A passport size photo is 3.5 × 4.5 cm in India and most of Europe, and 2 × 2 inches in the United States. Those are different shapes, not different units of the same shape, which is why a photo accepted by one is rejected by the other.
Passport size photo dimensions at a glance
| Unit | India / EU standard | US standard |
|---|---|---|
| Centimetres | 3.5 × 4.5 cm | 5.08 × 5.08 cm |
| Millimetres | 35 × 45 mm | 51 × 51 mm |
| Inches | 1.38 × 1.77 in | 2 × 2 in |
| Aspect ratio | 7 : 9 (portrait) | 1 : 1 (square) |
| Pixels at 300 DPI | 413 × 531 px | 600 × 600 px |
| Pixels at 200 DPI | 276 × 354 px | 400 × 400 px |
| Pixels at 96 DPI | 132 × 170 px | 192 × 192 px |
The Indian format is a portrait rectangle slightly taller than it is wide. The American one is a perfect square. If you crop a square photo to 3.5 × 4.5 you will lose the sides; if you stretch it, the portal will usually notice.
Why the pixel figure changes
Pixels have no physical size on their own. A dimension in centimetres only becomes a pixel count once you fix a resolution — dots per inch. That is why the same 3.5 × 4.5 cm photo is 413 × 531 pixels for print and 132 × 170 for a web form.
When a portal gives you centimetres and says nothing about DPI, use the 300 DPI figure. An image larger than needed is almost always accepted and scaled down; one smaller than needed is almost always rejected outright.
If your form states pixels directly — 200 × 230 and 240 × 320 are both common — ignore the centimetre conversion and resize to the exact pixel figure.
Other photo sizes you will run into
| Name | Size | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Passport (India) | 3.5 × 4.5 cm | Exam forms, passports, most government applications |
| Stamp size | 2.0 × 2.5 cm | School records, some ID cards |
| PAN card photo | 3.5 × 2.5 cm | NSDL and UTI PAN applications |
| Visa photo | 5.1 × 5.1 cm | US visa applications |
| Postcard size | 10 × 15 cm | Prints, not applications |
Note that the PAN card photo is wider than it is tall — the opposite orientation from a passport photo. It is one of the most commonly mis-cropped uploads there is.
Getting the crop right
- Shoot straight on against a plain white or very light grey wall, in daylight, with the camera at eye level.
- Leave headroom. Your face should fill roughly 70–80% of the frame height, with a small gap above the hair.
- Centre the head horizontally. Off-centre crops fail automated face-detection checks on newer portals.
- Crop to the required ratio with the passport size photo tool, which handles the aspect ratio and the file size together.
Dimensions are only half the rule
Nearly every portal that specifies dimensions also specifies a file size range, usually 20–50KB for a photograph. Those are independent checks and you have to clear both. Use reduce image size in KB if you are over, or increase image size in KB if a previous compression left you under.
Frequently asked questions
What is passport size photo size in cm?
In India and most of Europe it is 3.5 cm wide by 4.5 cm tall. In the United States a passport photo is a 2 by 2 inch square, which is 5.08 by 5.08 cm.
How many pixels is a passport size photo?
At the 300 DPI print standard, 3.5 by 4.5 cm is 413 by 531 pixels. At 200 DPI it is 276 by 354, and at the 96 DPI browsers assume it is 132 by 170. Use the 300 DPI figure unless your form says otherwise.
What is passport size photo size in inches?
About 1.38 by 1.77 inches for the Indian and European standard. The US passport photo is exactly 2 by 2 inches.
Is a PAN card photo the same size as a passport photo?
No. A PAN card photo is 3.5 by 2.5 cm — wider than it is tall, the opposite orientation to a passport photo. Cropping one as the other is a very common rejection.