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OCI photo and signature size: 200–900 px, 200 KB
Short answer
- The OCI services FAQ says the photo must be square, at least 200 × 200 px and at most 900 × 900 px, and that the photo and signature images must be JPEG/JPG of 200 KB or less.
- Some photo sites, and at least one Indian mission’s checklist, give a maximum of 1500 × 1500 px. A square JPEG between 200 and 900 px and under 200 KB meets both, so aim for that. If the form you are filling in shows different numbers, follow the form.
- With FileLivo: crop with the 1:1 preset → resize to, for example, 600 × 600 px → compress with a maximum target of about 190 KB if the file is still too big. FileLivo counts 1 KB as 1,024 bytes, so 190 leaves a margin under 200.
What the official FAQ says
The rules below come from question 9 of the FAQ on ociservices.gov.in, the site that runs the online OCI application, and from the photo specification sheet linked from that FAQ. Neither shows a date.
| Item | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Square: height and width must be equal | FAQ 9 |
| Pixel size (photo) | At least 200 × 200 px, at most 900 × 900 px | FAQ 9 |
| File format | JPEG/JPG, for both the photo and the signature | FAQ 9 |
| File size | 200 KB at most, for both the photo and the signature | FAQ 9 |
| Photo size and framing | Not less than 51 × 51 mm, with the face covering about 80%; front view of head and shoulders, full face in the middle | FAQ 9 |
| Background | Plain and light-coloured, not white, with no border | FAQ 9 |
| Head height | 1 to 1⅜ in (25–35 mm) on a 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm) photo | Photo specification sheet |
| Editing | Do not retouch, enhance or soften the photo | Photo specification sheet |
The FAQ does not set separate photo rules for re-issue (often called renewal) or the other miscellaneous services. If one of those forms shows its own limits, use them.
Why some sites say 1500 px
Several photo-tool sites give the OCI range as 200 × 200 to 1500 × 1500 px, and an undated step-by-step checklist from the Embassy of India in Santiago lists the same 1500 px maximum with a 500 KB limit. The FAQ on the portal you actually upload to says 900 × 900 px and 200 KB. Neither page is dated, so it is not clear which is newer.
You do not have to pick one. A square JPEG between 200 and 900 px and under 200 KB meets both sets of numbers. If the upload form shows its own limits next to the upload button or in an error message, those are the ones that count.
Prepare the photo with FileLivo
Start from a photo that already meets the content rules above: plain light background that is not white, face straight on, no filters. FileLivo changes only the shape, pixel size and file size. It does not change backgrounds or retouch faces.
- Convert an iPhone HEIC photo to JPG. FileLivo’s image tools do not read HEIC. In HEIC to JPG, tap "Choose HEIC photos", then "Convert to JPG" and "Download JPG". It works in Safari 17 or later on iPhone and Mac when the browser can decode the file. On Windows, see iPhone HEIC photos won’t open on your PC. Skip this step if your photo is already a JPG.
- Crop to a square. In Crop Image, set Aspect ratio to 1:1. The largest square that fits appears in the middle of the photo. Drag it so your face is centred, then drag a corner inwards until the face fills about 80% of the square, as the FAQ asks. The box stays square while you resize it. Check the Live result preview, then press "Process files" and "Download edited image". Leave Output format on JPG.
- Resize into the 200–900 px range. In Resize Image, leave Keep aspect ratio ticked and type 600 in Width; the height becomes 600 as well. Any size from 200 to 900 meets the FAQ. 600 is our suggestion, not an official number: it keeps plenty of detail and the file often ends up well under 200 KB. If the height shows 599 or 601, untick Keep aspect ratio and type 600. Press "Process files" and "Download resized image".
- Compress only if it is over 200 KB. Check the file size. If it is too big, open Compress Image and enter 190 KB as the Maximum target size. FileLivo counts 1 KB as 1,024 bytes, so entering 200 would allow up to 204,800 bytes, which is more than a portal that counts 200 KB as 200,000 bytes would accept. 190 KB (194,560 bytes) is under 200 KB either way. If the file is already small enough, FileLivo shows "The original was kept because it is already below the target size."
Prepare the signature
For the signature the FAQ sets only the JPEG format and the 200 KB limit. Look at the signature upload box on the form, and if it states dimensions, use them.
- Scan or photograph the signature. Sign on plain white paper in dark ink, then scan it or photograph it in even light so there are no shadows across it.
- Crop close to the signature. In Crop Image, leave Aspect ratio on Free and drag the box around the signature with a small margin. If the page was photographed sideways, set Rotate to 90° or 270°.
- Make it smaller. A signature cropped from a phone photo can be thousands of pixels wide. In Resize Image, with Keep aspect ratio ticked, a width of around 600 px is enough to read it clearly and keeps the file small.
- Compress if needed. If it is still over 200 KB, use Compress Image with a target of 190 KB, as for the photo.
Upload errors and what to check
The FAQ does not list error messages. The first two below are messages applicants have reported on forums. Where the cause is not documented, the table says what to check instead of guessing.
| Message or problem | What it points to | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| "Uploaded file contains more than one extension. Please try with jpeg/jpg format" | The file name, not the picture. This is not officially documented, but the message suggests the name has more than one dot, such as photo.jpg.jpg or photo.final.jpg. Windows hides known extensions, so a second ".jpg" may not be visible. | Rename the file so it has a single dot, for example photo.jpg. FileLivo keeps the start of the original name and adds a suffix such as "-crop-image", so a dot already in the name stays. |
| "Some problem with the format is detected" | Not documented. Check that the file really is a JPEG (not a PNG, WebP or HEIC renamed to .jpg), that it is square and 200–900 px, and that it is under 200 KB. | Fix whichever check fails. Re-saving the picture as a new JPG with Convert Image (Output format: JPG), or through the crop and resize steps above, is also worth a try. |
| Photo not accepted because it is not square | Height and width must be equal | Crop with the 1:1 preset, then resize with Keep aspect ratio ticked, and check the result is exactly square, for example 600 × 600. |
| File too large | Over 200 KB | Resize into the 200–900 px range first, then compress to 190 KB. |
| Photo too small | Under 200 × 200 px, often an image saved from a messaging app | Start again from the original photo. Enlarging a small image makes it blurry. |
| Signature will not upload | Format, size or file name, as for the photo. The FAQ gives no signature dimensions. | Check it is a real JPEG under 200 KB with one extension, and read the form’s message for any dimension limit. |
| Photo rejected after submission, including on a renewal | The FAQ says photos that do not meet its standards will be rejected and may delay processing. | Compare the photo with the FAQ: square, face about 80%, plain light background that is not white, no border, full face in the middle. Retake it if needed; FileLivo cannot fix a background or pose. |
Before you submit
- The photo is a real JPEG file with a single extension, such as photo.jpg.
- Height and width are equal and between 200 and 900 px. On Windows, right-click the file and choose Properties > Details; on a Mac, use Get Info in Finder.
- The photo and the signature are each 200 KB or less.
- The background is plain and light but not white, there is no border, and the face fills about 80% of the photo.
- The signature is cropped close and is clear and readable.
- You kept the original photo in case you need to start again.
FileLivo is an independent tool and is not connected with the Government of India or the OCI services portal. It crops, resizes and compresses images in your browser and does not submit anything for you. For other countries’ photo sizes, see passport photo size in pixels by country.
Official sources
- OCI services FAQ, question 9: shape, pixel range, JPEG format and 200 KB limit for photo and signature (no date shown; checked 2026-10-30): ociservices.gov.in FAQ
- OCI services, “Requirement of photograph for OCI Registration”: 2 × 2 in size, head height, background, no retouching (no date shown; checked 2026-10-30): Photo specification sheet (PDF)
- Embassy of India, Santiago, step-by-step checklist for a fresh OCI application: lists up to 1500 × 1500 px and 500 KB (no date shown; checked 2026-10-30): indianembassysantiago.gov.in (PDF)