China Visa Photo Specs
China spells its photo rules out to the pixel — including how far the eye line must sit from the bottom edge. The online system checks those ratios automatically.
Generate a photo that matches the spec above — processed locally, never uploaded, no sign-up, with a 6-inch print sheet if you need paper copies.
Make a photo to this specSpecification · China Visa Photo Specs
| Printed photo | 33 mm (width) x 48 mm (height) |
|---|---|
| Digital pixels | 354 x 472 to 420 x 560 px, 24-bit RGB true colour |
| Format & size | JPEG, file size between 40 KB and 120 KB |
| Background | White or near-white, with no border |
| Face width | About 205 px (plus or minus 14 px) on a 354 x 472 px image |
| Space above head | 10-70 px from the crown to the top edge (3-5 mm on the printed photo) |
| Eye line | At least 256 px above the bottom edge (at least 7 mm below the chin on the printed photo) |
| Head size | Printed: 15-22 mm wide, 28-33 mm tall from chin to crown |
| Inter-eye distance | More than 60 px, with no red-eye |
| Head angle | No more than 20 degrees left or right, no more than 25 degrees up or down |
| Facial detail | Eyes open, mouth closed, both ears visible, natural expression |
| Recency | Taken within the last 6 months |
How to shoot a photo that matches
- Shoot against a plain white background —— Show both ears, mouth closed, eyes open. Wear something dark — a white shirt against a white wall fails the contrast check.
- Choose the 33 x 48 mm preset in our tool —— It outputs 390 x 567 px, comfortably inside the official 354 x 472 to 420 x 560 range.
- Frame so the eyes sit high in the image —— Aim for the eye line at roughly 55% of the height, which makes the 256 px minimum easy to clear.
- Keep the file between 40 KB and 120 KB —— Set the size limit to 120 in the tool. If the result drops below 40 KB, raise the quality and export again.
- Verify with the COVA preview before submitting —— The system gives instant pass/fail feedback, which beats being sent back for a resubmission later.
The Chinese visa rules are unusually granular — they specify how many pixels of space to leave above the hair and how far the eye line must sit from the bottom edge. That is not just tidiness: the online system compares those ratios automatically and refuses the upload when they are off.
The easily missed part is that the space-above-head rule and the eye-line rule must both be satisfied. The official guidance adds an explicit tiebreaker: when the two cannot both be met, prioritise keeping the eye line at least 256 px above the bottom edge, trimming some of the hair if necessary. In other words, the eye position outranks the headroom.
The file size is also a two-sided range: 40 KB to 120 KB. Compress below 40 KB and the image is judged too degraded; go above 120 KB and it will not upload. Very few countries set a lower bound at all.
FAQ
Can I use a blue background for a Chinese visa photo?
No. The visa application requires white or near-white. Blue and red are used for domestic Chinese documents such as social security cards and some exam registrations — do not mix them up.
Why will my 30 KB photo not upload?
That is the lower bound. The official range is 40 KB to 120 KB; below 40 KB the image is considered over-compressed and possibly too degraded. Re-export at higher JPEG quality.
My hair is very tall and the headroom conflicts with the eye line. What do I do?
The official guidance prioritises the eye line being at least 256 px above the bottom edge, and permits trimming some of the overly tall hair if necessary.
Are glasses allowed?
Permitted only if the lenses are untinted, free of glare and the frames do not obscure the eyes. It is safer not to wear them — thick frames, tinted lenses and reflections all lead to rejection.
Do I need both a digital and a printed photo?
Yes, in practice. The digital photo is uploaded during the online application; after preliminary approval you normally submit a printed 33 x 48 mm photo. Prepare both.