Chinese passport, visa and ID photo requirements
An independent English guide, based on official Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NIA and embassy sources · checked October 2026
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Chinese passports and permits
For Chinese citizens applying in China or abroad.
Visiting or living in China
For foreigners: visas, COVA, residence permits and visa-free entry.
ID cards, licences and exams
Resident ID, driving licence, social security and exam registration photos.
Visa photos for Chinese citizens
Photo sizes for the visas PRC passport holders apply for most:
Chinese photo size chart
Every Chinese document photo size on one page, from 33 × 48 mm passports to 358 × 441 pixel ID uploads.
Correct and incorrect photos
Our sample photos of the faults COVA, the MFA and NIA list in their photo rules.
Chinese photo sizes at a glance
| Document | Size | Background |
|---|---|---|
| China visa (print) | 33 × 48 mm | White |
| COVA upload | 354–420 × 472–560 px, 40–120 KB | White |
| Passport, 中国领事 app | 33 × 48 mm layout, JPEG 30–80 KB | White |
| Passport and permits in China | 33 × 48 mm, JPEG 20–80 KB | White, light grey or light blue |
| Resident ID card | 26 × 32 mm, or 358 × 441 px | White |
| Driving licence | 22 × 32 mm | White |
Get it right in 3 steps
- Check which rules apply. Visa and consular photos abroad need white; documents issued in China follow NIA's standard. Compare the rules
- Take it in even light. Stand in front of a plain white wall, wear a dark top, show both ears and keep your mouth closed. Tips for home photos
- Crop, don't edit. Crop to 33 × 48 mm with the right head size and save the file size your system asks for, with no retouching.
Make your Chinese passport photo online
Upload a photo, crop it to 33 × 48 mm and get a white background in minutes.
Make passport photoCommon questions
More answers about glasses, babies, receipts and visa photos in the full FAQ.
Both are 33 mm wide and 48 mm high, in colour and taken within 6 months. Abroad, the background must be white and the head 28–33 mm high. Passport photo rules · visa photo rules.
COVA, the online visa application, asks for a JPEG of 354–420 × 472–560 pixels and 40–120 KB, and has a built-in crop tool. COVA upload guide. If the file is not a JPG, such as a HEIC photo from an iPhone, convert it with the free 123PhotoTool JPEG converter.
The MFA, COVA and NIA rules allow clear lenses with no glare and frames clear of the eyes, but some embassies tell 中国领事 app users not to wear glasses. Taking them off is the safest choice.
Only for documents issued in China under NIA's exit-entry standard, which accepts white, light grey or light blue. China visa photos and passport photos for the 中国领事 app need white.