India e-Visa photo and passport page upload: what differs
Updated 2026-09-30
An India e-Visa application asks for two different files, and they follow different rules: a portrait photo (a square JPEG) and a scan of your passport bio page (a PDF). India's regular visa, OCI and passport photos each have their own specification again. Do not reuse the numbers from one for another.
Which file are you preparing?
| File | Format | Size limit | Can GetFormatted prepare it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| e-Visa portrait photo | Square JPEG | 10 KB to 1 MB | Yes, with the e-Visa preset. The page gives no pixel size. |
| e-Visa passport bio page | 10 KB to 300 KB | Only partly. We can build a PDF from an image, and Compress PDF can shrink an existing one only when its size is in JPEG images. | |
| Regular visa photo | Square JPEG, 350 to 1000 px | 10 KB to 300 KB | Yes, with the regular visa preset. |
| OCI photo | Square JPEG, 200 to 900 px | 200 KB per image | Yes, with the OCI preset. |
| Indian passport photo | Printed or digital, ICAO style | Not read from the portal | Presets for the sizes on the official guidelines. |
e-Visa portrait photo
The e-Visa page asks for a square JPEG between 10 KB and 1 MB, with the full face and head visible on a plain light background. It states no pixel size. The regular visa page does give one (350 to 1000 pixels), but that range is for the regular visa and is not assumed to apply to the e-Visa.
Our e-Visa preset crops to a square and exports 600 × 600 pixels. That figure is our own default, chosen because it is a common square size that stays well inside the file limit. It is not a number from the official page. If your application shows its own size requirement, follow that.
The page says 1 KB is 1,024 bytes, so the limits are 10,240 to 1,048,576 bytes. Crop to a square before you compress, so the file size is not spent on areas that get cut.
e-Visa passport bio page (PDF)
The page asks for a PDF between 10 KB and 300 KB, which is 10,240 to 307,200 bytes. The same limit applies to the extra document for Business and Medical e-Visas.
PDF compression gap: GetFormatted has no PDF compressor, so it cannot shrink a PDF that is already too large. If your scan is over 300 KB, the workaround is to rebuild it: turn the page into an image with PDF to JPG, bring the image under the limit with compress image to target size, then make a new PDF with JPG to PDF. Check that the passport data is still readable, and check the final size before you upload.
Aim for about 10% under 307,200 bytes so a different reading of “KB” still passes. Read the general method in how to get a PDF under a size limit.
Other Indian documents
| Document | Type | Size | File size | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passport (Passport Seva (ICAO-compliant digital photo)) | Digital upload, all applicants | 630 × 810 px minimum | Not stated | Official page |
| Passport (Paper form (photo affixed at a collection centre)) | Printed, all applicants | 35 × 45 mm | Not stated | Official page |
| Passport (minors below 4 years) (Photo capture guidelines for minors) | Printed, child | 35 × 45 mm | Not stated | Official page |
| e-Visa (Online e-Visa application (photo upload)) | Digital upload, all applicants | Square (no pixel size stated) | 10 KB to 1 MB | Official page |
| Regular visa (Online visa application (photo upload)) | Digital upload, all applicants | 350 × 350 px minimum, up to 1000 × 1000 px | 10 KB to 300 KB | Official page |
| OCI card (Online OCI application (photo upload)) | Digital upload, all applicants | 200 × 200 px minimum, up to 900 × 900 px | up to 200 KB | Official page |
| OCI card (Printed photograph specification) | Printed, adult | 51 × 51 mm | Not stated | Official page |
| PAN card (Paper form via UTIITSL) | Printed, all applicants | 35 × 45 mm | Not stated | Official page |
What we could not read
- The Passport Seva photo upload limits. The portal is a script-driven app, so we could not read them. Use the limit shown on the portal.
- NSDL PAN and Aadhaar upload limits. The pages were not reachable when we checked.
- Any pixel size for the e-Visa portrait.
- The size limit for OCI supporting documents.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the e-Visa photo the same size as the regular visa photo?
- Not necessarily. The e-Visa page states no pixel size, so we do not apply the regular visa range of 350 to 1000 pixels to it. Both need a square JPEG.
- What is the file size for the Indian e-Visa photo?
- A JPEG between 10 KB and 1 MB. The page counts 1 KB as 1,024 bytes.
- Can I compress the e-Visa passport page PDF here?
- Not directly, because there is no PDF compressor yet. You can rebuild the PDF from a smaller image, then check that the text is still readable and the file is under 300 KB.
- What size is an Indian passport photo?
- The printed form asks for a 35 × 45 mm colour photo on a plain white background. The ICAO guideline for digital photos gives 630 × 810 px, with the face taking up 80 to 85% of the photo.
- What is the OCI photo size?
- For the online form, a square JPEG between 200 × 200 and 900 × 900 px and up to 200 KB. The printed specification is 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm).