Guides · Updated 17 September 2026 · 4 min read
Passport size photo dimensions in India
“Passport size” means different things on different Indian forms. This guide lists every official size in centimetres, millimetres and pixels, with the file-size limits online portals enforce.
The short answer
For most forms in India, a passport size photo is 3.5 × 4.5 cm (35 × 45 mm), which is 413 × 531 pixels at 300 DPI. For an actual passport application through Passport Seva, and for Indian visas and OCI, the size is 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm), which is 602 × 602 pixels at 300 DPI.
Every Indian photo size at a glance
| Use | Size | Pixels | File limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| General forms, bank KYC, school, DL, voter ID | 3.5 × 4.5 cm | 413 × 531 px @300 DPI | Usually none |
| Passport application (Passport Seva) | 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm) | 602 × 602 px @300 DPI | Printed photo |
| Indian visa / OCI online upload | 2 × 2 in | min 350 × 350 px | JPEG 10 KB – 1 MB |
| PAN card (Form 49A) | 2.5 × 3.5 cm | 213 × 300 px | JPEG under 50 KB |
| SSC exams | 3.5 × 4.5 cm | about 413 × 531 px | JPEG 20 – 50 KB |
| UPSC | square | 350 × 350 to 1000 × 1000 px | JPEG 20 – 300 KB |
| IBPS / bank exams | 4.5 × 3.5 cm | 200 × 230 px | JPEG 20 – 50 KB |
| NEET | 3.5 × 4.5 cm and 4 × 6 in postcard | varies | JPEG 10 – 200 KB |
| Signature upload (most portals) | – | 140 × 60 px | JPEG 10 – 20 KB |
Converting between cm, inches and pixels
Pixels depend on print resolution. At 300 DPI (the print standard), 1 inch = 300 px and 1 cm ≈ 118 px. So 3.5 × 4.5 cm ≈ 413 × 531 px and 2 × 2 in = 600 × 600 px. If a portal specifies pixels, the physical size does not matter; if it specifies cm or inches for a printed photo, use 300 DPI.
Common rejection reasons
- File larger than the KB limit (fix: use the size cap in the ID Photo tool).
- Wrong format: portals want JPEG, not PNG or HEIC.
- Wrong aspect ratio: a 3.5 × 4.5 photo uploaded where 2 × 2 is required.
- Shadows, glasses, or a patterned background.
- Old photo: most portals want one taken in the last six months.
Frequently asked questions
Is passport size photo 3.5 × 4.5 or 2 × 2?
Both are called “passport size” in India. 3.5 × 4.5 cm is the everyday size for forms; 2 × 2 inch is what the passport office and visa portals require.
How many pixels is a passport size photo?
413 × 531 px for 3.5 × 4.5 cm, or 600 × 600 px for 2 × 2 inch, both at 300 DPI.
How do I make a photo 20 KB to 50 KB?
Use the exam-form preset in the ID Photo tool. It crops to 3.5 × 4.5 cm and lowers JPEG quality step by step until the file is under 50 KB.