China visa photo requirements
The complete published list from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ photo requirements sheet, as published by the Chinese Visa Application Service Centers — the same rules the China checker measures against. China has two rule sets: the paper photo for the visa centre, and the digital file for the COVA online form. Both are below, with their sources.
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.
The paper photo (33×48 mm)
| 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.
The 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.
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 checker’s export grows or shrinks the JPEG into the 40–120 KB window and shows the achieved size.
- The head is measured in millimetres, both ways. Height 28–33 mm and width 15–22 mm on the 33×48 print, with 3–5 mm above the head and at least 7 mm below the chin. The checker reports each of them.
- Tilt limits are published too. The official sheet sets limits on sideways and up/down head tilt; the checker measures your tilt against them.
- The finishing rules. White background, no border, photo taken within the last 6 months, both ears and eyebrows visible where possible, mouth closed, and no thick-framed or tinted glasses.
We measure, we don’t edit
The COVA form checks the file exactly as you upload it, and the visa centre compares the print with the person in front of them. A repainted background or a retouched face stops the photo being the photograph you took — so this site measures, crops and sizes, and refuses background replacement on every document. If the background fails, we tell you how to retake it: why we refuse to edit your photo.
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.
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.
Ready to measure yours? The China visa photo checker runs both rule sets — paper and COVA — against your photo.