Chinese Passport Photo Requirements for Applications in the US

The Chinese Embassy in the US and the embassy e-passport photo specification set out exact measurements for the photo. The rules are stricter about head position than most countries, so measure carefully if you are making the photo yourself.

The table lists every requirement. One older Ministry of Foreign Affairs page gives the head width as 21 to 24 mm instead of 15 to 22 mm; we follow the current embassy specification.

Chinese citizens in the US renew or replace passports through the Chinese Embassy and consulates. Depending on how your application is handled, the digital photo is uploaded through the consular online system or the China Consular app, or supplied on a disc, and the prints go with your documents.

Prints

Bring or send 2 identical prints at 33 x 48 mm. The embassy says prints must come from a photo studio or be printed on professional photo paper, so print the sheet as a glossy or matte photo print, not on plain paper. Modified or composite photos are not accepted.

Digital copy

The digital file must be the same image as the prints. The embassy specification asks for a JPEG of 30 to 80 KB but does not state a pixel size. If the online system or app shows a size or file error, follow its on-screen instructions, which take priority over any general guide, including this one.

The passport and visa photos share the same 33 x 48 mm print size, but they are not interchangeable in every detail. The digital file and the glasses rule differ.

• Who needs it: the passport photo is for Chinese citizens; the visa photo is for foreign nationals, including US citizens, visiting China.
• Digital file: the passport copy is a JPEG of 30 to 80 KB with no stated pixel size. The visa upload is 354 x 472 to 420 x 560 pixels and 40 to 120 KB.
• Glasses: untinted glasses are allowed for the passport. The visa rules ban thick frames and tinted lenses.

If someone in your family is not a Chinese citizen and needs a visa, see our Chinese visa photo page for the online application format.

Most problems come from head position, because the margins are so tight. These are the issues to check first.

• Head too high or too low. The top of the head must be 3 to 5 mm from the top edge, and the chin at least 7 mm from the bottom.
• Head too big or too small. The head must be 28 to 33 mm tall and 15 to 22 mm wide.
• Wrong size. A 2 x 2 inch or 35 x 45 mm photo trimmed by hand rarely fits these margins.
• Background not white. Gray, cream or shadowed backgrounds are common reasons for refusal.
• Glare on glasses. Flash reflections or thick frames that blur the outline of the eyes.
• Hats or headscarves. Only religious coverings are allowed, and they must not cover the face.
• Home prints on plain paper. Prints must be from a studio or on professional photo paper.
• Digital file does not match the prints. The JPEG must be the same image as the paper photos.

PhotoForPass builds the 33 x 48 mm layout and its tight margins for you, starting from one phone photo. Checks run in your browser before you pay, so your photo stays on your device until then.

We check face position, eyes, lighting, glare and background against the Chinese rules. Then we fix the lighting, replace the background with plain white, and size and crop the photo so the head height, head width and top and bottom margins all land inside the limits.

• Digital photo ($16.95): a digital JPG with the same 33 x 48 mm framing as the prints.
• Photo + print sheet ($18.95): the digital JPG plus a print-ready 4 x 6 inch sheet (JPG and PDF) of 33 x 48 mm photos: 9 borderless or 8 with cut guides. Print it as a photo print at CVS, Walgreens or Walmart.

Each order includes up to 5 photo checks and 3 free redos per person, and files are ready about 30 to 60 seconds after payment. Final acceptance is up to the Chinese Embassy or consulate. If your photo is rejected, our 14-day money-back guarantee gives you a full refund.