Requirements for Photograph for Indian Passport

 The requirements you will need to comply with respect to your photograph for passport are given below:  

Photograph requirements depend on where you apply. Applications in India follow the Passport Seva guidelines, while applications at Indian missions and posts abroad follow the guidelines of the mission concerned. The measurements and print details in the sections below follow the mission guidelines unless stated otherwise.

• Dimension: The photograph should be coloured, and the size of the photo should be 2 inches by 2 inches (51mm x 51mm) for applications at Indian missions and posts abroad. For applications in India, the size should be 4.5cm (length) x 3.5cm (width).

• Quality: The photograph must be in a clear, continuous tone. 

• Face Position: It must contain the front side of the face where eyes are wide open. 

• Head Coverage: The photograph should have the full head, i.e., from the top of the hair up to chin, filling the frame, and its center should lie exactly within the frame. 

• Background: Either a plain white or off-white background would be used; avoid distracting shadows on the face or in the background. 

• Head Coverings: The photograph should have the full head, i.e., from the top of the hair up to chin, filling the frame, and its centre should lie exactly within the frame.

• Expression: A correctly natural facial expression.  

• Photograph for Applications in India: Paste only one recent colour photograph of 4.5cm (length) x 3.5cm (width) on the application form when you apply at a collection centre other than a Passport Seva Kendra, such as a District Passport Cell, Speed Post Centre or Common Service Centre. The photograph should fit within the box given on the form, and it should not be signed. 

• Photograph at a Passport Seva Kendra: You do not need to carry a photograph when you apply at a Passport Seva Kendra, as your photograph is taken at the centre. 

• Background and Clothing in India: The background should be plain white and the dress should be in a dark colour. Photographs with a dark background or taken in uniform are not accepted. 

• Recent Photograph: The photograph should be recent and should show your latest appearance. 

• Face and Expression in India: The head should be in the centre of the frame, with both ears and both edges of the face clearly visible. The expression should be natural, with no grinning, frowning or raised eyebrows.

Do's and Don'ts of a Good Photograph

General Guidelines are given below: 

• It shall be full face in full frontal view, with eyes open. 

• Ensure the head is centred in the frame. 

• No distracting shadows on the face or background. 

• A full head should be shown from the top of the hair of the subject to the bottom of the chin. 

• The height of the head measures between 1 inch-1 3/8 inches (25mm-35mm) 

• Eye height within the photo should be between 1 1/8 inches and 1 3/8 inches from the bottom. 
• Face Size: The face should be 70% to 80% of the photograph at Indian missions abroad.

Lighting and Background Requirements

• The lighting should be made even and balanced while avoiding creating shadows on the face or the background. 

• The background must be uniformly lit to avoid shadows at the back of the subject. 

Image Print Requirements

• The photograph should be two inches, in colour (51mm by 51mm or 2 inches by 2 inches) for applications at Indian missions abroad.

• The photograph shall be printed on a non-glossy thin image or stock; it should have continuous tone quality print. 

• Photo retouching, enhancement or softening of image is not recommended.  

• For applications in India, print the photograph on good-quality photo paper. Photographs printed from a computer, cut from group photographs, or torn, creased or marked are not accepted. 

• Professional studio prints are preferred for applications at Indian missions abroad, as Polaroid or ordinary printer photographs may not scan well.

Resolution and Quality of Print 

•  Higher resolution in photography and print should be used.  

• Acceptance of both conventional images and digital images is welcome, and various printing systems are allowed as well (dye-sublimation, inkjet, laser). At least, the final print should exhibit the quality associated with a continuous tone and preferably without indication of pixels or dots as well.  

• Facial structures should be crystal clear. 
• Where a photograph is uploaded online to an Indian mission, the file size is specified between 20KB and 100KB. Check the guidelines of the mission you are applying to. 

 Contrast and Colours 

•  Correct brightness and contrast settings for displaying real colour character of subject and background. 

• Appropriate contrast and replications of natural skin tone across facial features.  

• Avoid lighting that is unbalanced, which can produce colour cast. Use filters appropriate for the purpose. 

Orientation and Background 

• The head should face the camera straight, neither tilted nor turned. 

• Both sides of the face should be clearly displayed. 

• Eyes should be opened at a level direction and clearly visible with no hair or eyeglasses frames interfering. 

• Try to avoid glare from glasses. A slight tilt of the head may help reduce such glare. 

• No tinted or dark glasses. 

• Religious head coverings may only be accepted where the full face, between chin and forehead, and lateral aspects of the face are clearly visible. 
• Prescription glasses, if worn, should be clear and thin-framed, and should not show flash reflection or hide the eyes. Red-eye photographs are not accepted.

Exposure and Lighting 

• Avoid such underexposures or overexposures that would render the photo unusable. 

• Three-point balanced lighting should be used that clearly highlights the features of the face. 

• Avoid shadows on the face and background by using diffuse light sources like umbrella lights. 

Flexibility with Children's Photos 

• Babies under the age of one do not have to show their eyes open. 

• In the case of children under the age of ten, the requirements may be less strict concerning the height of the face and eye position. 

• There is some leniency for infants regarding head position and facial expression, but the image must still show the child in focus and unadorned by other background distractions, such as the backs of chairs, other children, or toys that might lead to an impression of unprofessionalism. 

• The child must be directly facing and looking at the camera and have a neutral expression with jaw closed. 

Additional things to keep in mind 

High-quality photos on full color digital camera images must conform to these requirements.

Summary

Indian passport photograph requirements depend on where you apply: a colour photograph of 4.5cm x 3.5cm for applications in India and 2 inches x 2 inches (51mm x 51mm) at Indian missions abroad, with a plain white background, a centred full face and a natural expression. The photograph must be clear, unretouched and printed on good-quality photo paper, and none is needed at a Passport Seva Kendra because it is taken at the centre. Check these specifications before getting your Indian passport photograph taken so that your application is not delayed.