China Visa Photo — at home in 60 seconds
Chinese Visa (paper photo for application form + digital photo for China Online Visa Application system / former COVA)
Take it with your phone against a plain, light wall. We crop it to the exact size (33×48 mm) and check the head size, position and background against the published rules.
Free to try. From $3.99, paid once, only if you like your photo.
Limited time offer then $6.99 from Jan 1, 2027
Your exact local price is shown before you take your photo. Processed on your device. Never uploaded to our servers.
Quick answer
A China Visa Photo must be 33 × 48 mm (1.3 × 1.89 in) when printed, or a digital file of aspect 3:4 (40 KB – 120 KB, JPEG), with the head 28–33 mm from chin to top of head, on a white or close to white background, taken within the last 6 months. A photo you take yourself is accepted when it meets these rules.
- Printed photo
- 33 × 48 mm (1.3 × 1.89 in)
- Digital file
- aspect 3:4 · 40 KB – 120 KB · JPEG
Verified October 3, 2026 from Embassy of the PRC in the USA / MFA Department of Consular Affairs.
Photo requirements
Summarised from the official sources below.
- Printed photo
- 33 × 48 mm (1.3 × 1.89 in)
- Digital file
- aspect 3:4 · 40 KB – 120 KB · JPEG
- Head size (chin to top of head)
- 28–33 mm (58–69 % of the photo height)
- Eye line from the bottom
- at least 54 %
- Space above the head
- 3–5 mm
- Background
- White, close to white. White or close to white, no borders; garment must not be identical in colour to background.
- Expression
- Neutral, eyes open, mouth closed, ears visible, frontal.
- Glasses
- Allowed only if lenses are not tinted and there is no glare, shadow, or frame obscuring the eyes; heavy frames rejected.
- Head covering
- Hats or other head coverings only allowed if worn for religious reasons and they do not obscure any facial features.
- Photo age
- Taken within the last 6 months
- Online application
- China Online Visa Application system (consular.mfa.gov.cn/VISA, launched by many missions in 2025) auto-checks the uploaded photo; paper photo still accepted at submission if the upload fails.
More rules (6)
- DIGITAL: width 354-420 px x height 472-560 px; RGB 24-bit; JPEG 40-120 KB.
- DIGITAL (at 354x472): head width 205 +/- 14 px, horizontally centred; top of image to crown 10-70 px (diagram shows 10-85 px); bottom of image to eye line > 256 px; inter-eye distance > 60 px.
- PAPER: 33 mm wide x 48 mm high; head width 15-22 mm; head height (chin to crown) 28-33 mm; crown to top edge 3-5 mm; chin to bottom edge >= 7 mm.
- Head tilt <= 20 deg yaw/roll and <= 25 deg pitch; no hand/toy/other person; no jewellery/ornaments (shown as rejected example).
- Hair must not cover eyebrows, eyes or ears (example of rejection); voluminous hair may be trimmed off digitally to ensure face size.
- No over/under-exposure, unnatural skin tone, red-eye, shadows on face or background.
Print at home or at a kiosk
Print the sheet at 100% (Actual size), never “Fit to page”, on photo paper. Each sheet has a 50 mm ruler so you can check the size.
How to take it at home
- Stand about half a metre in front of a plain, light wall, facing a window.
- Hold the phone at arm’s length or ask someone to help. The live guide checks distance, light and head position.
- Get your digital file and print sheet. Print at 100% or upload the file.
Price
Free to try. From $3.99, paid once, only if you like your photo.
Limited time offer then $6.99 from Jan 1, 2027
Your exact local price is shown before you take your photo.
Photo Acceptance Guarantee — rejected for a technical reason we check? We refund you.
Why people choose Ovalight
Made for the moment you need a photo that just works.
- Money back if it’s rejected Rejected for a technical reason we check? We refund you.
- Free to try Take and check your photo for free. You pay once, only when you like the result.
- Your photo stays on your phone Processed on your device. Never uploaded to our servers.
- Checked against the official rules Every rule comes from the issuing authority’s own website, last verified on October 3, 2026.
- Free retakes for 24 hours Not happy with it? Retake the same document up to 3 times within 24 hours.
- Secure payment, no subscription Pay once through Stripe. We never see your card details.
Official sources
Verified on October 3, 2026
- Chinese Visa Photo Requirements (MFA Department of Consular Affairs poster) — Embassy of the PRC in the USA / MFA Department of Consular Affairs
- Guidelines for China Online VISA Application — Embassy of the PRC in the USA
- Notice on the Launch of the China Online Visa Application System — Embassy of the PRC in the USA
Questions
What size is a China Visa Photo?
Printed: 33 × 48 mm (1.3 × 1.89 in). Digital: aspect 3:4 · 40 KB – 120 KB · JPEG.
Can I take my China Visa Photo at home?
Yes. The photo is not taken at the office and no registered photographer is required, so a photo you take yourself is accepted when it meets the rules on this page.
What background is required?
White, close to white. White or close to white, no borders; garment must not be identical in colour to background.
Can I smile?
Neutral, eyes open, mouth closed, ears visible, frontal.
Can I wear glasses?
Allowed only if lenses are not tinted and there is no glare, shadow, or frame obscuring the eyes; heavy frames rejected.
Can I wear a head covering?
Hats or other head coverings only allowed if worn for religious reasons and they do not obscure any facial features.
How recent must the photo be?
Taken within the last 6 months.
Can I print the photo at home?
Yes. Print the sheet at 100% (Actual size) on photo paper, at home or at a pharmacy or kiosk, and check the size with the 50 mm ruler.
More China documents
Ovalight is an independent service. Only the authority that issues your document decides whether to accept a photo.