China Visa Photo Requirements

A China visa photo is 48 mm high and 33 mm wide. It must be in color and taken against a white background with no border. The head should be 28–33 mm tall, and the photo must be no older than 6 months. The Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles asks for one photo with the application. You can make the photo online from a good selfie in SelfieDoc.

China visa photo requirements at a glance

US applicants should use the photo rules published by the Chinese consulates in the US. All the figures below come from those pages.

Checked against the visa pages of the Consulates General of the PRC in San Francisco and Los Angeles; source text retrieved October 25, 2026.

Where US applicants submit the photo

The photo goes with your visa application to the Chinese diplomatic mission or service center that covers your state. The Los Angeles consulate lists one photo per application.

The San Francisco and Los Angeles consulate pages date from 2016, so the procedure may have changed since. They do not say whether you attach a printed photo, upload a digital file, or do both. They also give no pixel dimensions, file format or KB limit. If your application route asks for a digital upload, use the limits shown in the form itself. Before you print or upload, confirm the current procedure on the website of the consulate for your jurisdiction.

The photo must have been taken within the last 6 months. Whether a photo you made yourself is accepted is not stated on those pages, so confirm it with the consulate or service center. The consulate pages do not say that the photo must be taken at the visa office.

Chinese visa photo size compared with a US passport photo

The Chinese visa photo is taller and narrower than a US passport photo. A standard US passport photo is 2×2 inches (51×51 mm), so it does not fit the 48×33 mm format. A square print cannot simply be trimmed to size, because the head also has to measure 28–33 mm tall, so it is safer to make a new photo in the correct format.

Many US photo counters are set up for the 2×2-inch format. If you go to one, ask for 33×48 mm by name. Bring the measurements from the table above. For the US visa format, see our guide to US visa photo requirements for the DS-160.

Common mistakes that get the photo sent back

Each item below breaks a rule on the consulate pages:

1. Wrong size. A 2×2-inch print or a 35×45 mm photo from another visa does not match 48×33 mm.
2. Head too big or too small. The head must be 28–33 mm tall. Tight selfie crops can exceed this range.
3. Background not white. Light gray, light blue or a patterned wall does not meet the "white background" rule. A border around the photo is also not allowed.
4. Smiling or open mouth. The expression must be neutral, with lips closed.
5. Hidden ears. The ears must be visible. Pull long hair back behind your shoulders.
6. Problem glasses. Thick frames, tinted lenses or reflections on the lenses are not accepted. Remove the glasses if you are unsure.
7. Shadows and exposure. Shadows on the face or background, burnt-out highlights, or a dark face break the quality rules.
8. Head tilted. The limits are 20° to the side and 25° up or down. Look straight into the lens.
9. Old photo. A picture from a previous visa or passport is too old if it was taken more than 6 months ago.
10. Damaged print. Creases, stains, ink marks or a scratched surface go against the "no damages or impurities" rule.

Glasses, headwear and children

Glasses. Clear glasses with thin frames are fine if there is no glare. Tinted, thick-rimmed or reflective glasses are not allowed. Tilt the frames slightly down or move the light to the side to remove reflections.

Headwear. Hats and head coverings are allowed only for religious reasons.

Children. The official pages we checked list no separate photo rules for children, so confirm the requirements with the consulate for your jurisdiction. Until you have confirmation, treat the table above only as a general reference.

How to take a China visa photo

At home with a phone

1. Stand about an arm's length or more from a plain white wall. Leave space between you and the wall so you do not cast a shadow on it.
2. Face a window or another soft light source. Avoid an overhead lamp, which shadows the eyes.
3. Ask someone else to take the photo at eye level. Front cameras held at arm's length distort the face.
4. Keep your expression neutral and your mouth closed. Make sure your ears are visible.
5. Crop the photo to 33×48 mm with the head 28–33 mm tall. Print it on photo paper without a border, and check that the print has no creases, stains or shadows.

Our guide on taking a passport photograph with your phone covers lighting and posture in more detail.

At a photo studio

Tell the studio you need a Chinese visa photo, 48 by 33 mm, not a "passport photo". Check the print before you leave. The head should fill most of the height, the background should be clean white, and the photo should have no border.

Online from a selfie

Take a sharp, well-lit selfie or ask someone to photograph you. SelfieDoc crops it to 33×48 mm, replaces the background with white and positions the head within the consulate measurements. It does not change your facial features. You get a photo file and a layout for printing at any photo lab or on your own printer. Check the result against the table one more time before you submit it.

Sources

• Consulate General of the PRC in San Francisco — China visa photo requirements
• Consulate General of the PRC in Los Angeles — Chinese visa application
• Embassy of the PRC in Nepal — visa photo requirements