Visa Photo Checker — Free Validator for 60+ Countries
Check your visa photo against the destination country's rules before you apply — US DS-160, Schengen, India, China, Canada, Australia and 55+ more. Results in under 3 seconds.
1Choose Destination Country
2Upload Your Photo
Drop your photo here
or click to browse
JPEG · PNG · WebP · Max 10 MB
Ready to validate
Upload a photo and select your country to get an official biometric compliance report.
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Once your photo passes validation, use these dedicated editors from PixPassport to crop, resize, and export it to the exact spec.
Six-point analysis
What the visa photo checker tests
Every photo is measured against the biometric photo standard of the country you select.
Facial Geometry
Measures 12+ biometric ratios: head tilt, face symmetry, and eye-line angle — all checked against official specs.
Background Check
Detects background color uniformity, shadow presence, pattern violations, and edge contrast issues.
Lighting Analysis
Evaluates shadow intensity on the face and background, and flags flash glare or uneven exposure.
Dimension Validation
Verifies pixel dimensions, DPI, file size, and the head-to-photo-height ratio for your country.
Expression & Eyes
Confirms neutral expression, open eyes, closed mouth, and checks for hair or glasses obstructing the face.
Country-Specific Rules
Applies the exact embassy specification for your destination — not a one-size-fits-all approximation.
Popular destinations
Visa photo rules for popular destinations
Visa photos usually follow the destination's passport photo standard, but size and upload rules differ. Here's what the most-requested visas need. Applying for a green card or the DV Lottery? Use our dedicated Green Card Photo Checker or DV Lottery Photo Checker.
US Visa (DS-160)
2×2 inch framing with the head filling 50–69% of the height and a white background. The CEAC upload needs a square JPEG of 600–1200 px, no larger than 240 KB, and no glasses.
Schengen Visa
35×45 mm with a 32–36 mm head, neutral expression and a plain light background. The same photo works for most Schengen consulates and visa centres.
India e-Visa
A square digital photo with your full face centred against a plain white or light background. Check the size limits shown on the e-Visa form before uploading.
China Visa
33×48 mm with a 28–33 mm head height, white background, and ears and eyebrows visible. China is stricter than most countries on framing.
Canada Visitor Visa
35×45 mm with a 31–36 mm head — smaller than the 50×70 mm Canadian passport photo — against a plain white or light background.
Australia Visa (ImmiAccount)
35×45 mm with a 32–36 mm face height and a plain light background — the same rules as the Australian passport photo.
The hidden cost of a bad photo
Why embassies reject visa photos
Visa photos are rarely rejected because of how applicants look — they're rejected because they miss a technical rule. A shadow on the background, a head that sits too high in the frame, or a warm colour cast is enough to send an application back.
Most countries base their visa photo rules on the ICAO Doc 9303 biometric standard, which defines head-to-frame ratios, eye position, background and lighting. Each country then adds its own size and upload rules.
This checker tests those biometric rules before you submit, so you catch the problem at home rather than at the visa centre.
the most common visa photo size worldwide
the US visa photo size (600–1200 px digital)
the maximum photo age most consulates accept
the biometric standard most visa photo rules build on
Same biometric rules
Head size, eye line, a neutral expression, even lighting and a plain background are required for almost every visa and passport photo. The checker tests all of these.
Different sizes
Some countries use a different size for visas than for passports — Canada uses 35×45 mm for visas but 50×70 mm for passports. Check the table below before printing.
Different upload rules
Online visa forms often add pixel and file-size limits, such as the US DS-160 (600–1200 px square, max 240 KB) or the India e-Visa's square upload.
Visa vs passport
Visa photo vs passport photo: what's different
For most destinations, a visa photo follows the same biometric rules as that country's passport photo. The differences are usually in the print size and in the digital upload limits of online visa forms.
Choose your destination, upload your photo, and get an itemised report on the biometric checks — then confirm the size and file rules for your specific visa form before you submit.
Country requirements
Visa photo requirements by country
Every country sets its own photo size and rules. Here are the most-requested visa photo requirements:
| Country | Size | Background | Head height |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸USA (DS-160 visa) | 2×2 in / 600–1200 px square | White | 50–69% of frame |
| 🇪🇺Schengen | 35×45 mm | Plain light | 32–36 mm |
| 🇮🇳India (e-Visa) | Square digital photo | White or light | Full face, centred |
| 🇨🇳China | 33×48 mm | White | 28–33 mm |
| 🇨🇦Canada (visitor visa) | 35×45 mm | White or light | 31–36 mm |
| 🇦🇺Australia | 35×45 mm | Plain white or light grey | 32–36 mm |
Requirements shown are current as of 2026. Always confirm on the official embassy, consulate or visa website before submitting.
Under the hood
How the visa photo checker works
When you upload a photo, Google MediaPipe Face Mesh detects and maps 468 facial landmarks in real time — key points around your eyes, nose, mouth, jawline, and forehead. From those points, the tool calculates the geometric ratios visa and passport agencies use.
It checks your head-to-frame height ratio to confirm your face fills the correct percentage of the image. It measures the inter-ocular distance — the pixel gap between your pupils — to verify the photo meets the biometric alignment standard. It samples the background to check for shadows, color cast, and pattern violations, — the most common reasons visa photos are rejected.
All results are scored against the photo standard of the country you select. The report tells you which checks passed, which failed, and what to fix before you print, crop, or submit.
Select your destination country
The tool loads that country's photo specification — head ratios, eye line, background and expression rules.
Upload your JPEG, PNG, or WebP photo
Drop your photo into the upload zone. No account required. It's sent over an encrypted connection to run the check.
Biometric scan runs in under 3 seconds
MediaPipe maps 468 facial landmarks and runs all geometric, lighting, and background checks against the loaded specification.
Read your scored compliance report
Every check shows as Pass, Warning, or Fail with a reason and a fix instruction. Your overall compliance score tells you at a glance whether the photo is ready to submit.
Before you upload
How to take a visa photo at home
You don't need a studio. These steps produce a compliant visa photo with any modern smartphone.
Use natural light
Stand facing a window. Natural indirect light fills your face evenly and eliminates shadows without harsh highlights.
Find a plain white wall
A white or light grey wall works as your background. Move at least 1 metre away from it to avoid casting shadows on the surface behind you.
Shoot at eye level
Place your phone at the same height as your eyes. Shooting from above or below distorts facial geometry and fails the head-tilt check.
Neutral expression, eyes open
Look directly into the camera, keep your mouth closed, eyes fully open, and hold a relaxed neutral expression. No smiling.
FAQ
Visa photo checker FAQ
Pick your destination country and upload a photo. The checker maps your facial landmarks, measures head height and eye position against that country's biometric photo standard, and scans the background and lighting. You get a pass/fail result for each check in a few seconds.
Often they're the same, but not always. Canada's visitor visa uses a 35×45 mm photo while the Canadian passport uses 50×70 mm, India's e-Visa needs a square digital file, and the US DS-160 has its own pixel and file-size limits. The checker tests the biometric rules (head size, eye line, background, lighting); check the size and file rules in the table above before you upload.
More than 60, including the United States, Schengen countries, India, China, Canada, Australia and the UK. Each country uses its own published photo rules rather than a generic template.
Yes. Select United States to test the 2×2 inch framing, 50–69% head height, eye line and white background. The DS-160 upload also needs a square JPEG between 600×600 and 1200×1200 px and no larger than 240 KB.
They follow US rules but have their own submission details, so we have dedicated pages: the Green Card Photo Checker for USCIS forms like I-485, and the DV Lottery Photo Checker for the 600×600 px Diversity Visa entry photo.
Your photo is sent over an encrypted connection to run the check. We never sell it, and we don't share it with embassies, government agencies or advertisers.
It depends on the country. US visa photos need the head to fill 50–69% of the frame height, while most 35×45 mm visa photos (Schengen, Canada, Australia) need a 31–36 mm head — roughly 70–80% of the height.
No — the report is for your own pre-check. It reduces the risk of rejection, but always confirm the latest photo rules on your destination's official embassy, consulate or visa website before applying.
JPEG, PNG or WebP files up to 10 MB. The checker works best with a photo taken against a plain white or light grey wall in good natural light.
Ready?
Check your visa photo in seconds
Avoid a costly rejection. Upload your photo now and get a full compliance report — no account needed, completely free.