China Visa Photo Requirements and Size

When applying for a China visa, it is crucial to ensure that the photographs you submit strictly adhere to the visa photo guidelines established by the Chinese government. These guidelines have been put in place to ensure that your a China visa application is processed smoothly and efficiently, minimizing the chances of any delays or complications in your visa approval process. Therefore, meticulous attention to detail when preparing your visa photos is essential to increase the likelihood of a successful visa application.

Photo Requirements for Chinese Visa Application

The requirements for a China visa photo are as follows:

It must have been taken within the last six months.
It must be 33×48 mm, or 354×472 to 420×560 px.
It must have a white background.
It must be high quality and reflect your true appearance.

Do I Need to Submit Photos for China visa Application?

If you are a citizen of one of the following countries, you need to submit your photograph for China visa application:

Afghanistan
Algeria
Andorra
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cabo Verde
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
Colombia
Comoros
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czechia
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominican Republic
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Finland
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Ghana
Greece
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Ivory Coast
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Montenegro
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
North Korea
North Macedonia
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Republic of the Congo
Romania
Rwanda
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
São Tomé and Príncipe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Korea
South Sudan
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Togo
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Türkiye
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Picture Size

The China visa photos should have the following dimensions:

Printed	Online
33x48mm	354×472 to 420x560px

Head and Eye-Level Measurements

To meet the necessary requirements, the China visa photos must also adhere to the following measurements:

The applicant’s head measurement, from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin, must be 31.5mm, or 356.
The measurement from the applicant’s top of the hair to the top of the photo, must be 5mm, or 25.

It is important to note that photographs that do not meet these specific size requirements will not be accepted.

Background Color

The picture for a China visa should be taken in front of a white ( ) background. There should be no patterns or other objects behind you.

Number of Pictures Required

For most China visa applications, you will be required to provide identical photos which were taken in the last six months. If the application is online, you will have to submit the same digital photograph.

Note: Although for most visa types, pictures are required, for certain visas, the Chinese embassy may request more or fewer copies of the same picture.

Picture Quality

The pictures you submit for your China visa application must meet certain standards of quality to be acceptable, which ensure your facial features are visible and recognizable:

Your photo should be sharp without any visible pixels or printer dots.
The photo should not be blurry. Your face should be in focus and without motion or focus blur.
The photo should be clear and in color. It must accurately represent your skin tone and must be properly exposed with no shadows, color casts or distortions.
There should be no shadows on you or the background. To prevent shadows, use uniform illumination when taking the photo.
The photo should be properly exposed. There should neither be underexposure (too dark) nor overexposure (too bright).
High-quality print. If you’re printing the photo, use a higher quality printer ink, paper, or print setting, or increase the printer’s resolution (dots per inch (DPI) setting).

Overall, the photo should be high-quality and accurately represent your appearance. A low-quality or poorly-lit photo can result in delays or denials of the visa application, so it’s important to take the time to ensure that the photo meets all of the necessary requirements and is of good quality.

Facial Expression and Posture

When you take your China visa photo, make sure you meet the following requirements for posture and facial expression:

Sit or stand straight. You have to face the camera and look straight ahead. Make sure your shoulders are square to the camera and that you’re not tilting your head up, down, or to the side.
Face the camera with a neutral expression. Avoid smiling or showing your teeth in the photo and do not frown or make any other facial expression that could be interpreted as negative.
Make sure your eyes are open and clearly visible. Your pupils and irises (colored portions of the eyes) must be clearly visible in the photo.

Clothing and Accessories

When taking a China visa photo, it’s important to ensure that you are dressed appropriately and that your photo meets specific requirements. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind:

Hats or head coverings. Generally, you should not wear a hat or head covering that obscures your hair or hairline in your visa photo. However, if you wear a head covering daily for religious purposes, you may wear it in your photo as long as it doesn’t cast any shadows on your face and your full face is visible.
Glasses. In general, eyeglasses are no longer allowed in new visa photos, except in rare circumstances where they cannot be removed for medical reasons. If you’ve had ocular surgery recently and need to wear glasses to protect your eyes, you’ll need to provide a medical statement signed by a healthcare professional. If eyeglasses are accepted, they should not cover your eyes, cause glare or shadows, or distort your eyes in any way.
Clothing. You should wear clothing that you would typically wear on a daily basis when taking your visa photo. However, uniforms should not be worn unless it’s religious clothing that you wear daily.
Hearing devices or similar articles If you typically wear a hearing device or other similar articles, you may wear it in your visa photo.

Digital Photo for Chinese Visa Application

For online applications for a China visa, you may be required to submit a digital image. The online China visa picture should follow these guidelines:

Image format not specified. Any of these digital image formats .pdf,.jpg,.gif,.bmp,.png should be accepted.
a maximum of 240KB.

All other requirements with respect to the background, photo quality, body posture, clothing, and accessories remain the same.

Requirements for Young Children and Babies

The same requirements in regard to size and quality apply to China visa photos for young children and babies as well. Also, keep the following requirements in mind:

The child or baby should be facing the camera. If your child cannot sit upright, it is recommended to lay the baby down on their back on a white or off-white sheet.
The background must be white or off-white. They can be lying down or sitting up, but the background should always be white of off-white.
The child or baby must have their eyes open. Although for very young babies, it can be difficult to keep their eyes open, try to get the baby’s attention by making a noise or using a toy to encourage them to look at the camera.
Do not be in the picture with your child. You must not be in the picture holding or propping up your child.
Do not use any props. There should be nothing in the picture with your child, such as toys or decorations, as they can distract from the child’s features and may not meet the China visa photo requirements.

Should I Print Out the Pictures?

No, because the visa application process is online, you will not be required to print out your visa photo. You have to attach the digital copy of your photo to the application portal, as requested by the US embassy or consulate.

Medical Exemption

There are usually no medical exemptions from a China visa photo; everyone has to provide a photo for their visa application. Certain exemptions may apply in the following cases:

If you cannot remove your glasses for medical reasons, please include a signed note from your doctor with the application.
If you wear a hat or head covering for medical purposes, submit a signed doctor’s statement verifying the hat or head covering in your photo is used daily for medical purposes.

Important Notes for Chinese Visa Photo

When applying for a China visa, it’s important to provide a photo that accurately reflects your current appearance. Keep in mind that even if your photo is not more than 6 months old, the Chinese embassy or consulate may ask you to submit a new one if it doesn’t represent your current look. You’ll need to obtain a new photo if:

You’ve had significant facial surgery or trauma, made a gender transition, or undergone a significant amount of weight loss or gain.
If you’ve added or removed numerous or large facial piercings or tattoos, a new photo will be necessary.

However, minor changes such as growing a beard or coloring your hair usually won’t require a new photo submission as long as you can still be identified from the photo in your visa application.

Passport Photo Requirements

If you are applying for a Chinese passport, you should check the China passport photo requirements.

China Visa Photo Requirements, Rules, Guidelines, and Specifications