China visa photo checker
China’s format is its own: 33×48 mm, the head measured in millimetres both ways — and for the online COVA form, one of the tightest file windows anywhere: 40–120 KB, with a floor that rejects files for being too small.
We measure, we don’t certify. IDPhotoCheck checks your photo against the published measurements — the issuing authority makes the final decision, and no tool can promise approval.
COVA online upload
| Photo size | 33 × 48 mm |
|---|---|
| Pixel dimensions | Between 354×472 and 420×560 px |
| Head height | Head height 28–33 mm equivalent (chin to crown) |
| Eye line | Eye line at least 256 px from the bottom of a 472 px image |
| File | JPEG, 40–120 KB — a window, not just a ceiling |
| Background | White or near-white background |
The COVA sheet also asks for the face centred with a width of 205±14 px in a 354 px-wide image; the checker reports face width against that band at export size.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PRC (COVA) — via Chinese Visa Application Service Centers — Photo Requirements for Chinese Visa Application (digital upload) (official page). Values checked 2026-11-08. If the official page and this table ever disagree, the official page wins — please tell us.
What this tool will not do to a US photo
The official US rule requires your original, unedited photo: no filters, no retouching, and no software-changed backgrounds. So this checker measures and crops — and refuses to replace the background or “beautify” a face — for US documents. If your background is not white, the honest fix is a retake against a plain white wall or sheet. Why we refuse to edit your photo →
Tap to choose a photo, or drop it here
JPG, PNG, WebP or HEIC — processed on your device, never uploaded
We measure, we don’t certify. IDPhotoCheck checks your photo against the published measurements — the issuing authority makes the final decision, and no tool can promise approval.
Paper photo for the visa centre
| Photo size | 33 × 48 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | Head height 28–33 mm, chin to crown, on a 48 mm photo |
| Head width | Head width 15–22 mm on a 33 mm photo |
| Above the head | Space above the head 3–5 mm |
| Background | White or near-white background, no border |
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PRC — via Chinese Visa Application Service Centers — Photo Requirements for Chinese Visa Application (official page). Values checked 2026-11-08. If the official page and this table ever disagree, the official page wins — please tell us.
What this tool will not do to a US photo
The official US rule requires your original, unedited photo: no filters, no retouching, and no software-changed backgrounds. So this checker measures and crops — and refuses to replace the background or “beautify” a face — for US documents. If your background is not white, the honest fix is a retake against a plain white wall or sheet. Why we refuse to edit your photo →
Tap to choose a photo, or drop it here
JPG, PNG, WebP or HEIC — processed on your device, never uploaded
We measure, we don’t certify. IDPhotoCheck checks your photo against the published measurements — the issuing authority makes the final decision, and no tool can promise approval.
Details that catch people out
- The KB window has a floor. A 35 KB upload fails COVA just as surely as a 130 KB one. The export step here grows or shrinks the JPEG into 40–120 KB and shows the achieved size.
- The head is measured in millimetres. Height 28–33 mm and width 15–22 mm on the 33×48 print, with 3–5 mm above the head. The checker reports all three.
- Tilt limits are published. The official sheet allows at most 20° sideways and 25° up/down — the checker measures your head tilt against them.
- White background, no border, taken within 6 months, both ears and eyebrows visible where possible, mouth closed, no thick-framed or tinted glasses.
Questions
What size is a China visa photo?
33 × 48 mm — narrower and taller than the European 35×45. Head width 15–22 mm, head height 28–33 mm chin to crown, 3–5 mm of space above the head and at least 7 mm below the chin, on a white background (Ministry of Foreign Affairs photo requirements, via the Chinese Visa Application Service Centers).
What does the COVA online form require?
A JPEG between 354×472 and 420×560 pixels and between 40 KB and 120 KB — a window with a floor as well as a ceiling. The photo is not cropped by the form; it must be right before upload.
Can I reuse my US or Schengen photo for China?
No — the shape is different (33×48 mm), the head band is different, and the digital window is different. Frame and export separately for China.
Note on sourcing: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes its photo sheet as an image through the Visa Application Service Centers; the values here are that sheet’s, checked 8 November 2026 — see how we check for the sourcing rules this site follows. Always confirm with your own visa centre before a deadline. The full China requirements list puts both rule sets — paper and COVA — on one page.