India Passport Photo Size — 35×45mm (New ICAO Standard)

India changed its passport photo standard on 1 September 2025. The 2×2 inch square format used for three decades was retired in favour of the ICAO 35×45mm standard. Photos in the old size are no longer accepted — including at Indian embassies and consulates abroad.

India passport photo specifications

Printed size

35 × 45 mm · 413 × 531 px

Head height (chin to crown)

32 – 36 mm

Background

Background: plain white

Photo age limit

Taken within 6 months

Glasses

Not allowed

Prints to submit

2 identical prints

Rules specific to India

• 35×45mm, following ICAO Doc 9303 — mandatory since 1 September 2025.
• The old 2×2 inch (51×51mm) square format is no longer accepted. A studio that has not updated may still hand you one.
• Online uploads must be exactly 630×810 pixels, JPEG, 10–250KB.
• Plain white background. Cream and off-white backgrounds, previously tolerated, now cause rejections.
• Glasses are no longer permitted under the new standard.
• Neutral expression, mouth closed, face square to the camera.
• Taken within the last 6 months.

Why passport photos get rejected

• Head too large or too small. This is the single most common reason, and the one people notice least — the canvas size can be perfect while the head is out of range.
• Shadow behind the head, usually from standing too close to a wall. Step a metre away from the background.
• Smiling, or mouth slightly open. Neutral expression means neutral.
• Hair covering an eye, or a fringe casting a shadow across the eyes.
• Uneven lighting that leaves one side of the face darker than the other.
• A photo that has been retouched, filtered, or run through an AI beauty tool. Most authorities now check for this and reject it outright.

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