India e-Visa Photo Requirements (2026) — Official Bureau of Immigration Guidelines
India's electronic visa system covers multiple categories including e-Tourist, e-Business, e-Medical, e-Student, e-Transit, and e-Conference visas. All applications are submitted through the official e-Visa portal at indianvisaonline.gov.in, managed by the Bureau of Immigration under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Every application requires a digital photograph uploaded directly to the government portal. The portal runs an automated compliance check on every uploaded photo — a non-compliant image triggers a "Photo Rejected — Upload Again" alert that blocks the application from progressing. This guide covers the photo requirements published at indianvisaonline.gov.in and the official photo guidelines PDF (VSS_IMAGE.pdf) referenced by the portal.
India e-Visa — Official Photo Specifications (2026)
Full Specification Table
All requirements below are sourced from the Bureau of Immigration's official photo guidelines at indianvisaonline.gov.in and the VSS_IMAGE.pdf document referenced on the portal.
| Requirement | Official Specification |
|---|---|
| File format | JPEG (.jpg) only |
| File size | Minimum 10 KB — maximum 1 MB |
| Photo shape | Square; height and width must be equal |
| Minimum resolution | 350 × 350 pixels; maximum 1000 × 1000 pixels |
| Background | Plain white or plain light-coloured; no patterns, shadows, or objects |
| Face position | Full face, front view, centred in the frame; full head from top of hair to bottom of chin visible |
| Expression | Neutral; eyes open; mouth closed |
| Glasses | Not permitted; photo must be without spectacles |
| Selfies | Not accepted; must be taken by another person |
| Borders | No borders on the photo |
| Photo editing | No retouching, filters, or digital alterations; must be an accurate likeness |
| Photo recency | Taken within the last 6 months |
| Head coverings | Permitted for religious reasons only; full face chin to forehead must be clearly visible |
e-Visa Photo Rules Explained
Square Format: Different from the New Passport Standard
The India e-Visa photo uses a square (1:1) format — the height and width of the image must be equal. This is an important distinction to understand in 2026. While Indian passport applications now require the rectangular 35×45 mm ICAO portrait format (introduced in September 2025), the e-Visa portal continues to require a square photo with a minimum of 350×350 pixels and a maximum of 1000×1000 pixels, as a JPEG file between 10 KB and 1 MB. Do not use your new ICAO passport photo for your e-Visa application — the formats are different and the portal's automated check will reject a non-square image.
Glasses: Not Permitted on e-Visa Photos
The official indianvisaonline.gov.in instructions state clearly that the photo must be taken without spectacles. This applies to all e-Visa categories. Unlike Australian visa photos, where clear prescription glasses with no glare are permitted, India's e-Visa portal does not allow any form of eyewear. Remove all glasses — including prescription glasses, reading glasses, sunglasses, and tinted lenses — before the photo is taken. Photos submitted with glasses visible will be flagged by the automated compliance check.
Selfies Are Not Accepted
The Bureau of Immigration's official e-Visa instructions advise that the photo should be taken by another person, not as a selfie. Selfies taken with a front-facing smartphone camera introduce lens distortion and off-centre framing that causes the automated photo check to fail. Position yourself in front of a plain white wall, have someone else hold the camera or phone at eye level approximately 50 cm away, and take multiple shots to ensure the face is fully centred.
Background Requirements
The background must be plain white or plain light-coloured, with no patterns, shadows, or visible objects. There must be no shadows on the face or the background. Avoid wearing white or very light clothing, as this reduces the contrast between your shoulders and the background and may cause the automated check to flag the image. Both the face and the top of the shoulders should be clearly visible and distinguishable from the background.
Photo Must Be Unedited
The e-Visa portal requires an accurate, unedited likeness of the applicant. Digital retouching, beauty filters, skin-smoothing, background replacement, and AI-generated enhancements are all prohibited. Red-eye is not accepted. The image must show the applicant's natural skin tone with even, diffuse lighting — no hotspots on the forehead or nose, and no heavy shadows under the chin or beside the face.
Passport Page: A Separate Upload Requirement
Every e-Visa application also requires a separate upload of the scanned biographical data page of your passport. This is a PDF file between 10 KB and 300 KB. It is a distinct document from the face photo and is checked independently. Applications that upload the passport page in the photo field — or the photo in the passport field — are rejected immediately. Keep both files clearly labelled before you begin the application.
e-Visa vs. Regular (Sticker) Visa: Key Photo Differences
| Application Type | Photo Format | File Size | Physical Print Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| India e-Visa (all categories) | Square JPEG, 350–1000 px | 10 KB – 1 MB | No — digital upload only |
| Regular visa via VFS Global / BLS | Square JPEG, 350–1000 px (digital) + 51×51 mm print | 10 KB – 300 KB (digital) | Yes — 51×51 mm printed photo required |
| OCI Card application | Square JPEG, 200–900 px | Under 200 KB | Depends on application type |
The e-Visa is a fully digital process — you upload one JPEG photo through the official portal and receive your Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) by email within the standard processing period. No physical printed photo is required. By contrast, a regular sticker visa submitted through VFS Global or BLS International requires both a digital upload and a physical 51×51 mm (2×2 inch) printed photo attached to the paper application form. Both must be identical photographs.
India e-Visa Photo Checklist
Before You Upload to indianvisaonline.gov.in — Verify Every Point
| Checklist Item | Requirement | Common Mistake |
|---|---|---|
| File format | JPEG only | Uploading PNG or HEIC file |
| File size | 10 KB – 1 MB | Uncompressed camera file over 1 MB |
| Photo shape | Square (equal height and width) | Using new 35×45 mm passport photo (rectangular) |
| Resolution | 350×350 px minimum, 1000×1000 px maximum | Low-resolution phone screenshot |
| Glasses | Not permitted | Prescription glasses still on |
| Selfie | Not accepted; taken by another person | Front-camera selfie with lens distortion |
| Background | Plain white or light, no shadows | Patterned wall; shadow behind head |
| Borders | No borders on the photo | Photo printed with white border and re-scanned |
| Expression | Neutral, eyes open, mouth closed | Slight smile |
| Editing | No filters, retouching, or background replacement | Beauty mode or AI background removal app |
| Photo age | Within last 6 months | Reusing an older visa photo |
| Passport page upload | PDF, 10 KB – 300 KB (separate field) | Uploading passport scan in the photo field |
Use the Official Portal Only
The Bureau of Immigration states that indianvisaonline.gov.in is the only official website for India e-Visa applications. The Government of India makes no provision for emergency or express processing through third-party websites. Applicants are advised not to share personal information or payment details with any unauthorized website claiming to offer Indian visa services. If your uploaded photo does not pass the portal's automated compliance check, the portal will notify you by email and allow a corrected re-upload before a final decision is made on your application.