The short answer
A Chinese visa photo must be in colour, taken within the last 6 months, on a white or near-white background with no border. The printed photo is 33 mm wide × 48 mm high. The digital photo for the online application is 354–420 pixels wide × 472–560 pixels high, JPEG, 40–120 KB. Neutral expression, eyes open, ears visible, and no tinted glasses or glare.
- Printed size
- 33 × 48 mm
- Digital size
- 354–420 × 472–560 px
- File
- JPEG, 40–120 KB, RGB colour
- Background
- White or near-white, no border
- Taken
- Within the last 6 months
- Head height (printed)
- 28–33 mm, chin to crown
Reviewed by the Markham Visa China visa team · Last checked November 6, 2026
What size is a Chinese visa photo?
There are two versions with their own sizes: the digital photo you upload to the online application, and the paper photo, wherever a printed one is asked for. Both follow the same rules on background, expression and quality.
| Digital photo | Printed photo | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 354–420 px wide × 472–560 px high | 33 mm wide × 48 mm high |
| Format | JPEG, 40–120 KB, RGB 24-bit colour | Colour print, undamaged |
| Head | Face about 205 ± 14 px wide (on a 354 × 472 photo), centred | 15–22 mm wide; 28–33 mm from chin to crown |
| Space above the head | 10–70 px from the top edge to the crown | 3–5 mm |
| Below the chin | Eye line at least 256 px above the bottom edge | At least 7 mm |
The online application checks the digital photo's size and file size when you upload it. A phone photo straight off the camera is almost always too large in pixels and kilobytes — it has to be cropped and compressed into the ranges above.
What background and lighting are allowed?
- White or close to white, with no border around the edge of the image.
- No shadow across the face or in the background, and no background light.
- Not over- or under-exposed, not low-contrast or blurred, and natural skin tone — no filters.
- Clothing must not be the same colour as the background (a white top against a white wall is a common rejection).
How should I pose: expression, glasses and head coverings?
- Face the camera straight on with the whole head and face visible, eyes open, mouth closed and a neutral expression — no smile.
- Ears visible; hair must not cover the eyebrows, eyes or ears.
- Head straight: no more than 20° of tilt left or right, and no more than 25° up or down.
- Eyeglasses are allowed only if the lenses are not tinted and there is no glare, shadow, or frame covering the eyes. Heavy frames are a common rejection — taking glasses off avoids the problem.
- Hats and head coverings only for religious reasons, and only if they don't hide any facial features.
- No jewellery or ornaments, and nothing else in the photo — no hands, toys or other people.
Why do China visa photos get rejected?
The official guidance shows these examples of photos that are not accepted:
| Problem | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Quality | Blurred or low contrast, over- or under-exposed, unnatural skin tone, red-eye, damaged or smeared, distorted (fish-eye) |
| Shadows | Shadow across the face or in the background |
| Framing | Head too close or too far (eyes less than 60 px apart), not centred, features cut off |
| Pose | Head tilted, looking away, head lowered or raised, portrait-style angle |
| Expression | Smiling with mouth open, eyes closed, unnatural expression |
| Eyewear | Heavy frames, frames over the eyes, reflections on lenses, tinted lenses |
| Background & clothing | Coloured background, clothing the same colour as the background, jewellery, hands or other people |
| Obscuring | Hair over eyebrows, eyes or ears; face covered; stamps or marks on the photo |
Can I take my own China visa photo with a phone?
Yes, if the result meets every rule above. In practice: stand in front of a plain white wall in even daylight, have someone else take the photo straight on at eye level, keep a neutral expression with ears showing, then crop and resize it to the digital size range and compress it to 40–120 KB as a JPEG.
Where most self-taken photos fail is the crop: the head has to land in a narrow size range and position, and the file has to fit both the pixel and kilobyte limits at the same time.
Doing it yourself vs. using a visa service
Doing it yourself
- Take the photo, then crop and compress it to the exact pixel and file-size ranges.
- Find out at upload — or at the visa centre counter — if it doesn't meet the spec.
- A rejected photo can mean a new appointment and a later visa date.
With Markham Visa
- We check your photo against every point of the official specification before anything is submitted.
- We prepare the digital version to the exact size the online form accepts.
- We check the rest of your application against your passport at the same time — the photo is rarely the only issue.
If you're confident with cropping and the rules above, you can do this yourself. If your trip date matters, having the whole application checked before it's submitted is what keeps the date.
Start your China visa
We prepare your application, check your photo and documents against the current rules, and tell you honestly if you don't need a visa at all.
Start your China visa →Frequently asked questions
What is the China visa photo size in cm?
The printed photo is 3.3 cm wide × 4.8 cm high (33 × 48 mm). The digital photo is measured in pixels: 354–420 wide × 472–560 high.
Can I use my Canadian passport photo for a China visa?
No. The Chinese visa photo has its own size and head-position rules, so a photo cut for a Canadian passport won't meet them. Take or crop one specifically for the visa.
Can I smile in a China visa photo?
No. The expression must be neutral, with eyes open and mouth closed. Smiling with the mouth open is one of the official rejection examples.
Can I wear glasses in a China visa photo?
Only if the lenses aren't tinted and there's no glare, shadow, or frame covering your eyes. Heavy frames and reflections are common rejections, so removing your glasses is the safest choice.
Can I wear a hijab or turban in a China visa photo?
Yes, head coverings worn for religious reasons are allowed as long as they don't hide any facial features.
How recent does the photo need to be?
It must have been taken within the last 6 months.
Official sources
- Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Toronto — Photo Requirements — checked November 6, 2026
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC — Photo Requirements for Chinese Visa Application (poster) — checked November 6, 2026
Rules change. This guide is general information, not legal advice — always check the official source before you travel, and ask us about your own situation.