China Visa Photo Requirements: 33 x 48 mm Size, Digital Specs & Chinese Passport Photos
Passport Photo Guide · China
A Chinese visa photo is 33 mm wide and 48 mm high, with the head 28 to 33 mm tall and 15 to 22 mm wide. The online application also needs a digital photo between 354 × 472 and 420 × 560 pixels, from 40 to 120 KB.
Last checked against China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs photo standard, published by the Consulate General in New York, on October 14, 2026.
Printed and digital photo sizes
China publishes exact measurements for both versions. The printed photo goes with your passport when you submit; the digital photo is uploaded to the online application.
| Printed photo | Digital photo | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 33 mm wide × 48 mm high | From 354 × 472 to 420 × 560 pixels |
| Head height | 28 to 33 mm, chin to crown | The head is centred; in a 354 × 472 photo the face is 205 px wide, give or take 14 px |
| Head width | 15 to 22 mm | Eyes more than 60 px apart |
| Above the head | 3 to 5 mm from crown to top edge | 10 to 70 px from crown to top edge |
| Below the chin | At least 7 mm to the bottom edge | Eye line at least 256 px above the bottom edge |
| File | Glossy photo paper | JPEG, 40 to 120 KB, 24-bit RGB color |
Chinese visa photo requirements
| Requirement | What China asks for |
|---|---|
| Background | White or close to white, with no borders |
| Pose | Facing the camera with the whole head and face visible, head tilted no more than 20 degrees to the side or 25 degrees up or down |
| Expression | Neutral, with eyes open and mouth closed |
| Ears | Visible. Hair must not cover the eyebrows, eyes or ears |
| Glasses | Allowed if the lenses are not tinted and there is no glare, shadow or heavy frame over the eyes |
| Head coverings | Only for religious reasons, without hiding any facial features |
| Jewelry | The official examples mark earrings, necklaces and ornaments as unacceptable |
| Clothing | A color that does not match the white background |
| Others | No hands, toys or other people in the photo |
| Quality | Sharp, natural skin tone, no over- or underexposure, no shadows on the face or background, no red eye |
| Age of photo | Taken within the last 6 months |
China accepts clear glasses with no glare, while US passport and visa photos require them off. If your lenses reflect the light, take them off to be safe.
ThisPix · Midtown Manhattan
Get your Chinese visa photo in NYCWalk in Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. We print the 33 × 48 mm photo on glossy paper with the head measured to China's standard, and can email a digital file for your online application.
Book your visa photo212-753-4671How the Chinese visa application uses your photo
- Upload the digital photo onlineFill in the application on China's online visa system and upload your photo. The system lets you drag and crop it, and checks automatically whether it meets the standard.
- If the upload keeps failingYou can still complete the other sections. Bring a standard printed photo when you submit your passport.
- Submit your passportWhen your status shows that the passport is ready to submit, take your passport, documents and printed photo to the Embassy or Consulate-General serving your state.
Chinese passport and travel document photos
Chinese citizens renewing a passport through the Consulate General in New York apply online in the China Consular app. The size rules are the same as for visas.
- Size. 33 × 48 mm, head 15 to 22 mm wide and 28 to 33 mm tall, 3 to 5 mm above the head and at least 7 mm below the chin.
- Photo. Color, white background, taken within 6 months, printed by a photo studio or on professional photo paper, with no retouching or composite images.
- Glasses and hair. Clear lenses only. Hair must not cover the eyebrows, eyes or ears, and the head must not be tilted.
- Passport. The consulate makes the passport from the photo you upload in the app.
- Travel document. Mail at least 3 printed photos, identical to the one uploaded in the app.
Common reasons photos are refused
These come from the examples on China's official photo standard.
- Blurry, low contrast or damaged photos
- Over- or underexposed, or unnatural skin tone
- Shadows on the face or the background
- Too close, too far or not centred
- Head tilted, turned or lowered
- Mouth open, eyes closed or crying
- Tinted lenses, heavy frames or glare
- Earrings, necklaces or ornaments
- Clothing the same color as the background
- Hair over the eyebrows, eyes or ears
Since 1986
Chinese visa, passport and travel document photosFor 40 years ThisPix has photographed New Yorkers to the size and rules of consulates around the world. Tell us it is for China and we will measure it to China's standard.
Get your photo at ThisPix212-753-4671Questions, answered
What size is a Chinese visa photo?
33 mm wide by 48 mm high. The head must be 28 to 33 mm from chin to crown and 15 to 22 mm wide.
Can I use a US 2 by 2 inch passport photo for a Chinese visa?
No. A US photo is square and the head is sized differently. China requires a 33 by 48 mm photo.
What are the digital photo requirements for the online application?
A JPEG between 354 × 472 and 420 × 560 pixels, 40 to 120 KB, in 24-bit RGB color, with the head centred and the eye line at least 256 pixels above the bottom edge.
Can I wear glasses in a Chinese visa photo?
Yes, if the lenses are not tinted and there is no glare, shadow or frame covering your eyes.
Can I wear earrings?
It is best not to. China's official examples mark earrings, necklaces and other ornaments as unacceptable.
Is the Chinese passport photo the same as the visa photo?
The size is the same: 33 by 48 mm with a 28 to 33 mm head. Chinese citizens applying through the New York consulate upload the photo in the China Consular app, and mail 3 printed photos only for a travel document.
Where can I get a Chinese visa photo in Manhattan?
At ThisPix, 805 3rd Avenue, 2nd Floor, at East 50th Street in Midtown Manhattan. Walk in Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.
Sources. Requirements change, so always confirm with the Chinese Embassy or Consulate-General before you apply. Last checked October 14, 2026.
- Photo requirements for Chinese visa application, Consulate General of China in New York
- Guidelines for China online visa application, Chinese Embassy in the US
- Passport photo specifications (Chinese), Chinese Embassy in the US
- Passport and travel document applications in the China Consular app (Chinese), Consulate General in New York