Stamp size photo: size in cm and where it's needed

A stamp size photo has no fixed size we could confirm in India. We found no official stamp size on Passport Seva, MEA or Indian mission websites, so the size is whatever your form or institution asks for: measure the photo box on the form or ask the office. The official Indian passport photo is a separate, larger format: 4.5 cm high and 3.5 cm wide on a plain white background. If your form accepts a passport-size photo, you can make a 35×45 mm photo on white from a good selfie online in SelfieDoc.

Stamp size photo size: what the official sources say

We found no official source that gives a stamp size measurement. The table shows what the official sources do say, so you can tell the two formats apart.

Checked: October 2026 against Passport Seva search results; confirm on passportindia.gov.in before printing.

How to find the size your form needs

Read the size from the form first. Many admission forms, joining forms and ID applications print a box with "affix stamp size photo" and sometimes a size next to it. If no size is printed, follow these steps:

1. Measure the width and height of the box with a ruler, in cm.
2. Check the notice, prospectus or office website for the size in cm.
3. Ask the office if you still cannot find it. A short call is quicker than a second set of prints.
4. Note any other rules: colour or black-and-white, background colour, how many copies.

Which documents use which format

For the full passport size breakdown in cm and pixels, see our guide to passport size photo size in India.

How a stamp size photo differs from passport size

A stamp size photo is usually smaller than a passport size photo, and only the passport size is fixed by an official source we found. The Indian passport photo is 4.5 × 3.5 cm on plain white, per the Passport Seva booklet. Stamp size has no official size, background or framing rule, so each institution decides.

Don't cut a passport-size print down to fit a smaller box. Trimming removes part of the head or shoulders, and the face no longer sits in the middle of the photo. Ask the photo lab to print at the size of the box instead. The face and shoulders then stay in proportion.

If a form says "passport size or stamp size", check with the office which one it prefers. A passport-size photo may be handy if you need one anyway. Our article on Indian passport photo size explains when you need your own photo for a passport and when it is taken at the centre.

How to print stamp size photos

Order a print on photo paper from a photo lab or studio. Don't use a home inkjet printer. Passport Seva states that photographs in computer print will not be accepted. Colleges and offices may be less strict, but a photo lab print avoids the question.

1. Get a sharp, well-lit photo: face to the front, plain light background, no glare on glasses.
2. Tell the lab the exact size from your form, in cm.
3. Ask for several copies on one sheet. Forms often ask for more than one, and spares save a second trip.
4. Cut neatly with a straight edge, not by eye.
5. Hold one print against the box on the form before you paste it.

If you use SelfieDoc, you get the 35×45 mm Indian passport photo as a file and as a print layout you can take to a photo lab. That covers forms that accept passport size. For a smaller stamp size box, ask the lab to print to that box size from a clear photo.

Common mistakes with small ID photos

Most problems come from guessing the size instead of checking it. The ones below follow the official passport rules, which are a sensible minimum for any ID photo:

• Wrong size. Using someone else's "standard" stamp size instead of the box on your own form.
• Trimmed passport prints. Cutting a 4.5 × 3.5 cm print until the chin or hair is lost.
• Home printer prints. Passport Seva does not accept computer prints.
• Busy background. The passport rule is plain white. A wall with patterns or shadows causes trouble.
• Light clothing on white. Passport Seva asks for dark-coloured dress, so avoid white or light clothing.
• Face not fully visible. Hair, a cap or a turned head hides part of the face.
• Glare on glasses. Passport Seva suggests tilting your head slightly up or down to remove reflections.

Taking the photo at home, in a studio or online

At home. Stand facing a window with a plain white wall behind you. Ask someone to hold the phone at eye level. Keep your face straight to the camera. Then have the photo printed at a lab. For phone tips, see how to take a passport photograph with your phone.

At a photo studio. This is the easiest route when you need an unusual stamp size. Show the studio the form so they can match the box.

Online from a selfie. SelfieDoc crops the photo, sets a plain white background and fits it to the 35×45 mm template. You get a file and a print layout, but no dedicated stamp size template. For children under 4, Passport Seva publishes separate photo guidelines.

Sources

• Passport Seva — Application Form Instruction Booklet V3.0
• Passport Seva — FAQ on the application form
• Passport Seva — Guidelines for ICAO compliant photographs
• Consulate General of India, San Francisco — Photographs
• Passport Seva — Guidelines for capturing photographs of minors below 4 years