India OCI Card Photo

Matte or glossy photo paper. Indian passport photo is 35x45mm (3.5 x 4.5 cm) — the ICAO format mandatory since 1 September 2025 — with a plain white background and the face taking up 80-85% of the photo. Many Indian forms use the same 3.5 x 4.5 cm size: SSC exams, and PAN applications since April 2026 (Forms 93-96 replaced the smaller Form 49A photo).. Cut the photo to exactly 51 x 51 mm (2.0" x 2.0") — any deviation beyond 0.5 mm can trigger rejection.

A standard 4x6 inch (10x15 cm) print sheet holds 2 photos at this size — a cost-effective option at any photo kiosk or home printer. Leave a small margin between cuts.

The background must be plain light coloured and completely uniform — any gradients, shadows, or patterns are grounds for rejection.

Since 1 September 2025 India uses the ICAO 35x45mm (3.5 x 4.5 cm) passport photo with a plain white background — it replaced the older 2x2 inch (51x51mm) square format, which is no longer accepted by Passport Seva (cutoff dates at overseas missions vary). Passport Seva online uploads must be 630x810 pixel JPEGs under 250 KB with the face taking up 80-85% of the frame. For US visa applications from India, the 51x51mm (2x2 inch) format is still required instead.

Submit the printed OCI Card photo with your application documents. Confirm with the issuing authority whether they accept a single photo or require duplicates.

Photo recency requirement: Must be taken within the last 6 months and reflect your current appearance.

For the most current requirements, refer to the official government source before submitting.