OCI Photo

Get your biometric photograph within 3 minutes, with your smartphone, comfortably from home.

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OCI Photo

3-minute passport photo Take your picture at home. No driving or waiting in line

3-minute passport photo

Professional service AI technology + passport photo experts = instant feedback

Professional passport photo service

100% compliance Acceptance or a double money-back guarantee

100% passport photo compliance

How do our mobile and web apps work?

Snap the perfect biometric passport photo in under 3 minutes!

Find out just how simple it can be!

Take or upload a photo

Use a photo you already have or take a new one. We'll double-check it and make sure it passes all compliance tests.

Get your photo tuned-up by AI

Our AI system will crop, resize, and adjust the background of your image.

Get expert verification

One of our experts will carefully review your passport photo, providing you with feedback in under a minute!

Key benefits of using our passport photo tool

Get comfy at home, grab your phone, and snap a few pictures. End up with a result you’re 100% satisfied with!

Take a passport photo with only your smartphone

Trusted passport photo service

Professional passport photo support

Passport photo acceptance guarantee

No need to drive or wait in line. Take a photo wherever you are with only your smartphone.

Over a million users worldwide, 18 million photos processed, and thousands of 5-star reviews on TrustPilot.

Questions or doubts about your photos? Our photography experts and support agents will be happy to help you out.

Once you place your order, our AI and human expert will verify your photo to ensure it's 100% compliant.

Passport photo-taking tips

Follow these guidelines to create the perfect passport picture.

Take or upload a photo Upload a photo

Distance from the camera while taking a passport photo

Consider the distance

Keep your front-facing camera 16–20 inch (40–50 cm) away from the face. For rear cameras, keep a 4–6 foot (1–2 meter) distance.

face in front of the camera during passport photo

Keep your head and body straight

Look directly into the camera and avoid tilting your body. Remember, portrait mode is unacceptable for passport photos.

Passport photo lighting

Prepare good lighting

Take your passport photos in a daylight setting, like near a window on a sunny day. Shadows on your face or in the background are not permitted.

OCI photo requirements

OCI photo requirements

Size

Resolution

Is it suitable for online submission?

Is it printable?

Background Colour

Very Light Grey

Image definition parameters

Head height: 1.29 in

Bottom of the Photo to the Eye Line: 1.18 in

Last update: 9/4/2024 Written by

Sylwia Green

Sylwia is a skilled writer with a BA in English Studies and an active SPJ member. For nearly three years now, she's been writing captivating articles for international companies, turning her lifelong passion into a career.

Reviewed by

Karolina Młodzka Passport Compliance Expert

Karolina is a seasoned legal expert with a Master of Law and legal advisor credentials, specializing in passport photo compliance. She ensures adherence to international standards set by entities like the US Department of State and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Equipped with her advocate license and extensive legal background, she brings a unique blend of legal acumen and technical knowledge. Her expertise is pivotal in navigating the intricate and rigorous standards set by key global authorities. Her approach, marked by meticulous attention to detail and a deep understanding of international law, ensures stringent adherence to the evolving passport and visa photo regulations worldwide.

Expert verified

OCI photo requirements

An Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card is an identity document (available since 2005) for Indian citizens living overseas. If you qualify for an OCI card, you then need to apply to get one. You can apply either online via the website, or you can apply the old-fashioned way via a paper application. Either way, you need to submit a biometric photograph with your application.

The requirements regarding the photographs needed for your OCI card are based upon the specifications of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Standards Organization. Please keep reading this article to learn more about the requirements for your OCI card photograph.

OCI photos: how many are needed?

In order to apply for an OCI card, you need to attach two (2) printed photos to the paper application, or simply upload a digital photo if applying online.

Picture for OCI: size

The required size of the printed photos for your OCI card is 2 inches x 2 inches, or 5.1 cm x 5.1 cm. Or you can provide a digital picture, with a maximum size of 200KB.

Either way, your head should take up about 80% of the surface of the photo, which is approximately 1 inch to 1-/8 inches (25 mm to 35 mm).

Photo for OCI: format

Your digital photo should be in JPEG/JPG format, with a minimal dimension of 200 pixels x 200 pixels and a maximum dimension of 900 pixels x 900 pixels.

OCI picture: validity

The picture for your OCI should be recent, taken within the past 6 months. It should also be different from the one taken when applying for your passport. The picture must reflect your appearance, so if you underwent major plastic surgery or a sex change, had an accident, or lost/gained a significant amount of weight, it would be best to take a new photo. Please read on to find out about more all-important do’s and don’ts when having a picture taken for your OCI application.

OCI photo: quality

The picture for your OCI needs to be:

The OCI photo cannot be:

Your OCI picture: lighting and shadows

The light has to be balanced, and both sides of the face must be evenly lighted to avoid shadows. Natural light is best when having photos taken, so do it in the daytime. Check the brightness and contrast. Make sure there are no shadows or reflections on your face.

OCI photo: background

The background for an OCI picture should be plain and in light colors, with no other people or objects visible.

Head and facial expression in an OCI photo

The most important requirement is that the photo for your OCI card has to be taken en face with the applicant looking directly at the camera. Your head should be in the center of the photo and has to be shown in full, from the top of your hair to the bottom of your chin and both ears. Make sure your hair doesn't cover any part of your eyes, that your eyes are open, your mouth is closed (not showing teeth) and that you are maintaining a neutral facial expression (no smiling or frowning).

Glasses and head coverings

You can wear your glasses in the OCI card picture, provided they are not sunglasses or tinted glasses. Make sure the frame does not cover any part of your eye. Be careful to also avoid flash reflection in the lenses, which can be avoided by a slight tilt of the head.

Head coverings are allowed for religious reasons only, and cannot cover any part of your face.

OCI card picture: most common mistakes

Your OCI card photo cannot be a selfie, please, get someone to help you by taking the photo for you. Other common mistakes include:

Remember not to submit a photo older than 6 (six) months, and keep in mind the proper size, which is 2 inches x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm). Do not cover your face. Please close your mouth, open your eyes, and maintain a neutral facial expression.

If you fulfill those simple requirements you can make sure your application gets accepted on the first try.

OCI card photo: how to take it at home?

Try doing it at home and get your OCI card photo in the span of a few minutes with PhotoAiD. Remember to:

If you don't get the perfect picture on the first try- no worries, as you can take as many snaps as needed. All you have to do then is upload your photo to the PhotoAiD website and let us take care of the rest.

PhotoAiD app: advantages

Once you upload your picture, our powerful AI tool will take 3 seconds to delete the original background and replace it with the correct one, trim your photo to the required size and shape, and make sure all other conditions are met so that your photo will be accepted. We are fast, and we are affordable, and we are 200% guaranteed to be accepted by the authorities.