mm and Malaysia's eVISA 35 × 50 mm. The UK and Canada usually take your photo with fingerprints at the visa application centre.
For a short trip on an Indian passport, 9 of the 11 destinations on this site need a visa. Malaysia (until 31 December 2026) and Thailand let you visit visa-free for up to 30 days. The UK and, for most applicants, Canada take your photo with your fingerprints at the visa application centre, so you only print or upload a photo for the other seven. Sizes range from a 2 × 2 inch square for the US to 33 × 48 mm for China and 35 × 50 mm for Malaysia's eVISA, and Singapore wants a photo taken within three months.
What Indian passport holders need for a short trip
These are the rules for Indian ordinary passport holders on a short tourist or business trip. Destinations where you supply a photo come first.
| Destination | Short trip on an Indian passport | Photo needed |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Visa required | DS-160 uploadSquare JPEG, 600–1200 px, up to 240 kB |
| Schengen | Schengen visa required (not ETIAS) | Printed photo35 × 45 mm (German missions), plus fingerprints |
| Australia | Visa required | ImmiAccount uploadJPEG 70 KB–3.5 MB; biometrics may be asked |
| China | Visa required | Two prints33 × 48 mm on white, plus the online form |
| Japan | Visa required, applied for at VFS Global | One print45 × 35 mm (VFS Global) |
| Singapore | Visa required, through an authorised agent | Prints and upload35 × 45 mm or 400 × 514 px, within 3 months |
| United Arab Emirates | Visit visa, or a 14-day visa with a US, UK or EU visa or residence | Online uploadPersonal photo on white |
| United Kingdom | Visa required | Taken at the visa centreNo print or upload; fingerprints too |
| Canada | Visitor visa required | Taken at the visa centreBiometrics; prints only if you do not give them |
| Malaysia | Visa-free up to 30 days until 31 Dec 2026, with an MDAC | NoneeVISA photo only if you need a visa |
| Thailand | Visa-free up to 30 days since 15 Sep 2026 | Nonee-Visa photo for longer stays |
Dates to watch
Malaysia's visa waiver for Indians runs until 31 December 2026, and we found no announcement yet about 2027. Thailand's exemption fell from 60 to 30 days on 15 September 2026. Australia may ask applicants in India for biometrics for applications lodged from 26 October 2026, the date China's Embassy and Consulate General in India started accepting visa applications directly. ETIAS for Europe is not for Indian passport holders, who still need a Schengen visa.
Visa photo sizes compared
If you need a visa photo, each country sets its own size. Pick a country for the full rules and official sources, or make the photo straight away with the photo maker, preset to that country's size.
| Country and photo maker | Print size | Digital and file | Background | Max age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 45 × 35 mm (if requested) | 1200 × 1600 px preferredJPEG, 70 KB–3.5 MB | Neutral or light grey | 6 months |
| Canada | 2 × at least 35 × 45 mm (if asked) | Photo taken at the VAC | Plain white or light | 6 months |
| China | 33 × 48 mm (2 photos) | 354 × 472 to 420 × 560 pxJPEG, 40–120 KB | White | 6 months |
| Japan | 45 × 35 mm (1 photo, VFS) | — | Plain white | 6 months |
| Malaysia | Not needed | 35 × 50 mm proportionsUp to 2 MB | Plain white | Not stated |
| Schengen | 35 × 45 mm (at least 1) | — | White | 6 months |
| Singapore | 35 × 45 mm (2 photos) | 400 × 514 pxJPG, PNG or HEIC, ≤ 8 MB | Plain white | 3 months |
| Thailand | Not needed | e-Visa uploadJPG/JPEG, ≤ 3 MB | Plain, light-coloured | 6 months |
| United Arab Emirates | Not needed (uploaded online) | Not publishedNot published | White | 6 months |
| United Kingdom | Not needed | Photo taken at the VAC | — | — |
| United States | 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm), only if the DS-160 upload fails | 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 pxJPEG, ≤ 240 KB | Plain white or off-white | 6 months |
The file limit is shown under the digital size where the country sets one. The UK has no photo maker button because the visa centre takes your photo. Click a country for its full rules and official sources, or scroll the table sideways on a phone.
One photo will not fit every visa
An Indian passport photo is a 35 × 45 mm portrait on white with the face filling 80–85% of the frame. The US wants a square, China and Malaysia taller photos with a smaller head, and Australia a light grey or neutral background. Make a separate copy for each application from the original photo rather than trimming or stretching one image. The India photo size chart lists the Indian sizes side by side.
Need an Indian passport photo too? Make my photo
Glasses, backgrounds and photo age
- Glasses: not allowed for the US and to be removed for Australia, except for medical reasons. Canada, China, Singapore, the UAE and the EU guidelines accept clear, untinted lenses with no glare. Every country here that mentions glasses refuses tinted lenses.
- Background: white for the US (or off-white), China, Japan, Singapore, the UAE, Malaysia and German Schengen checklists; white or light for Canada; neutral or light grey for Australia; plain and light-coloured for Thailand.
- Photo age: within six months for most countries, but within three months for Singapore.
- Head coverings: most countries allow religious head coverings that leave the face fully visible, but the Chinese Embassy in India's notice says no head covering.
How to get the right visa photo for your trip
- Check what your trip needs. Use the first table to see whether your destination needs a visa, takes your photo at the visa centre or lets you in visa-free for a short stay.
- Look up the photo size. The second table lists each country's print size, digital size, file limit, background and how recent the photo must be. Open the country guide for the full rules.
- Make a separate copy for each visa. Start from the original photo and crop a new copy for each country, such as a square for the US or a 33 × 48 mm print for China. Take a new photo if your visa needs a more recent one or no glasses.
- Apply through the official channel. Upload or print the photo for the official application, such as the DS-160 for the US, ImmiAccount for Australia or thaievisa.go.th for Thailand.
Visa photo FAQ for Indian travellers
For a short trip, the US, the Schengen area, the UK, Canada, Australia, China, Japan, Singapore and the UAE all need a visa. The UK and, for most applicants, Canada take your photo at the visa centre, so you print or upload a photo for the other seven. Malaysia (until 31 December 2026) and Thailand let Indians visit visa-free for up to 30 days.
Rarely as it is. In India your passport photo is taken live at the Passport Seva Kendra, so you may not have a copy. An Indian passport-size print is 35 × 45 mm on white with the face filling 80–85% of the frame, which is too close for China, Canada or the Schengen guidelines and the wrong shape for the square US photo. Make a separate copy for each visa from a recent original photo.
35 × 45 mm, sometimes written 45 × 35 mm with the height first. The Schengen area (German missions), Singapore, Japan (VFS Global), printed Australian photos and Canada (as a minimum) use it. The US wants a 2 × 2 inch square, China 33 × 48 mm and Malaysia's eVISA 35 × 50 mm.
It depends on the country. The US does not allow glasses, and Australia asks you to remove them, except for medical reasons. Canada, China, Singapore, the UAE and the EU guidelines allow clear, untinted lenses with no glare, and Thailand's e-Visa needs your eyes clearly visible with no glare. Taking glasses off avoids problems everywhere.
Most countries on this site want a photo taken within the last six months. Singapore is stricter, at three months, and asks for a new photo for each application. Malaysia's eVISA pages do not say.
Malaysia's visa waiver for Indians runs until 31 December 2026, and so does China's fingerprint exemption for most short-term visas. Thailand cut visa-free stays for Indians to 30 days from 15 September 2026. Australia may ask applicants in India for biometrics for applications lodged from 26 October 2026, and China's Embassy and Consulate General have accepted applications directly since the same date. The EU's Entry/Exit System has been fully working since 10 April 2026.
Official sources
- U.S. Department of State: Photo requirements
- European Commission: Applying for a Schengen visa
- German Missions in India: Schengen visa checklist for tourism
- GOV.UK: Standard Visitor visa – apply
- IRCC: Temporary resident visa application photograph specifications
- Department of Home Affairs (Australia): Photograph (help text)
- Australian High Commission, New Delhi: Biometric collection for visa applicants in India
- Chinese Embassy in India: Notice on Chinese visa application
- VFS Global: Japan visa information, New Delhi
- ICA (Singapore): Photo guidelines
- Singapore High Commission in New Delhi: Visa information
- ICP (UAE): Issuance of a 14-day visa for nationals of certain countries residing abroad
- High Commission of Malaysia, New Delhi: Requirements for foreigners
- Royal Thai Embassy, New Delhi: Visa
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.