Can I use a passport photo for an Indian visa?

No, you cannot use a passport photo for an Indian Visa. Passport photos and Indian visa photos have different requirements.

To apply for an Indian visa, you must provide two photos taken in the last six months that meet the listed requirements:

• Size
• Background color
• Quality
• Face Expression
• Posture
• Attire
• Accessories

Picture Size

The Government of India mandates that your face photos for an Indian visa online be at least 350 pixels in height and width. This condition is necessary for your application. This corresponds to about two inches.

Background Color

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

Picture Quality

To be accepted for your India visa application, the images you provide must exceed specific quality criteria that ensure your facial characteristics are apparent and recognizable:

• Be crisp with no apparent pixels or printing spots.
• Not be blurry so your face is in focus and without motion or focus blur.
• In color (not black & white).
• There should be no items in the area behind you, and no shadows cast on you or the backdrop. To avoid shadows, employ homogeneous illumination when taking the photograph.
• No flash disturbance causes your eyes to get red.

Facial Expression

When you take your India visa photo, you must:

• Maintain a neutral facial expression.
• Look directly at the camera.
• Face the camera with a neutral look, without smiling or revealing your teeth.
• Keep your eyes open so that your pupils and irises (colored parts of your eyes) may be seen in the photograph.

Posture

You must stand straight and not tilt your head.

Attire

Your apparel in the visa photo influences the visibility of your face and the overall quality of the image. When taking your visa photo, you should dress as you would normally. Religious garb is permitted unless it obscures key characteristics of your face.

If you work in a position that requires you to wear a uniform regularly (such as construction, police, firefighting, or nursing), you should remove your uniform when taking a photo.

Accessories

When taking an India visa photo, make sure you are suitably clothed and that your photo satisfies the specified standards. Here are some guidelines to consider:

Before taking a photo for your India visa application, keep in mind that any items that hide your face are not permitted.

• Hats or head coverings: You may not wear a hat or head covering at all times unless medically or religiously required to do so.
• Jewelry: You may not wear jewelry that covers your face.
• Eyeglasses: You may not wear eyeglasses that cover your eyes, cause glare or shadows, or distort your eyes in any way. You may continue to wear eyeglasses if they are medically required and do not interfere with your facial image.
• Hearing aids or similar items: If you normally wear a hearing aid or other similar item, you may wear it in your visa photo.

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