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India Passport Photo Maker

An Indian passport photo is 35 × 45 mm at 300 DPI (413 × 531 pixels) with a plain white background. The face must be centered, eyes open, head 32-36 mm from chin to crown. For visa applications to the US, India accepts a 51 × 51 mm (2 × 2 in) photo. JPG format, no head covering except for religious reasons.

₹1,500is the typical Indian passport fee (36 pages, 10 years) in 2026 —·passportindia.gov.in

Updated May 22, 2026·Verified against India official passport spec · headshot research team

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Passport country

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India passport photo at a glance

Physical size	35 × 45 mm (passport) / 51 × 51 mm (visa)
Pixels @ 300 DPI	413 × 531
Head height	ICAO standard (70-80%)
Background	Plain white background
Accepted formats	JPG
Passport fee (2026)	₹1,500 (36 pages, 10 years) / ₹2,000 (60 pages)
Processing time	30-45 days normal, 1-3 days tatkal (+₹2,000)
Studio cost	₹100 to ₹300 at any photo studio
Official source	passportindia.gov.in

What the rules actually say

India's passport photo spec is among the most internationally-compatible — 35 × 45 mm matches Schengen, the UK, and most ICAO-compliant countries. The Ministry of External Affairs publishes the specification at passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/online/photographSpec — pure white background, plain colour clothing, full face visible, both ears showing (subject to religious exceptions), no shadows.

The biggest trap for first-time applicants is the 'plain white background' rule. White walls in Indian homes are rarely uniformly lit — overhead tube lights create shadows on the wall that fail the biometric edge detector at the Passport Seva Kendra. The solution is either: (1) use this tool's background-replacement feature to set a pure white #FFFFFF, or (2) shoot against a plain white bedsheet pulled taut.

Photos are required at three points in the process: uploaded JPG during online application, two physical prints brought to the PSK appointment, and one final photo captured by the PSK staff for the chip. The uploaded JPG and your printed prints must match — if you upload a different photo than you bring to the appointment, the application is held for verification.

Tatkal (urgent) processing costs ₹2,000 extra and turns a 30-45 day standard service into 1-3 days. The photo requirements are identical, but rejection at the PSK appointment is more costly because you lose the tatkal slot. Pay the ₹100-200 for an on-site PSK photo if you have any doubt about your home-shot version.

Top reasons India passport photos get rejected

Background not pure white
Shadows on the face or behind the head
Wearing glasses with frame visible across the eyes
Photo more than six months old
Coloured saree, scarf, or accessories covering part of the face

Where to apply for your India passport

Apply for an Indian passport at passportindia.gov.in. https://www.passportindia.gov.in/ →

Studio alternative: ₹100 to ₹300 at any 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:

Pakistan passport photo — 35 × 45 mm, plain white background
Singapore passport photo — 35 × 45 mm, plain white background

Privacy: what we do with your photo

The India 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/india. Spec verified against passportindia.gov.in on 2026-05-22.

Questions, answered

India Passport Photo Maker — frequently asked questions

Is the Indian passport photo size the same as the visa photo?

Different. Indian passport photos are 35 × 45 mm. Indian visa applications historically accept 51 × 51 mm (US-style) but most consulates now also accept 35 × 45 mm. Check the specific consulate's published spec.

Can I take a passport photo at home in India?

Yes. The Ministry of External Affairs accepts self-printed photos that meet the published spec. Many applicants use Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) photo services on the day of appointment (₹100-200), but the photo from this tool exports at the exact 300 DPI / 413 × 531 pixel target.

Are bindis, sindhoor, or other religious markings allowed?

Yes. Religious / cultural markings on the forehead are explicitly allowed and shouldn't be removed. The rule against head coverings has religious exceptions for hijab, turban, kippah.

What's tatkal passport and does the photo requirement change?

Tatkal is the expedited service — 1-3 day processing instead of 30-45 days, for an extra ₹2,000. Photo requirements are identical to standard processing. The expedited fee only buys faster handling of an otherwise-compliant application.

Does the photo need to be glued onto the application form?

Only for the offline paper application route (uncommon since 2017). Online applications upload the JPG directly through the passportindia.gov.in portal. Two physical prints are required at the appointment for record purposes.

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