Get Your Indian Passport Photo Done Right [In 3 Mins]

Are you living in the US and need an Indian passport photo? Discover everything you need to know about Indian passport pictures, including their finer details (e.g., what accessories you’re allowed to wear) and where to source them in-person and online.

Understanding Indian passport photo requirements

If you’re familiar with the US passport photo requirements, you can sit back and relax as Indian passport pictures follow exactly the same requirements.

And while the Consulates of India also mention the ICO and ICAO rules, it’s mainly about the same thing—proper sizing, background color, etc.

But worry not! We're here to provide you with all the information in a reader-friendly way.

Indian Passport Photo Requirements Explained

Note: You can also submit a digital image for your Indian photograph. It should measure between 350x350 and 1000x1000 pixels, and the file size must fit between 20KB and 100KB.

The fine details: specifics of Indian passport photos

The technicalities of your Indian passport pictures are one thing—there are also other factors you should pay attention to while preparing and taking your biometric photographs. Consider the following dos and don’ts:

• Facial expression: Neutral. You can smile gently, but avoid wide, toothy smiles
• Eyes: Open, looking directly at the camera
• Glasses: Generally acceptable. Avoid dark or tinted glasses. You must also avoid glares and light reflections
• Headgear: Acceptable only for religious purposes but your face must be visible from the top of your forehead to the bottom of your chin
• Attire: The authorities don’t provide an exact dress code. Compliant passport photos in official guidelines show applicants even in white or light clothes
• Head position: Centered and facing the camera, without any tilts or turns

Here’s a more detailed article about passport photos in the US and India.

Indian passport photo sizing details

It’s crucial to get your Indian passport photo size right—incorrect sizing is one of the most common reasons for passport photo rejection.

Follow these simple points and remember that:

• Your Indian passport photograph size must follow ICO and ICAO regulations—i.e., it must measure either 2x2 inches (51x51 mm), or 35x45 mm, or 35x35 mm (all sizes acceptable)
• Your head should take 50–69% of the picture’s height

Online services for Indian passport photos 

Online passport photo tools allow you to prepare your passport pictures comfortably from home. In most cases, you don’t have to worry about manual resizing or cropping—everything happens automatically.

However, for your passport photos, you want to be sure that the final result will comply with the official Indian passport photo requirements.

We’ve listed five most popular passport photo apps for you to compare their functions:

Want to dive into more detailed descriptions? Here we’ve covered the top ten 2x2 photo applications for Android & iOS.

Last update: 9/24/23