China Passport Photo Maker

China passport photo at a glance

What the rules actually say

China's passport photo specification is one of the most distinctive in the world. The 33 × 48 mm physical size doesn't match any other major country's standard — taller and narrower than US (51 × 51 mm) or Schengen (35 × 45 mm). The aspect ratio (1:1.45) means you can't crop a Chinese passport photo from a Schengen one without losing important head margin.

Pure white background is non-negotiable. Unlike the UK, which prefers light grey, China explicitly rejects any off-white or cream tinted background. Hotel walls, even when painted white, often photograph as slightly warm or cool — the safe option is a printed white backdrop or a properly-lit white wall in daylight (not artificial light, which casts colour).

Glasses are banned since 2016, matching the global trend. The rule is enforced strictly at the Entry-Exit Administration office (出入境管理局) — bring your glasses to the appointment if you need them for the interview, but the photo must show your unobstructed eyes.

Most Chinese cities have dedicated passport photo studios (办证照相馆) near the Entry-Exit office that produce compliant photos in 5 minutes for ¥30-50. They handle the colour calibration, head positioning, and clothing recommendations on-site. For renewals from outside China, the same specifications apply at Chinese consulates worldwide.

Top reasons China passport photos get rejected

• Background not pure white — off-white or cream rejected
• Head height outside 28-33 mm range
• Wearing glasses (banned since 2016)
• Coloured clothing (avoid red, yellow, blue — these clash with the official white background)
• Visible jewellery or accessories on the face

Where to apply for your China passport

Apply at your local 出入境管理局 (Entry-Exit Administration). https://cs.mfa.gov.cn/ →

Studio alternative: ¥30 to ¥50 at any 照相馆 (photo studio). The photo from this tool meets the same published spec — print on photo paper at home or at a drugstore for the same compliance result.

Related countries

If you also need a passport photo for a neighbouring or related country, the spec usually differs slightly. Here are the closest matches:

• Japan passport photo — 35 × 45 mm, plain
• South Korea passport photo — 35 × 45 mm, plain white background

Privacy: what we do with your photo

The China passport photo maker runs entirely in your browser. Cropping, scaling, and background colour replacement happen on your device using the Canvas API. The background-removal step uses our private worker server, processes the image in memory only, and deletes it immediately after returning the cutout — no logs, no storage, no training data.

Page URL: https://freeheadshot.org/tools/passport-photo/china. Spec verified against cs.mfa.gov.cn on 2026-05-22.