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Passport Size Photo Dimensions in India (cm, mm, inches and Pixels)

Updated 10 October 2026 · 4 min read

"Paste a recent passport size photograph." This line appears on school admission forms, college forms, job applications, ID cards and many government documents. But what size is "passport size"? In India the answer is not always the same, which is why it confuses so many people.

India mein "passport size" aam taur par 3.5 × 4.5 cm maana jaata hai, lekin kuch documents ke liye 2 × 2 inch bhi maanga jaata hai. Form ke instructions zaroor dekhein.

The two sizes you will meet most often

1. 3.5 cm × 4.5 cm (35 × 45 mm)

This is what most photo studios in India print when you ask for "passport size photos", and it is what most school, college and general application forms mean. It is a portrait (taller than wide) photo.

2. 2 inch × 2 inch (51 × 51 mm)

A square format. It is used by some passport and visa applications, including several foreign visa applications. Requirements for the Indian passport itself, and for visas, are published on the official passport and embassy websites and can be updated, so check the current guidelines there when you are applying for these documents.

If a form or notification gives a different size, follow that. Some forms also ask for "stamp size" photos, which are smaller (commonly around 2 × 2.5 cm), but this too varies.

Converting cm to pixels

When you need a digital file for an online form, the size is often given in pixels. If it is given in cm, convert using:

pixels = (size in cm ÷ 2.54) × DPI

DPI (dots per inch) is the print resolution. 300 DPI is standard for good-quality prints; 200 DPI is sometimes used for smaller files.

These numbers are simple maths, not official requirements. Many online exam forms specify their own pixel size directly (for example something around 200 × 230 pixels), along with a KB range. Use the form's numbers when given.

What a good passport-style photo looks like

• Recent – many forms say taken within the last few months.
• Front-facing, looking straight at the camera, with a neutral expression and mouth closed.
• Plain, light background, usually white or off-white, with no patterns or objects.
• Face clearly visible from the top of the hair to the chin, with both ears ideally visible, and the face taking up a large part of the frame.
• Even lighting with no shadows on the face or background.
• No dark glasses; many forms also ask for no spectacles or for glasses without glare. Caps and hats are generally not allowed except for religious reasons.
• Not edited – no filters, no background changes, no beauty mode.

Taking a passport-style photo at home

A studio is best, but a phone photo can work for many online forms if done carefully:

1. Stand about half a metre in front of a plain white or light wall.
2. Face a window for soft daylight. Avoid overhead light that casts shadows under the eyes.
3. Ask someone else to take the photo from about 1–1.5 metres away at eye level, then crop. Selfies distort the face.
4. Crop to the correct ratio: 3.5 × 4.5 is a 7:9 ratio; 2 × 2 inch is square.
5. Resize to the required pixels and check the KB. See how to reduce photo size to 20–50 KB.

Converting printed photos into digital files

Schools often already have printed passport photos pasted on forms or sheets. Instead of asking every student for a new digital photo, you can scan the sheet and cut each photo out. Crop Desk does this in bulk and saves numbered files. Scan at a good resolution (300 DPI is a safe choice) so the cropped photos stay sharp. Read the full method in how to crop many photos and signatures from one sheet.

Purani printed photo ko scan karke bhi digital file bana sakte hain – bas scan saaf hona chahiye.

Quick summary

• "Passport size" in India commonly means 3.5 × 4.5 cm.
• Some passport and visa applications use 2 × 2 inch – check the official site.
• Convert cm to pixels with (cm ÷ 2.54) × DPI.
• Online forms usually give their own pixels and KB – those override everything else.

Related: photo and signature size for exam forms · common rejection reasons

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