Independent guide to official photo rules

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COVA Photo Upload Requirements

The digital photo rules for COVA, the China Online Visa Application system, including its crop tool and head-position limits in pixels.

Based on official sources · last checked

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Quick answer

What photo does COVA accept?

COVA, China's online visa application, needs a colour JPEG 354–420 pixels wide and 472–560 pixels high, of 40–120 KB, on a white or near-white background. Its crop tool needs an original of at least 354 × 472 pixels, and on a 354 × 472 photo the face should be about 205 ± 14 pixels wide.

COVA, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' China Online Visa Application at consular.mfa.gov.cn/VISA, asks for a recent colour photo, front view and bareheaded, with a white background. The file must be a JPEG between 354 × 472 and 420 × 560 pixels, in 24-bit RGB colour and 40–120 KB, taken within the last 6 months.

Photo rules appear in the form's "Photo requirements" sheets, and the photo step has a built-in crop tool with its own limits. Both are summarised below. The print rules for the paper photo are in the China visa photo guide.

COVA photo file requirements

Pixel size 354–420 px wide × 472–560 px high
Colour RGB, 24-bit true colour
Format and file size JPEG, 40–120 KB
Background White or close to white, no border
Photo age Taken within the last 6 months
Expression Neutral, eyes open, mouth closed, ears visible
Head position No more than 20° turn or tilt to either side and 25° up or down

Make China visa photo

COVA gives its head measurements on a 354 × 472 pixel example. If your photo is larger, scale them up in proportion: the sheet's template shows a face width of 191–251 pixels across the 354–420 pixel range.

Face width 205 ± 14 px (191–219 px), centred horizontally
Top of the head 10–70 px below the top edge
Eye line More than 256 px above the bottom edge
Distance between the eyes More than 60 px
Very high hair May be cropped off so the face stays the right size

Print layout for comparison

On the 33 × 48 mm paper photo, the same sheet asks for a head 15–22 mm wide and 28–33 mm from chin to crown, 3–5 mm of space above the crown and at least 7 mm below the chin.

COVA photo requirements: a digital photo template 354–420 pixels wide and 472–560 pixels high with the face 191–251 pixels wide and the eye line at least 256 pixels above the bottom edge; a 33 × 48 mm paper photo template with the head 15–22 mm wide and 28–33 mm high, 3–5 mm above the crown and at least 7 mm below the chin; and the general requirements for template, dimensions, colour space, JPEG compression and 40–120 KB file size, face, head coverings, photo quality, head size and position, background and borders, and a photo taken within 6 months
COVA's photo requirement sheet: the digital and paper photo templates and the general rules Image: China Online Visa Application (COVA), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China · View the original

Using the COVA crop tool

The photo step lets you choose an image and crop it in the browser. The tool's help text says:

  • Start big enough. The image must allow a crop of more than 354 × 472 pixels around your head, and images smaller than 354 × 472 pixels are refused.
  • JPEG only. The crop tool accepts JPEG images. (COVA's general document upload accepts jpg, jpeg and png files.)
  • Fill the guide box. Rotate the photo if needed so your head is upright, drag the box to line up with your outline, and use the zoom slider so the area from chin to crown sits between the small and large ovals.
  • Preview, then crop. Save and preview the crop, then click the crop button: the tool closes and uploads the cropped photo automatically. The tool will not crop an image that does not fill the guide box.

Fixing a failed upload

If the photo will not upload, check three things: it is a JPEG and not a PNG, HEIC or screenshot; it is at least 354 × 472 pixels; and, if you cropped it yourself, the saved file is 40–120 KB. Re-save from the original photo rather than compressing the same file again, which adds blur and blockiness.

What COVA rejects

COVA's second requirement sheet shows about 30 rejected examples. They fall into five groups:

  • Exposure and quality: low contrast or blur, under- or over-exposure, hot spots, unnatural skin tone, red-eye, distortion, damage or smears.
  • Framing: too close, too far (eyes less than 60 pixels apart), not centred, or part of the face cut off.
  • Pose and expression: eyes closed, mouth wide open, crying or an unnatural expression, head tilted, raised or lowered, looking away, or a "portrait style" pose.
  • Glasses and accessories: heavy frames, frames over the eyes, reflections, tinted lenses, jewellery or ornaments.
  • Background and covering: a coloured background, shadows behind you, clothes the same colour as the background, a hand, toy or another person, hair over the eyebrows, eyes or ears, or anything covering the face.
COVA photo examples, each group starting with an accepted photo: photo quality (low contrast or blurred, under-exposed, over-exposed or hot spots, unnatural skin tone, shadow across the face, shadow in the background, damaged or smeared, distorted or fish-eye, red-eye); head position (too close, too far away with the eyes less than 60 pixels apart, not centred, facial features incomplete); expression (mouth wide open, eyes closed, unnatural expression or crying); pose (head tilted, head not centred or looking away, portrait style, head lowered or raised); eyeglasses (heavy frames, frames covering the eyes or reflections, tinted lenses); ornaments and background (jewellery, a hand, toy or another person, background colour, garment the same colour as the background); and obscuring (stamp or smears, hair over the eyebrows, eyes or ears, face covered), with a religious head covering shown as accepted
COVA's accepted and rejected photo examples Image: China Online Visa Application (COVA), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China · View the original
Correct photo example
Correct
Rejected photo example: coloured background
Coloured background
Rejected photo example: white top on white
White top on white
Rejected photo example: head too small
Head too small
Rejected photo example: head too big
Head too big
Rejected photo example: head tilted
Head tilted
Rejected photo example: glare on glasses
Glare on glasses
Rejected photo example: hair over eyes
Hair over eyes

How to upload your photo to COVA

  1. Take or choose a recent photo. Use a colour photo from the last 6 months, taken against a white wall with even light, a neutral expression and both ears visible.
  2. Check the original size. Make sure the image is a JPEG of at least 354 × 472 pixels, with room around your head for cropping. If the file is not a JPG, such as a HEIC photo from an iPhone, convert it with the free 123PhotoTool JPEG converter.
  3. Open the photo step and crop. Choose the photo, rotate it upright if needed, then zoom until your chin-to-crown area sits between the two ovals.
  4. Preview and upload. Preview the crop and confirm it: the tool uploads the cropped photo for you.
  5. Keep a matching print. If your visa centre asks for a paper photo, print the same photo at 33 × 48 mm on glossy paper.

COVA photo FAQ

Between 354 × 472 and 420 × 560 pixels (width × height), in 24-bit RGB colour, saved as a JPEG of 40–120 KB.

Yes, if you use COVA's crop tool: it needs an original large enough to crop more than 354 × 472 pixels around your head, and it rejects anything smaller. The tool then crops and uploads the photo for you.

COVA's general file upload accepts jpg, jpeg and png, but its photo crop tool says it accepts JPEG images only, and the required photo format is JPEG. Save your photo as a JPEG.

Centred, with the face about 205 ± 14 pixels wide, the top of the head 10–70 pixels below the top edge, and the line through your eyes more than 256 pixels above the bottom edge. Your eyes should be more than 60 pixels apart.

Often yes. Many visa centres also ask for a printed 33 × 48 mm photo on glossy paper, and they do not agree on how many. See the China visa photo guide.

Uploading a photo does not mean it has been approved: visa officers still check it. The usual reasons are on our rejected photo page.

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Official sources

Last checked . Requirements and fees can change, so always confirm with the issuing agency before you apply. This site is independent and not affiliated with any government agency.