India Visa photo guide

India e-Visa photo requirements

A practical guide to the digital photo required for India e-Visa applications — the file requirements to meet, the photo rules to check, and the limits that differ from the Regular Visa route.

Open the web tool
Diagram of an India e-Visa square JPEG photo with plain background and upload size check

The photo conditions to check first

Format
JPEG
File size
10 KB – 1 MB
Aspect ratio
1:1

Face, background, and glasses

The face should be front-facing with eyes open.

Glasses
Remove glasses before you shoot.
Background
Plain white or light, with no shadows on the face or background.
Frame
No borders or extra frames.
Editing
If you edit the background, avoid cut-out edges around hair, ears, or the face outline — do not damage the face outline.

Do not mix Regular Visa limits

India e-VisaRegular Visa (online upload)
Format JPEGJPEG
File size 10 KB – 1 MBUp to 300 KB
Shape Square (1:1)Square, 350–1000 px
Submission Digital upload onlyPrinted photos may also be required by the mission or center

Over-compressing to fit a Regular Visa limit can make an e-Visa face photo unnecessarily blurry.

Practical pre-upload check

  1. JPEG format
  2. File size 10 KB – 1 MB
  3. Square crop
  4. Face front-facing, eyes open
  5. Plain background, no shadows
  6. Glasses off

Passing the upload screen is not a guarantee of acceptance. Follow any warning or resubmission message from the official system.

Create your photo in the browser

Prepare the photo for India e-Visa directly in your smartphone or computer browser. Creating and reviewing are free.

Open the web tool

Also available as an iPhone appOpen the App Store

Photo conditions that can cause problems

  1. Mixing the 1 MB and 300 KB limits

    Check which route you are actually applying through before you compress.

  2. Renaming HEIC to .jpg

    Changing the file extension does not create a real JPEG. Export the image as JPEG and confirm the saved format.

  3. Keeping glasses for the e-Visa photo

    The e-Visa guidance says without spectacles. Remove glasses even when there is no glare.

  4. Heavy background whitening

    Strong background replacement can cut the face outline and make the photo look over-edited. A plain background while shooting is safer.

  5. Over-compressing the file

    Forcing the file far below the e-Visa 1 MB limit can blur the eyes and face detail. Keep detail clear within the correct size range.

How the app helps

Square JPEG crop

Export a real square JPEG from your phone or browser.

Route-aware size check

Check the file against the limit for your route before you export.

Background and glasses pre-check

Review background, shadows, and glasses on the final file.

Images stay on your device

Photo processing happens on your phone. The image is not sent to this website.

An independent helper tool. It is not a visa application service and does not guarantee acceptance.

Related guides

All India Visa photo guides

India Visa photo FAQ

Does an e-Visa photo need to be under 300 KB?

The e-Visa guidance lists a 1 MB maximum. The 300 KB limit belongs to Regular Visa online photo guidance, so do not mix it into e-Visa preparation.

Can I wear glasses in an e-Visa photo?

The official e-Visa guidance says without spectacles. Even without glare, it is safer to take the e-Visa photo without glasses.

Will this photo definitely be accepted?

No. The official system, Government of India, mission, or application center makes the final decision.

Do e-Visa and Regular Visa use the same file-size limit?

No. The official e-Visa page lists a 1 MB maximum, while Regular Visa online photo guidance lists a 300 KB maximum.

Do I still need to confirm the latest requirements with the official source before submitting?

Yes. Printed-photo size, copy count, and submission-center practice can vary by route and location.

Official references