China Passport Photo Requirements & Guidelines

China passport photo requirements are some of the most precise in the world, specifying not just the 33 × 48 mm photo size but the exact width and height of your head within it. A photo that is close but not exact is regularly rejected, so it pays to get every measurement right.

This guide breaks down every current China passport photo rule for 2026 — the 33 × 48 mm size, the white background, the precise head-width and head-height rules, the strict no-editing policy, and the digital pixel specifications.

China Passport Photo Requirements at a Glance

Here are the core specifications for the China passport photo:

Get any one of these wrong and the photo can be rejected, so it is worth checking each before you submit.

Passport Photo Dimensions and Head Position Rules

Exact Passport Size Photo Dimensions

The finished photo must be 33 mm wide by 48 mm tall in a portrait format — a size unique to China and different from the 35 × 45 mm used elsewhere. Always work to this exact size.

Head Size, Placement, and Photo Measurement

China specifies the head precisely: the head height (chin to crown) must be 28–33 mm, the head width 15–22 mm, and there should be 3–5 mm of space above the head. Your face must be centred and squared to the camera.

Hitting all of those measurements by hand is very difficult. The simplest fix is to create your China passport photo with a tool that crops and resizes to the exact official spec automatically.

Background Requirements

Acceptable backgrounds

The background must be white or off-white, uniform, with no edges, gradients, or shadows. Some photo services also accept a plain light blue, but white is the safest choice for a passport.

Common background mistakes

• Coloured, patterned, or textured walls
• Shadows on the face or behind the head
• Visible edges or gradients in the background
• Other people or objects in the frame

Pose, Expression, and Lighting Rules

Expression and eyes

Keep a neutral expression with your mouth closed and both eyes open and clearly visible. Look straight at the camera with your face centred and not tilted.

Lighting

Use even, correctly exposed lighting — no under- or over-exposed photos — with accurate colour and no shadows on the face or background.

The No-Editing Rule and Other Restrictions

No filters or retouching

China forbids the use of filters and editing tools such as Photoshop. The photo must be an unaltered, accurate likeness — beautifying, reshaping, or recolouring will get it rejected.

Glasses and head coverings

Photos are best taken without glasses to avoid glare; where worn, the eyes must be fully visible. Head coverings are not permitted except for documented religious reasons, with the full face visible from the chin to the top of the forehead.

Digital vs. Printed Passport Photo Specifications

Printed photo

For counter applications, bring a recent 33 × 48 mm colour print on photo-quality paper with a white background and the correct head position.

Digital photo

For online submission, upload a JPEG between 354 × 472 and 420 × 560 pixels at roughly 600 DPI, with the same white background and framing. Only the delivery format changes — the composition rules are identical.

Top Reasons China Passport Photos Get Rejected

• Wrong size — not the exact 33 × 48 mm
• Head measurements off — outside the 28–33 mm height or 15–22 mm width
• Wrong headroom — not 3–5 mm above the head
• Background not white/uniform, or visible edges and shadows
• Edited or filtered photos — strictly forbidden
• Over- or under-exposed images
• Old photos taken more than six months ago

How to Meet China's Passport Picture Requirements at Home

1. Stand 2–3 feet from a plain white wall in even, well-balanced light, with no shadows behind you.
2. Have someone photograph you at eye level from about 4 feet away, or use a tripod and timer.
3. Face the camera directly with a neutral expression, eyes open, mouth closed, and no glasses.
4. Shoot in colour at the highest resolution your phone or camera allows, avoiding over- or under-exposure.
5. Upload it to a tool that crops to the exact 33 × 48 mm size with the correct head width, height, and headroom — without applying any beautifying filters.
6. Download the print-ready file, or a 354–420 px-wide JPEG for online submission.

Beyond China: Other Countries' Requirements

Specifications differ widely between countries — China's 33 × 48 mm size and exact head measurements are unusually strict, while the US uses a 2 × 2 inch square and Europe a 35 × 45 mm photo. If you travel or apply internationally, you can check the rules and generate a compliant photo using our passport photo tool for 150+ countries.

Conclusion

A compliant China passport photo comes down to three things: the exact 33 × 48 mm size with a 28–33 mm head height and 3–5 mm headroom, a white background with no shadows, and an unedited, neutral photo taken within the last six months. Nail those and you avoid the most common rejection reasons.