China passport & visa photo requirements

Your photo is a critical part of your Chinese passport or visa application.

The photograph you use needs to meet specific criteria when applying for any Chinese travel document. A minor error in your photo can lead to complications with your application.

We have prepared a guide that clearly outlines the Chinese government's photo requirements for passports and visas. This way, you can make sure your photo is just right. Continue reading to learn the details.

China passport photo requirements

We recommend having your passport photos taken professionally. An image taken for a passport application should meet the following specifications.

• Recent photo: Your photo must be recent, ideally taken within the last six months, to show how you currently look.

• Photo dimensions: The image should measure 33mm x 48mm, with your face measuring 28-33mm from the top of your head to the bottom of your chin. The widest part of your face (cheek to cheek) should be between 15mm and 22mm. There should be a space of 3-5mm between the top of your head and the top of the photo. The distance from your chin to the bottom of the photo should be greater than 7mm.

• Quality: The photo must be in color, sharp, in focus, and printed on high-quality photographic paper. The image must not be altered in any way and must represent your natural skin tone. A digital photo should be a minimum of 354 x 472 pixels. Up to 420 x 560 pixels is allowed. The file size should be between 40-120 kb.

• Background: Use a plain white background (or a light blue one for applicants with white hair) that has no patterns or shadows. There should be a clear distinction between your face and the background.

• Head position: Look directly at the camera without tilting your head. Your head and shoulders should be level and centered in the frame.

• Facial expression: You should have a neutral expression with your eyes open and visible and your mouth closed.

• Lighting: Make sure the light is even and doesn’t cast shadows or create glare on your face or in the background.

• Eyeglasses: If you need to wear glasses, choose thin frames that don’t block your eyes. Your eyes should still be clearly visible, and there must be no glare on the lenses. Tinted lenses and sunglasses are not allowed.

• Head coverings: Hats and head coverings are only allowed for religious reasons. They should not cast a shadow and all your facial features must still be visible.

• Hair and clothing: Wear regular clothes that contrast with the white background. Avoid clothes with many patterns; go for pieces with solid colors. Keep your hair off your face and make sure your ears are visible. Hair accessories and jewelry are not allowed.

China visa photo requirements

A passport photo for a Chinese visa application needs to meet the specifications below.

• Recent photo: Your photo must be recent, ideally taken within the last six months, to show how you currently look.

• Photo dimensions - paper application: The photo should measure between 33mm and 48mm. The width of your head should be between 15 mm and 22 mm. Your face should measure between 28-33mm from the top of your head to the bottom of your chin. The space between the top of your head and the edge of the photo should be between 3-5mm, while the space between your chin and the bottom of the photo should be greater than 7 mm.

• Photo dimensions—online application: The width of the photo should be between 354 and 420 pixels, and the height should be between 472 and 560 pixels. The space between the top of your head and the edge of the photo should be between 10 and 85 pixels. The distance between your eyes and the bottom of the photo should be a minimum of 256 pixels. The width of your head should be between 191 pixels and 251 pixels.

• Quality: The photo must be in color, sharp, in focus, and printed on high-quality photographic paper. The images must not be altered in any way and show your natural skin tone. For a digital photo, the image file size should be 40-120kb.

• Background: Use a plain white background with no patterns or shadows. There should be a clear difference between your face and the background.

• Head position: Look directly at the camera without tilting your head. Your head and shoulders should be level and centered in the frame.

• Facial expression: You should have a neutral expression with your eyes open and visible and your mouth closed.

• Lighting: Make sure the light is even and doesn’t cast shadows or create glare on your face or in the background.

• Eyeglasses: If you need to wear glasses, they should have thin frames that don’t block your eyes. Your eyes should still be clearly visible, and there must be no glare on the lenses. Tinted lenses and sunglasses are not allowed.

• Head coverings: Hats and head coverings are only allowed for religious reasons. They should not create a shadow or hide any part of your face.

• Hair and clothing: Wear regular clothes that contrast with the white background. Avoid clothes with many patterns. Keep your hair off your face and make sure your ears are visible. Jewelry is not allowed.

Guidelines for taking passport & visa photos for infants and children

Photographing infants and children for their travel documents needs extra care. The general rules for photo quality, background, and how recent the photo must be are consistent with adult standards, but there is flexibility with the other criteria due to the challenges of photographing young children.

• Eyes visibility: The child's eyes should be open and visible. For infants, capturing them with their eyes open might take a bit of time and patience. Glasses should be avoided unless they are absolutely necessary. They should not cover the eyes, and there must be no glare on the lenses.

• Facial expression: While infants and children are not required to maintain the neutral expression demanded for adults, try taking a photo of them appearing calm and natural.

• Clothing: Dress your child in simple, everyday outfits that don’t hide their face. Avoid accessories like hats or pacifiers. Religious head coverings are acceptable as long as they don’t hide any part of the child’s face.

• No visible support: Make sure no hands or objects used to support an infant are visible in the photo. ​

• Focus on the child: The photo should only include the child, without other people or props.

For infants who cannot sit or stand, take the photo from above while they are lying on a plain white background or seated in a car seat with a plain white cover.

Learn what every traveler should know before visiting China in our trip guide.

Get support for your Chinese visa application

If you’d like to apply for a China Tourist or Business Visa and need more information, you can get in touch with our customer support team. Contact them any time via WhatsApp or through the iVisa chat.