Chinese visa photo requirements
A Chinese visa photo is 33 × 48 mm, smaller than a U.S. 2 × 2 in photo, with a white or near-white background. The head measures 28–33 mm from chin to crown. COVA accepts JPEG photos between 354 × 472 and 420 × 560 px, 40–120 KB. Source: Chinese Embassy in the U.S., checked September 28, 2026.
Source: us.china-embassy.gov.cn, checked September 28, 2026.
The rule
| Rule | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Print size | 33 × 48 mm |
| Head height | 28–33 mm, chin to crown; hair inclusion is not specified |
| Digital file | 354 × 472 to 420 × 560 px JPEG, 40–120 KB |
| Space above the head | 3–5 mm |
| Background | White or near-white |
| Glasses | Allowed with no glare |
| Expression | Neutral |
| Head coverings | Only for religious reasons and only if no facial features are hidden. |
| Editing | Edited photos are not accepted, and the online system checks photos automatically. |
| Other rules |
|
Sources: Embassy of the PRC in the USA, Chinese Visa Photo Requirements (opens in a new tab) (us.china-embassy.gov.cn); Digital file: Embassy of the PRC in the USA, Guidelines for China Online VISA Application (opens in a new tab) (us.china-embassy.gov.cn). Checked .
What we check, and what we can’t
On your device, we measure the head size and where it sits, the eye line, the wall behind you, the light on your face, the pose and the sharpness against this rule, and we crop the photo to its size. We level, resize and crop it, and nothing else.
We can’t tell how recent the photo is, whether it still looks like you, or what the office’s own reviewer will see on the day. The office that takes your application decides whether to accept it.
Why a real photo matters
The Chinese visa rule on editing, in short
Edited photos are not accepted, and the online system checks photos automatically.
Our summary of Embassy of the PRC in the USA, Chinese Visa Photo Requirements.
Start with your original camera photo. Check the document’s rules, including whether your head matches this rule: 28–33 mm, chin to crown; hair inclusion is not specified.
We don’t generate your photo. We level, scale and crop your original pixels to 33 × 48 mm, then show you the head height and the margins before you pay.
Our guides cover AI and passport photos and changing a photo’s background.
The files
studioless-cn-visa-digital
.jpg China Online Visa Application (COVA): JPEG 354–420 × 472–560 px, 40–120 KB. We make it at least 40 KB.
420 × 560 px JPEG
studioless-cn-visa-print-4x6
.jpg Print it as a regular 4 × 6 in photo at any drugstore kiosk, then cut on the lines.
1800 × 1200 px at 300 dpi, 4 photos at 33 × 48 mm
studioless-cn-visa-print-5x7
.jpg The same photos on a 5 × 7 in sheet, printed and cut the same way.
1500 × 2100 px at 300 dpi, 9 photos at 33 × 48 mm
The application asks for one photo. Paper: photo paper. Your check results come with the files, and everything is deleted 7 days after your order.
Sources
- Embassy of the PRC in the USA, Chinese Visa Photo Requirements (opens in a new tab)us.china-embassy.gov.cn
- Embassy of the PRC in the USA, Photo Requirements for Chinese Visa Application (opens in a new tab)us.china-embassy.gov.cn
- Embassy of the PRC in the USA, Guidelines for China Online VISA Application (opens in a new tab)us.china-embassy.gov.cn
Changes to this page’s rule
- Shortened the Korean and Chinese visa summaries and clarified the Saudi eVisa face measurement, keeping every document’s answer summary within 40–60 words.
- Document pages now show a short list of key facts, each naming its source authority and record date, before the complete rule table.
- Checked 10 documents against official pages. U.S. State Department pages were read from Wayback snapshots because the live site blocked automated access.
Every document’s rules in one table: passport and visa photo sizesEvery change to the rules we check
Questions
Can I use ChatGPT or an AI app for my Chinese visa photo?
For a generated or retouched photo, follow the document’s editing rule. Edited photos are not accepted, and the online system checks photos automatically. That is our summary of the rule, from the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. Reading or checking rules with a chatbot is a separate use; verify its answer against the authority’s source. We only level, scale and crop your photo.
Can I wear glasses in a Chinese visa photo?
Only with no glare, no tint and your eyes fully visible. Taking them off is the safest choice.
What do I get for $9.95?
You get a digital file sized for the online form (420 × 560 px JPEG), plus printable 4 × 6 in and 5 × 7 in sheets you can print at any drugstore. The application asks for one photo.
Where do I get my files?
On your order page after you pay, with no account to make.
