Chinese Visa Photo Maker
Official 33 × 48 mm for visa in China — cropped correctly, then 9 copies on one printable sheet.
A photo of your face never leaves your deviceDrop your photo here
or click to browse — a phone selfie against a plain wall works
JPG · PNG · WebP · HEIC from iPhone
Requirements change. Confirm with Chinese Visa Application Service Centre before printing — official specification.
Three steps
No account at any point, and the photo never leaves your device.
Add your photo
A phone photo against a plain white or off-white works. HEIC straight from an iPhone is fine — it is converted here.
Match 28–33 mm chin to crown
Drag and zoom until your chin and the top of your head sit on the two dashed lines. That range is what Chinese Visa Application Service Centre measures, and getting it wrong is the usual reason a photo comes back.
Print 9 at once
Download a 4 × 6 sheet holding 9 photos at 33 × 48 mm, then cut along the guides. One cheap print instead of a booth.
Chinese requirements at a glance
| Photo size | 33 × 48 mm |
| Head height | 28–33 mm chin to crown |
| At 300 dpi | 390 × 567 pixels |
| Background | Plain white or off-white, with no texture, pattern or shadow. |
| Glasses | Best avoided. Best removed. Frames must not obscure the eyes and reflections are rejected. |
| Expression | Neutral only. Neutral, mouth closed, both ears preferably visible. |
| Authority | Chinese Visa Application Service Centre |
| Per 4 × 6 sheet | 9 photos |
What makes China different
33 × 48 mm belongs to China alone. Every neighbouring standard is different, and the consulates check the measurement rather than eyeballing it. Applicants from India in particular are caught out, arriving with the 35 × 45 mm photo used for their own passport.
What catches people out
- 33 × 48 mm is used by almost nobody else. Applicants routinely submit a 35 × 45 mm photo from another application and have it refused.
- Consulates are strict about exact dimensions rather than approximate ones.
- Head coverings are not accepted except for religious reasons.
Wrong dimensions, by a wide margin. Second is a background that is not quite plain — a faintly textured wall is enough to fail.
Where the photo goes
Printed photos are submitted at a Chinese Visa Application Service Centre with the application form, and a digital copy is uploaded during the online pre-application.
Printing 9 for the price of one
At 33 × 48 mm, 9 photos fit on a single 4 × 6 inch print — the cheapest product at any kiosk or online print service, against a booth that charges for a set of four.
Print at actual size and turn off "fit to page", "scale to fit" and borderless printing. Each of those resizes the image by a few percent, which is enough to push the head outside the 28–33 mm chin to crown that Chinese Visa Application Service Centre requires.
Our main passport photo page covers the general advice on lighting, distance and expression that applies wherever you are applying. The rules above are the ones specific to China.
Common questions
What size is a Chinese visa photo?
33 × 48 mm, with the head measuring 28–33 mm chin to crown. At 300 dpi that is 390 × 567 pixels.
Can I wear glasses in a Chinese visa photo?
Best removed. Frames must not obscure the eyes and reflections are rejected.
Can I smile?
Neutral, mouth closed, both ears preferably visible.
What background colour is required?
Plain white or off-white, with no texture, pattern or shadow.
Is my photo uploaded anywhere?
No. The cropping happens inside your browser using your own device. A photo of your face is never transmitted, which is also why there is no account and no watermark.
Other countries
The rules genuinely differ — background colour, glasses and expression are not the same everywhere.