Get Your Chinese Visa Photo Done Right [In 3 Mins]
Explore Chinese visa photo regulations—and learn how you can take your own photo without the trip to the photo studio.
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Chinese Visa Photo—Specifications
Size
48x33 mm
Digital dimensions
354x472–420x560 px
Head size
28–33 mm
Background color
White or off-white
Resolution
600 dpi
Recency
Last 6 months
Roxana is a writer with 3+ years of experience. As a Master in psycholinguistics, she blends her passion for language and communication with insights from diverse cultures, making her content resonate with a broad audience.
Karolina is a seasoned legal expert with a Master of Law and legal advisor credentials, specializing in passport photo compliance. She ensures adherence to international standards set by entities like the US Department of State and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Equipped with her advocate license and extensive legal background, she brings a unique blend of legal acumen and technical knowledge. Her expertise is pivotal in navigating the intricate and rigorous standards set by key global authorities. Her approach, marked by meticulous attention to detail and a deep understanding of international law, ensures stringent adherence to the evolving passport and visa photo regulations worldwide.
Chinese Visa Photo—All You Need to Know
Looking for concise and easy-to-follow information about Chinese visa photos? You’ve come to the right place! Learn about the requirements you must follow when taking a Chinese visa picture, the finer details (e.g., what you’re allowed to wear), and where you can get your photo both on-site and online.
Understanding Chinese visa photo requirements
In this piece, we will focus on the photo regulations of the main Chinese visa. If you’re looking for more specific document types, you can find such information on the Chinese Embassy website or take a look at our Hong Kong visa photo guidelines.
Keep reading to discover the official visa photo requirements of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the US. You’ll also find tips on preparing for your Chinese visa photo and how to take it at home.
Chinese Visa Photo Requirements: Explained
Requirement | Prints & Digital |
Size | 48x33 millimeters |
Color | In color, showing natural skin tones |
Recency | Last 6 months |
Image clarity | Clear and sharp, without visible blurs, pixels, or damage |
Filters | Not allowed |
Background | Plain white or off-white |
Print Quality | High-quality photos printed on either glossy or matte photographic paper |
Resolution | 600 DPI |
Digital Alterations | Not allowed |
Note #1: A digital Chinese visa photo must follow these requirements:
- Dimensions: between 354x472 and 420x560 pixels
- Color: RGB scale
- File format: JPEG
- File size: between 40KB and 120KB
Note #2: If you’re submitting a digital picture to your online visa application, remember to bring two printed photographs to your visa interview, too.
Important: Your Chinese visa photo must reflect your current appearance. You can’t use any filters (especially social media ones) or digital alterations, such as color enhancements, in your visa pictures.
The fine details: specifics of Chinese visa photos
Apart from the technical aspects of your visa pictures, the requirements for your appearance are equally important. Here’s what to pay attention to while preparing for your Chinese visa photo:
- Facial expression: Neutral, with no smile or grimace
- Eyes: Open, looking directly at the camera
- Glasses: Only non-tinted. Generally allowed—however, ensure the frames are not too thick, and they don’t cover your eyes
- Headgear: Allowed only for medical or religious reasons—however, it can’t obscure any facial features
- Attire: No white or light clothes to avoid blending with the background
- Head position: Centered and straight
Chinese visa photo sizing details
The size regulations of a Chinese visa photo, including the ranges for your head size, are very precise. Ensure you get all the dimensions right by following these points:
- Photo size: 33x48 millimeters
- Head height: 28–33 millimeters
- Head width: 15–22 millimeters
- The space between the bottom of your chin/top of your head and the picture’s frame: 3–7 millimeters
Sometimes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Have a look at these faulty visa photos in order to better understand what not to do:
Online services for Chinese visa photos
Getting your Chinese visa photo in a traditional, brick-and-mortar spot can be difficult. The most common biometric picture size in the US is 2x2 inches (51x51 mm), and popular services may not be familiar with the Chinese visa photo size. In that case, you can also use online providers conveniently from your home.
Here, we’ve reviewed the five most popular applications for document photographs:
Provider | User-friendliness | Essential features | Large country database | Compliance guarantee & refund | Printing service | Price |
Passport Photo Online | 5/5 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | $16.95–$19.95 |
Passport Photo & ID Maker | 5/5 | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | $6.99 |
ID Photo For Passports And IDs | 4/5 | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | Free |
iVisa Passport Photo | 3/5 | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | Unclear |
Passport Photo-ID Photo | 4/5 | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | $6.99 |
You can try your luck with one of the free providers, but it may cost you in the end—especially if your photos get rejected.
Get guaranteed compliance and the correct photo(s) the first time with Passport Photo Online—your trusted Chinese visa photo app with thousands of satisfied customers (just have a look at our Trustpilot reviews).
Experience Passport Photo Online’s ease-of-use and acceptance guarantee. Get the best photo for your travel document using our desktop software or your smartphone—download our Passport Photo Booth App for iOS or Passport Photo Maker App for Android, or simply snap a photo with your phone or camera and upload it by using the button at the top of this page.
Sources:
http://us.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/lsfw/zj/qz2021/201612/t20161206_4410998.htm
How to prepare yourself?
Distance from the camera
Take the photo from a distance of about 20 inches from your face. Ideally, the photo should be taken by another person.
Face in front of the camera
Place your face in front of the lens and keep a neutral expression on your face. Hold the camera at face height.
Even lighting
Just stand facing a light source such as an exposed window. Don't worry about the background.
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