Chinese Passport Photo
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Chinese Passport Photo - Size & Requirements
Height: 472 px
- Head height: 350 px
- Top of the Photo to Top of the Hair: 30 px
How to take a photo?
General requirements for the China passport photo
Every time you apply for or renew your China passport or Chinese visa, you need to submit biometric photos with your application. These photos must comply with the official requirements in order to be accepted by Chinese authorities. In this article, we will provide you with all the requirements for the China passport photo.
Technical requirements of the China passport photo
When it comes to official requirements regarding measurements, proportions, and photo resolution, individuals applying for a Chinese passport must remember the following:
- Size: the standard passport photo size in China is 33mm wide by 48mm high.
- Color: black & white pictures are no longer acceptable. You are required to submit color photographs.
- Head size in the picture: your head should be between 15mm and 22mm wide, and between 28mm to 33mm long. There should also be empty space between the top of your head and the upper edge of the photo, and this space needs to be between 3mm to 5mm wide.
- Resolution: there is no official specification regarding resolution, but we strongly suggest you have a photo of at least 600 dpi.
- Exposure, contrast, and saturation: it is important that your photos are both properly exposed (neither overexposed or underexposed) and properly printed (not too dark or too light).
Shadows and colors in Chinese passport photos
Your China passport photo must represent your actual eye color and skin color. You can’t use softwares such as Photoshop to digitally alter your appearance. No color filters and no special effects are accepted either.
You cannot have any shadows on your face or in the background. We suggest you shoot in natural daylight. Here are a few tips to help you deal with shadows:
- Pose in front of a window.
- Leave a 2-meter space (about 7 ft) between you and the camera.
- Have a friend check that the light is evenly distributed across your face, without shadows and/or glares.
- Do not use flash, as it may produce a "red eye" effect that will disqualify your photo.
Chinese passport photos - headgear, makeup, and jewelry
If you’re someone who likes to exaggerate on makeup and accessories, read the guidelines below:
- You may wear makeup and jewelry in an official biometric photo for your China passport. Be careful, though, and don’t over-do it, as excessive makeup will get your passport photo rejected.
- Excessive jewelry will also cause your passport application to be declined. Facial features such as your ears and jawline should be entirely visible, so don’t wear oversized earrings.
- You cannot wear any sort of fashion headgear such as hats, caps, headbands, or headpieces. Exceptions can be made for head coverings worn for religious and cultural reasons like turbans, yarmulkes, and hijabs. Keep in mind that your headgear cannot obscure your face in any way.
Glasses or sunglasses in China passport photos
It is forbidden to wear sunglasses or tinted glasses in your Chinese passport photo, even if they are prescribed for medical reasons. You are allowed to take your passport photos wearing prescription glasses if needed; however, they can’t block the view of the eyes and they can’t be thick-rimmed. Make sure there is no glare on the lenses and no shadows are cast on the face. We suggest people who wear glasses take them off when having their passport picture taken, just to be safe.
Hairstyles and beards in China passport photos
Your hair cannot block your face or cover your eyes. People with bangs and big hair need to make sure their hair doesn’t go past their eyebrow line. Also, your hair should not extend beyond the photo edge, so we advise you to tie it back. If you normally have a beard, it is okay to keep it for your passport photo.
What can you wear for your China passport photo?
You are free to wear whatever clothes you like, but keep in mind that uniforms, camouflage patterns, and clothes that resemble uniforms are not allowed. Remember that your passport is valid for ten years, so go for a timeless look. We recommend you wear something casual. It is not recommended to wear light-colored clothes, which can blend into the white photo background. Tank tops should also be avoided, as they could make you look naked.
Changes in appearance
When submitting your photos for a Chinese passport, you have to provide 2 (two) recent color photographs that means taken within the last six months. If you have drastically changed your appearance within the last six months, you will need to submit a new photo. It’s not necessary to take a new picture each time you dye your hair or grow a beard, but some changes do call for a new photo:
- having gained (or lost) a significant amount of weight,
- having suffered a permanent facial deformation,
- having undergone facial plastic surgery,
- having added or removed facial tattoos and/or piercings,
- having changed your gender.
Biometric passport photos for children
Children need their own passports for travel. As with adults, children’s Chinese passport applications must include a recent color photograph. We know children’s pictures can be difficult to take, but it’s something that you have to do. In addition to the other requirements mentioned above, here are some other details you need to pay attention to when taking your child’s passport photo.
- Make sure that the child’s eyes are open and clearly visible.
- If you're holding your child while taking the photo, you cannot be visible in the final picture.
- Toys, bottles, pacifiers, or other people cannot be in the picture.
- To assure good positioning, try putting them in a car seat.
- Infants can be laid on a white sheet, and photographed from above.
Most common mistakes in Chinese passport photos
Having to redo your whole passport application just because your photo was rejected is pretty annoying. To prevent this frustrating situation, we’ve listed some common mistakes that can be easily avoided:
- Smiling, pouting your lips (the “duck face”), or having any other unnatural facial expression. Smiling in your China passport photo will get it rejected every time - the photo should almost resemble a mugshot!
- Bad quality photos - both in terms of resolution and focus, as well as damage to the actual printed photo (creases, marks, stains, etc.). Provide only photos in new condition.
- Uneven lighting - the light must be evenly distributed on your face, without shadows or hot spots.
- Bad posture, not standing up straight, tilting of the head - you must stand up straight and look directly at the camera. If your head is tilted or your eyes are not looking into the lens, your picture will be rejected.
- Digitally retouched pictures. Using software like Photoshop to modify your appearance is not allowed. Your passport photo has to reflect your true self and your actual appearance.
Get your China passport photo online
Let us help you take your perfect Chinese passport photo at home, in your garden, or even in your bathroom! Passport Photo Online is super easy-to-use. Here’s how it works: you download our app, and we take it from there. Our algorithms crop and resize your image to make it meet all the official requirements set forth by the Chinese government. All you have to do is take a good photo of yourself. Take as many pictures as you need; you only pay for the one you choose at the end.
No need to worry about the background
Passport Photo app deletes any and all shadows and shapes in the background (including people and other objects), and replaces them with a perfectly smooth and uniform plain white background. Our background removing tool is amazing, and provides guaranteed valid results.
Chinese passport photo and a software powered by AI
Do you want to be 100% sure that your passport photo meets all the official Chinese passport photo requirements? Of course you do! Rest assured that Passport Photo Online generator is guaranteed to give you complete satisfaction. If a passport photo validated by our AI is not accepted by the authorities, we will fix the problem and return double what you paid.
One photo template - hundreds of possibilities
Once your photo is created and approved, you can purchase a digital version which will be sent to you via email as a JPEG file. You can get it printed in drugstores and copy shops. If you are submitting an application online, your digital photo is ready to be uploaded right away. Feel free to reuse your photo for other applications too, if it meets the requirements.
Passport Photo Online - reasons to choose
By using our app, you can be 100% sure that your passport photo will be:
- created with the required background,
- perfectly sized and cropped,
- approved by embassies or consulates,
- 100% satisfying, as you can take a million shots and choose your favorite one!
And you've got a guaranteed photo approval.
Last update: 5/24/22
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Can I photoshop a Chinese passport photo?
Photoshopping your face is strongly forbidden! If you change any of your facial features or use a filter and alter the natural true skin tones and color of your face, the photo will get rejected, because it is not considered biometric. You are perfect as you are, no need to change that!
❓ Are selfies allowed?
Selfies (and duckfaces) are not accepted, and it is important to use the rear camera of your electronic device for better quality. So, just ask a friend, family member, or use a tripod to take a photo of yourself - this way you will get the perfect passport photo.
❓ What is the best passport photo app?
Passport Photo Online, obviously! We can provide any size for any country upon your request, and we also use highly developed algorithms to ensure that you receive fantastic, high-resolution images.
❓ Can I have a beard in my passport photo?
If you wear a beard on a daily basis, you can of course keep it in your passport photo. However, if you don’t, we don’t recommend you to grow one before taking your passport photo.
❓ Can I take a passport photo in a photo booth?
Yes, you can! However, with the COVID-19 pandemic going on and the current restrictions, it might be better to avoid going out, and just choose to do what you can at home! Using our app would be more “COVID-friendly”, as you won’t have to move around and you can peacefully take your photo at home.
❓ Is there a passport photo dress code?
There is not a precise and detailed dress code for the passport photo. We recommend you to avoid wearing white or light-colored clothes, as it may make you blend in with the background. Tank tops should also be avoided as it could look like you are naked in your photo. Wearing uniforms is not recommended either.
❓ Can I wear lenses in my passport photo?
If there is no reflection and “red eye” effect, you can wear contact lenses in your passport photo. However, please note that glasses, sunglasses, and tinted glasses are not allowed. In a case when you have a medical obligation to wear glasses, please make sure that your pupils are clearly visible, that there is no flash reflection and that the temples are not too large, so they don’t obscure your facial structure.
❓ What makeup should I wear in a passport photo?
If you like makeup, go ahead and wear some! It is totally accepted. However, be careful to not wear too much as it could alter your facial features. Your face must be clearly recognizable in a biometric photo and represent your actual appearance.
❓ Can I use my smartphone to take a passport photo?
Of course - any device with a camera that takes relatively good pictures works!
❓ Are passports for nationals of Macau, Hong Kong and Mainland China the same?
The Macau Passport and Hong Kong Passport are a bit different from the Mainland China one, as they are delivered from the local authorities of Macau and Hong Kong. Mainland China inhabitants will not be able to apply for a Macau or Hong Kong passport if they have no document proving that they actually live or come from those two independent administrative regions. But apart from that, all of those passports are equally valid when traveling to non-visa free countries.
❓ How many passport photos do I need?
When applying for a Chinese passport, you need to submit 2 identical photos of yourself taken within the last 6 months.
❓ Can I smile in my passport photo?
Sadly, you cannot smile in your passport photo, no matter how beautiful your smile is. Smiling in your passport photo would be a reason for it to get rejected. You must have a neutral facial expression - eyes open, mouth closed.
❓ Who can check passport photos?
Our Artificial Intelligence can check the photos in a very precise manner and verify if they will be accepted by the competent authorities. However, if AI cannot seem to understand what is wrong with your photo, one of our agents will verify it themselves. Therefore, when we send you your photo in the end, you can be sure that it will be accepted - and if for whatever reason (which never happens) your photo gets rejected, we will send you double your money back.
❓ How do I take a passport photo at home with my phone?
It is extremely easy: stand in front of a window (preferably, use natural light as it will reflect your true appearance), stand at about 1 meter from the camera, and ask a friend, or use a tripod to take the photo. After that, all you have to do is select the type of document you are applying for (Chinese passport for example), then upload your photo and let our app take care of the rest !
❓ How should passport photos look?
For a Chinese passport, your photo should look as professional as possible, and you should also have a neutral facial expression. You basically have to look exactly like in a mugshot (not the most glamorous pictures, we know). So, no funny face, no teeth showing, and no smiling in your passport photo ! Maintain a straight position and pick a white background.
❓ How can I change the background of my passport photo?
Our background removing tool precisely deletes the wrong background to replace it with a light, white, correct background. So there is no need for you to worry about changing it yourself !
❓ What is the size of a passport photo in China ?
The standard passport photo size in China is 33mm width and 48mm length. Regarding your head size, the required width is between 15mm and 22mm and the required length is 28mm to 33mm.
❓ Can I take my own passport photo?
Of course! With Passport Photo Online, there’s nothing easier! All you have to do is use a smartphone, find a spot with lots of natural light, follow the guidelines, and let our tool do the rest!
About the document
Passport in China - specifications
The Chinese passport (the People's Republic of China passport - 中华人民共和国护照) is issued to the citizens of the People's Republic of China (PRC) who are registered residents of Mainland China. It also means they hold a hukou - a legal document which contains the personal information of each citizen, including their name, date of birth, family members’ names, and marital status. Hukou is part of a system of household registration and it’s used in Mainland China, aimed at facilitating the identification of Chinese nationals. It’s also a population management tool used by the Chinese government, which entitles its bearers to the protection of China's consular officials abroad.
Keep on reading, and you will learn about the Chinese passport photo requirements, biometric passports in China, the different types of passports in China, how to renew your Chinese passport, as well as about the procedures for a lost/stolen passport and how much it costs.
Types of Chinese passports
There are a couple of different types of the Chinese passport issued to the citizens of China depending on their circumstances. They are:
- Ordinary passports 普通护照: issued to nationals wishing to go abroad for non-official purposes, for example to take up residence in other countries, visit relatives, work, study, travel, or engage in business activity.
- Diplomatic passports 外交护照: issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to diplomats, consuls and their families, as well as to diplomatic couriers.
- Service passport 公务护照: issued by the MFA to employees who are dispatched by the Chinese government to work for Chinese foreign missions, the UN or its special commissions, or other international organizations, as well as to their families.
- Passport for public affairs 公务普通护照: a variation of the service passport issued to public servants who "lead divisions or equivalents" of county or state-owned companies, and to employees of state-controlled companies.
- Macao Special Administrative Region passport: issued to citizens of China who are permanent residents of Macau. The passport is issued by the Identification Services Bureau of the government of Macau under the authority of the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China.
- Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport: issued to permanent residents of Hong Kong who are also citizens of China. The passport is issued by the Immigration Department of the Government of Hong Kong under the authority of the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China.
E-passports/biometric passports
Biometric passports began to be issued in May 2012. Since January 2015, all new passports issued by China are biometric, and as of April 2017, China has issued over 100 million biometric passports.
Chinese ordinary biometric passport specifications
New security features include an additional “ghost picture” of the holder and holographic graphs - the PRC emblem and a laser-printed world globe. The biometric Chinese passport also includes:
- Passport code (P)
- Country Code (CHN)
- Passport number (E########)
- Name (Chinese characters on top, Pinyin transcription on bottom)
- Sex (M/F)
- Nationality (Chinese)
- Date of birth (DD.MM.YYYY)
- Place of birth (country code if born abroad)
- Date of issue (DD.MM.YYYY)
- Place of issue (province, or city of diplomatic/consular authority if issued abroad)
- Date of expiry (DD.MM.YYYY)
- Authority
- Bearer's signature
- Machine Readable Code
Passport validity
In the past, the Chinese passport was valid for 5 years. Since 2007, ordinary passports have a validity of 10 years for people of 16 and older, and a 5-year validity for kids 16 or younger, and diplomatic or military passports have a validity of 4 years.
Renew your Chinese passport
As of February 2021, Chinese citizens abroad can apply for passport renewals or replacements at overseas Chinese embassies and consulates. Chinese citizens who wish to renew their expired passports must present their original passport and a declaration of their nationality with any other requested papers, including the application form and current passport photos. If a passport holder loses or damages their passport when traveling, they have to make a declaration of additional loss or harm.
Chinese citizens living abroad who are applicants for a passport renewal should fill out a passport form on the Online Appointment for Overseas Passport Application website (which could be called another way depending on the country they are living in), print it out, and sign it by hand. Passport applicants might also have to sign other forms depending on their age and condition; the signatures will be scanned and developed on the new passport, and compared with the applicant’s signature in the future when applying for international visas.
You will have to provide a photo with the completed application form and bring another one if needed. Make sure the photo follows the requirements: 48mm x 33mm, white background, dark clothing, face clearly visible, no headwear, taken within the last 6 months. Photos that don’t conform to these rules will cause the rejection of your application and a new online appointment will be required. To make sure you won’t make any mistake, read our detailed photo requirements below.
Depending on the applicant’s country of residence, they might have to meet by video chat with the embassy for the renewal of their passport. In such cases, the embassy staff will contact the applicant by phone to schedule the time for the interview.
The standard processing time is about 3 weeks for Chinese nationals living abroad. The time needed to replace lost or damaged documents may be longer. For Mainland China residents, the usual processing time is 10 business days, and 15 business days for Chinese diplomatic missions outside Mainland China (with Hong Kong and Macau). The fee for a Chinese passport varies but is around CNY 120.
Procedures for lost or stolen Chinese passports
Any Chinese citizen living or traveling overseas who have lost/destroyed their passports or got their passport stolen are required to fill out a form online and attach a "Statement of Lost/Destroyed Passport/Travel Document" and sign it. In the past, Chinese nationals who lost or damaged their passport during a short stay abroad would have only been issued a travel permit to return. The new arrangement removes this restriction and gives embassies and consulates the chance to issue new passports on request.
Save time and money by preparing a professional Chinese passport photo online! Our passport photo editor will crop and edit the background automatically, and verify that your passport picture meets all the official requirements (such as size) for a Chinese biometric photo (suitable for a China passport application and renewal). This way, you can be sure your biometric photograph will be accepted by any China passport office.
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