A traveller who has a valid passport photo often assumes it can go straight onto a visa application. Sometimes it can. Often it cannot, because the visa office is a different authority with its own rules. This guide explains why the numbers differ, lists the figures confirmed on official pages and shows where DocPro's presets match them. For the reasons photos get refused in general, see why passport photos get rejected, and for taking the picture, how to make a passport photo at home.
Why the two photos can differ
A passport photo goes into the issuing country's own document, and that country sets its size. A visa photo is judged by the destination. It may be attached to a form, scanned at a visa centre or uploaded through a portal. Each of those steps brings its own size, shape and file limit.
Three things change most often. The print size may differ, for example Canada asks for 50 x 70 mm in its passport but a frame of at least 35 x 45 mm for a visa. The shape may differ, since the US and India ask for a square photo. And a digital upload brings pixel and file-size limits that a printed passport photo never has. Many travel documents use 35 x 45 mm, and the Czech foreign ministry links the ICAO photo guidelines for visa applicants, but each destination decides what it accepts.
What the official pages say
The list below shows only what was read on official pages for this guide. At the time of writing (October 2026) these were the figures. Portals change, so check the page linked in the sources before you upload.
- United States visa, printed. 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm), in colour, plain white or off-white background, taken within the last 6 months. Head between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches. The State Department page also says eyeglasses are no longer allowed in new visa photos, with a medical exception.
- United States visa, digital. Square, minimum 600 x 600 pixels and maximum 1200 x 1200 pixels, JPEG, 24-bit colour in sRGB, no more than 240 kB, compression ratio of 20:1 or lower.
- Canada, temporary resident visa. Frame at least 35 x 45 mm. Head from chin to crown between 31 and 36 mm. Plain white or light-coloured background, two identical photos taken within the last six months. If the photos are digital, they must not be altered in any way. The page sets no pixel or file-size rule. For comparison, the Canadian passport page asks for 50 x 70 mm with a face of 31 to 36 mm.
- India, e-visa. JPEG, 10 KB minimum and 1 MB maximum, height equal to width, plain light or white background, no shadows and no borders. The page gives no pixel values.
- India, regular visa application form. JPEG, 10 KB to 300 KB, square, between 350 x 350 and 1000 x 1000 pixels.
- China, visa. The Los Angeles consulate page gives 48 mm high by 33 mm wide, head width 15 to 22 mm and head height 28 to 33 mm, white background without a frame, a colour photo taken within the last 6 months. The pages read give no pixel or file-size figure, so check the application centre's page for an online upload.
- Schengen (one state). The Czech foreign ministry asks for 35 x 45 mm, current appearance and at least 13 mm from the eyes to the bottom of the chin. Other Schengen states may add their own rules, and the page lists no background colour.
The UK and Australia are not in the list. The UK photo pages cover passports only. For an Australian visa, the pages that carry the photo rule could not be read. Check the visa instructions for those two destinations directly.
Passport and visa side by side
- Canada. Passport 50 x 70 mm. Visa frame at least 35 x 45 mm. The face height is the same, 31 to 36 mm, but the frame is not.
- United States. The visa pages set a digital range of 600 to 1200 pixels and a 240 kB cap, which a printed photo never has to meet.
- China. The visa photo is 48 x 33 mm, a smaller and narrower frame than the 35 x 45 mm used in many other travel documents.
- India. The visa photo is a square JPEG with a file range, which is a different thing from a 35 x 45 mm printed passport photo.
Where DocPro's presets match, and where they do not
DocPro's Passport photo tool lists presets in its Search country or size box. Each preset shows the print size, the head range and any online limit. Compared with the pages above:
- United States visa. Matches the 2 x 2 inch print, a head range of 25 to 35 mm, and a digital photo of 600 x 600 pixels up to 240 KB. The State Department page gives the head range in inches and, in one place, millimetres that do not convert to the same numbers, so read the page before you rely on the 25 mm figure.
- China visa. Size 33 x 48 mm and a head range of 28 to 33 mm match the consulate page. The 15 to 22 mm head width is not shown by the tool.
- India visa. The preset is 2 x 2 inch and square, which fits the square rule. It has no pixel or file-size limit built in. Its print size at 300 dpi is 600 x 600 pixels, inside the 350 to 1000 range. Type 300 into Maximum file size (KB) for the regular form, or 1024 for the e-visa.
- EU / Schengen visa. The 35 x 45 mm size matches the Czech page. The preset adds a head range of 32 to 36 mm and a light grey background, which come from the common biometric format. The Czech page does not state either, so confirm with your consulate.
- Canada. No visa preset exists. The Canada passport preset is 50 x 70 mm and does not match the visa frame. The generic 35 × 45 mm size is the closest fit, and its default head guide of 70 to 80 percent of the height works out near 31 to 36 mm. Check this against the page, because the guide is a rule of thumb.
- UK and Australia. DocPro has passport presets only, and the visa rules for those countries were not confirmed here.
A printed passport photo made from a passport preset is therefore a poor guess for a visa. Pick the visa preset where one exists, or choose Custom size and enter the width and height in millimetres.
Common mistakes
- Reusing the passport photo file. The shape, file size or pixel count may fail on the visa portal.
- Cropping a printed 35 x 45 mm photo into a square. The head ends up too large or too small compared with the frame.
- Editing a digital photo that must be unaltered. Canada says digital visa photos must not be altered in any way. Treat background replacement and retouching as a risk, and read the rule first.
- Ignoring the date. The US, Canada and China pages ask for a photo from the last six months.
How to prepare a visa photo with DocPro
- Open Passport photo and drop a clear, front-facing portrait into the drop area.
- Under 1 · Size, type the destination into Search country or size, for example visa, and pick the visa preset. For a country without a visa preset, choose Custom size and enter the Width (mm) and Height (mm).
- Drag the photo and use Zoom so the top of the head sits on the Top of head line and the chin falls in the green band. Check Auto-place head by eye.
- Under 2 · Background, choose Keep original unless the rules allow replacing the background.
- Under 3 · Digital photo, enter Maximum file size (KB) if the portal has a limit, then press Make digital photo. Check the pixel size in the result against the portal's range.
- For a printed photo, use 4 · Print sheet, choose Paper (4 × 6 in or A4) and Number of photos, press Make print sheet and print at 100 percent, with no fit-to-page scaling.
- If the file is still too large, use Compress image and check the size again.
What DocPro cannot do
- It does not approve a photo for any authority. A preset is a size and a guide, not a certificate.
- It does not know every destination's rules. Presets are common requirements and the tool itself tells people to confirm before submitting.
- It cannot supply a photographer's stamp or code where an office demands one.
- It does not meet rules that ban edits, so check this before you replace a background.
This is general information and not legal or immigration advice. For an application where a rejection has costs, ask the visa centre or consulate which photo they accept.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my passport photo for a visa application?
Only if its size, shape and file match the visa instructions. Canada's visa frame is at least 35 x 45 mm, while its passport photo is 50 x 70 mm, and the US and India ask for a square. Check the destination's page.
What size is a US visa photo?
The State Department page asks for 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) for a printed photo. For a digital upload it asks for a square JPEG from 600 x 600 to 1200 x 1200 pixels, no more than 240 kB.
Are Schengen visa photos always 35 x 45 mm?
The Czech foreign ministry asks for 35 x 45 mm. Schengen states set their own rules, so check the consulate that handles your application.
Does DocPro have a preset for UK, Canadian or Australian visas?
No. It has passport presets for the UK and Australia and Canada, and visa presets for the US, China, India, Schengen, Russia, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. For others, use Custom size.
Is my photo uploaded when I use the tool?
No. The photo is processed in the browser on your own device.