China Visa photo requirements
China visa photo: 33 × 48 mm (390 × 567 px), head 28–33 mm crown to chin. Check yours free, then print 9 on a 4×6 sheet.
Check my visa photo — freeThe specification
- Photo size
- 33 × 48 mm (390 × 567 px)
- Head height
- 28–33 mm crown to chin
- Head height in the frame
- 58–69%
- Resolution
- 300 DPI
- Digital size
- 390 × 567 px
- Background
- #FFFFFF
- Glasses
- Not permitted
- Head covering
- Not permitted
- Expression
- Neutral, mouth closed
- Printing
- 9 photos per 4×6 in sheet (3 × 3, portrait)
Source: China Visa Application Service Center (CVASC). Last checked 2026-08-17.
- China uses a distinctive 33x48 mm size used by almost no other country.
- Glasses are not permitted, and head coverings are not accepted even for religious reasons.
- Ears should be visible and hair must not cover the eyes.
Why China visa photos get rejected
- 1
Head the wrong size. China requires 28–33 mm crown to chin. This is the single most common reason a photo is sent back, and it is almost impossible to judge by eye.
- 2
Wrong dimensions. The photo must be exactly 33 × 48 mm (390 × 567 px). Cropping to roughly the right shape in a phone gallery app does not produce an exact size.
- 3
Glasses. China does not accept photos where eyeglasses are worn, including clear prescription lenses. They must be removed.
- 4
Shadow on the face or background. Uneven side lighting throws one half of the face into shadow, and a shadow cast on the wall behind counts as a non-plain background.
- 5
Smiling or an open mouth. The expression must be neutral with the mouth closed and both eyes open and clearly visible.
- 6
Too low resolution. An enlarged photo looks soft in print. The face has to occupy enough of the original image to reach 300 DPI at 33 × 48 mm.
- 7
Head covering. China does not accept head coverings, including for religious reasons.
How to get it right in three steps
- Step 1
Take or choose a photo
Stand about 1.5 m from a plain wall, facing a window so the light is even on both sides of your face. Look straight at the camera with a neutral expression. A normal phone photo is fine.
- Step 2
Check it for free
Upload it and see every measurement against the China requirement — head height 28–33 mm crown to chin, size 33 × 48 mm (390 × 567 px), focus, glare, lighting and background. If anything fails, you will be told exactly what to change.
- Step 3
Download and print
Get the 390 × 567 px file at 300 DPI for online applications, plus a 4 × 6 inch sheet you can print at any photo kiosk for about $0.35.
Printing at a photo kiosk
Your download includes a 4 × 6 inch sheet with 9 copies arranged 3 across and 3 down, with cut guides in the margin.
Any drugstore, supermarket or online photo service prints a standard 4 × 6 for roughly $0.35. The same photos taken in store typically cost $17–22.
Choose “actual size”, not “fit to page”
Frequently asked questions
What size is a China visa photo?
33 × 48 mm (390 × 567 px). At 300 DPI that is exactly 390 × 567 pixels, which is what an online application form expects.
How big does my head need to be in a China visa photo?
28–33 mm crown to chin, measured from the crown — the top of your head including hair — down to the bottom of your chin. In the finished 48 mm photo that is between 58% and 69% of the total height.
What background colour is required for a China visa photo?
A plain #FFFFFF background, with no pattern, shadow or texture. China accepts no other colour.
Can I wear glasses in a China visa photo?
No. China does not accept photos where eyeglasses are worn, including clear prescription lenses. Remove them before taking the photo.
Can I take my China visa photo on my phone?
Yes. Face a window for even light, stand about an arm and a half away from a plain wall, and have someone take the photo with the rear camera — it is sharper than the selfie camera and gives more resolution to work with. This tool then crops it to 33 × 48 mm (390 × 567 px) at 300 DPI, levels it, replaces the background with #FFFFFF, and checks it against the China Visa Application Service Center (CVASC) requirements before you download anything.
Can I print China visa photos at a pharmacy or supermarket?
Yes, and it is the cheapest way to do it. You get 9 copies arranged on a single 4 × 6 inch sheet with cut guides. Any drugstore or supermarket photo kiosk prints a 4 × 6 for around $0.35, against $17–22 for photos taken in store. Choose "actual size" and not "fit to page", or the print will be rescaled and no longer compliant.
Is my China visa photo stored anywhere?
No. The analysis runs entirely in your browser, and the final render happens in memory on our server and is discarded immediately. Nothing is written to disk, kept in a database, or used to train anything. We keep no copy of your face.
What if my China visa photo is rejected?
We refund you in full. We check size, head height, eye position, tilt, framing, resolution, focus, glare, lighting and background against the published China Visa Application Service Center (CVASC) requirements. If your photo is rejected for any of those, reply to your receipt and we will refund it. We cannot judge how recently a photo was taken or what you were wearing, so we do not claim to.
Can I smile in a China visa photo?
No. Your expression must be neutral with your mouth closed, and both eyes open and clearly visible. China Visa Application Service Center (CVASC) treats a smile that shows teeth or raises the cheeks as a rejection, because it moves the facial landmarks a biometric check measures. A relaxed, natural face looking straight at the camera is what is wanted.
Can I wear a head covering, hijab or turban in a China visa photo?
No. China does not accept head coverings in a visa photo, including for religious reasons. Your head must be bare.
Do babies and young children follow the same China visa photo rules?
China relaxes some rules for infants. The photo still has to be the correct size (33 × 48 mm (390 × 567 px)) on the required background, but a baby is not expected to hold a neutral expression or keep both eyes wide open, and the head-height range is applied with more tolerance. Lay the baby on a plain sheet of the required colour and shoot from directly above — no hands, toys or other people may appear in the frame.
How recent does a China visa photo have to be?
Most authorities ask for a photo taken within the last six months, and it must reflect your current appearance. This is one of the few requirements a tool cannot verify: we measure the image, not the day it was taken, so we never claim a photo passes on recency. China Visa Application Service Center (CVASC) publishes the exact rule for China — the source is linked on this page.
How much does a China visa photo cost?
Nothing at the moment. PassReady is free while we are in beta, and that includes the full-resolution file, the printable sheet and the compliance certificate. We will introduce a price later, and we will say so clearly before we do.
Check your photo against these rules — free
Every measurement, before you pay anything.