OCI photo – square, 200 KB, and why the background must not be white
Updated 17 October 2026
An OCI card photo is square, between 200 x 200 and 900 x 900 px, a JPEG of up to 200 KB, with your face covering about 80% of it, on a plain light-coloured background that is not white. That last rule catches many applicants in the US and UK, where almost every other official photo has to be white.
The OCI photo rules
From the OCI Services FAQ, read on 16 October 2026:
| Rule | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Shape | Square (height and width equal) |
| Printed size | At least 51 x 51 mm (2 x 2 inches) |
| Pixels | 200 x 200 to 900 x 900 px |
| File | JPEG, up to 200 KB |
| Face | About 80% of the photo |
| Pose | Front view of head and shoulders, full face in the middle |
| Background | Plain light colour, not white |
| Border | None |
The FAQ says photos that don’t meet these standards will be rejected and may delay the application.
The background: light, but not white
Most photo tools and pharmacy photo services in the US and UK produce a white background, because US, UK and Indian passport photos need one. For OCI that’s the wrong choice. Use a plain wall in a light colour, such as:
- light grey,
- cream or beige,
- pale blue.
It must be plain, with no pattern, and lit evenly so there is no dark shadow behind your head. A white wall in dim light often comes out grey, but don’t rely on that. Pick a wall that is clearly a light colour.
Our tool doesn’t change your background, so the colour you shoot against is the colour in the final photo.
Your US or UK passport photo won’t work
If you are applying for OCI after becoming a US or UK citizen, your new passport photo is the wrong shape (UK) or the wrong background (both). Take a new photo for the OCI application.
Taking the photo at home
- Stand about 50 cm in front of a plain light grey, cream or pale blue wall.
- Face a window in daylight. Avoid overhead lights and the flash.
- Ask someone to take the photo from about 1–2 m away at eye level, framed from the shoulders up.
- Look straight at the camera with a neutral expression, both eyes open.
Then upload it to the OCI photo tool. It crops it square around your face and gives you a 600 x 600 px JPEG under 200 KB, inside the OCI limits.
Children and family applications
Each applicant needs their own photo, including babies and children. For a baby, lay them on a light-coloured sheet and take the photo from above, with no hands or toys in the frame.
Before you upload
Check the photo with the free passport photo checker, then upload it in the OCI online form. Acceptance is decided by the Indian authorities. If the form or the VFS centre flags your photo, follow its message.