Biometric Visa Photo Dimension & Specification Validator
Check if your visa photo meets official biometric standards for Schengen, US, UK, China, India, or ASEAN eVisas, including exact millimeter and pixel dimensions, head height ratios, eyeglasses bans, and background color rules.
Configure Your Scenario
Each eVisa portal and consulate enforces distinct aspect ratios and head-crown percentages.
US, Schengen, China, and most eVisa AI scanners now reject photos with any eyeglasses.
Some portals reject light grey while UKVI prefers light grey/cream for contrast.
Wait—if your photo matches an existing visa or passport older than 6 months, officers will spot it.
Your photo setup passes Schengen Biometric (ICAO 9303) compliance checks
Your photo parameters match Schengen Biometric (ICAO 9303) rules (35 × 45 mm, 413 × 531 px (300 DPI) / 827 × 1063 px (600 DPI)). Ensure ears and eyebrows are unobstructed, expression is neutral with mouth closed, and your digital file meets JPEG < 2 MB (VFS/TLS digital upload).
Recommended Action Plan & Travel Steps
- 1Crop the image to exact 35 × 45 mm (413 × 531 px) proportions with your head occupying 32–36 mm (70%–80% of frame height).
- 2Verify there are no shadows behind your head or on your face, and avoid wearing pure white tops that blend into a white backdrop.
- 3Ensure both ears (for China/Schengen) and full eyebrows are clearly visible with a neutral, closed-mouth expression.
- 4Once your eVisa photo is ready, prepare your required onward flight PNR and arrival declaration details required by the eVisa portal.
How AI Biometric Portals Scan & Reject Visa Photos in 2026
Online visa portals (US CEAC, China COVA, India eVisa, Cambodia e-Arrival, and Schengen VFS) run automated ICAO 9303 facial landmark geometry checks before a human officer ever sees your file.
Why the "Same as My Passport Photo" Trick Always Fails
- ✓The fastest way to get turned away at a VFS Global or TLScontact desk is handing over a photo that matches your passport bio page or a previous visa vignette issued 7+ months ago.
- ✓Submission counter clerks are trained to flip through your passport stamps immediately and compare your new photo against your passport issue date and old visas.
- ✓Even if your appearance has not changed at all, submitting an identical photo from a 1-year-old visa proves the photo is older than 6 months and triggers mandatory replacement.
- ✓Digital retouching, beauty filters, or AI background replacement tools often erase subtle ear edges or alter inter-pupillary distance ratios, triggering an "altered biometric image" error.
Eyeglasses, Chin-to-Crown Ratio & White Shirt Pitfalls
- ✓Since the US State Department banned eyeglasses in 2016, ICAO-aligned consulates globally have followed suit because even anti-reflective lenses distort iris biometric mapping.
- ✓Head height (measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the cranial crown, excluding puffed hair) must fall strictly within 70%–80% for 35×45mm standards or 50%–69% for 2×2 inch US/India photos.
- ✓China’s COVA portal is notoriously strict: if you wear a white shirt against a pure white background, or if your hair covers your eyebrows or ears, the system blocks upload.
- ✓Always wear a medium-to-dark collared shirt or top to create a clean shoulder silhouette against a white background.
2026 Official Visa Photo Specifications by Country & Portal
Exact millimeter dimensions, pixel resolutions, head height ratios, and file limits
| Visa / Portal | Physical Size | Digital Pixel Spec | Head Height Ratio | Background & Glasses Rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schengen Visa (VFS/TLS) | 35 × 45 mm | 413 × 531 px (300 DPI) | 32–36 mm (70–80%) | White or very light grey; no glasses |
| US Visa (DS-160 / CEAC) | 51 × 51 mm (2 × 2 in) | 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 px (≤240 KB) | 25–35 mm (50–69%) | Pure white/off-white; strict no-glasses ban |
| UK Visitor Visa (UKVI) | 35 × 45 mm | Min 600 × 750 px (50 KB–10 MB) | 29–34 mm | Light grey or cream preferred; no glasses |
| China Visa (COVA Portal) | 33 × 48 mm | 390 × 567 to 709 × 1063 px (40–120 KB) | 28–33 mm (width 15–22 mm) | Pure white only; both ears visible; dark top |
| India eVisa Portal | 51 × 51 mm (2 × 2 in) | 350 × 350 to 1000 × 1000 px (10 KB–1 MB) | 50–70% of square frame | Pure white only; no shadows or glasses |
| Cambodia / Vietnam eVisa | 35 × 45 mm (or 40 × 60 mm) | 413 × 531 px (< 2 MB JPEG) | 70–80% of frame | Pure white background; taken within 6 months |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I wear prescription glasses in my visa photo if there is no glare?
No for almost all modern visas. The US Department of State, China COVA, India eVisa, and Schengen biometric portals prohibit eyeglasses entirely unless you attach a signed medical statement from an ophthalmic surgeon confirming glasses cannot be removed due to recent ocular surgery.
Why did the China COVA or US CEAC portal reject my pure white background photo?
Automated portals inspect RGB pixel values in the corners and around your shoulders. If a home wall appears slightly warm/grey (#F2F2F2 instead of #FFFFFF) or has a faint shadow behind your neck, the algorithm flags it as non-uniform. Equally, using heavy AI background-removal apps that leave jagged pixel halos around hair will trigger a tampering rejection.
Can I wear a religious head covering in a biometric visa photo?
Yes. Religious head coverings worn daily are permitted across all major visa standards provided the full facial oval — from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead, along with both cheekbones — is completely visible and no shadows are cast across the face.
What else do eVisa portals require right after the photo upload step?
Immediately after passing the biometric photo check, eVisa and digital arrival card portals (such as India eVisa, Cambodia eVisa, Vietnam eVisa, and Thailand/Indonesia portals) ask for your entry flight number, departure flight details, and first-night accommodation address.
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