head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceBeijing Municipal People's Government (foreigner work permit service) and the State Council of China
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended China work permit photo size is 33 × 48 mm. Plain white background. Head occupies 70–80% of photo height. Neutral expression, clear lenses only, no glare. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 33 × 48 mmICAO 9303: 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 70–80% of photo height |
| Background | Plain white background. Make photo background white — China work permit → |
| Pose | Full face, looking directly into the camera, head and shoulders fully visible. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open and clearly visible. |
| Glasses | Eyes must be fully visible; no tinted lenses or strong reflections. See full rules → |
| Lighting | Shadows, overexposure, and reflections not permitted. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| Attire | Neutral clothing without uniform or distracting accessories. |
| File format | JPEG · sRGB / 24-bit |
| File size | min 40 KB · max 120 KB Compress photo to 100 KB — China work permit → |
| Millimetres | 33 × 48 mm |
|---|---|
| Centimetres | 3.3 × 4.8 cm |
| Inches | 1.3 × 1.89″ |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | 390 × 567 px |
| Pixels at 600 dpi | 780 × 1134 px |
A Chinese work permit needs a «bareheaded and full-faced photo of the applicant taken within the past six months» — the line is the same on the State Council guide and the Beijing government pages. For the online work permit system the electronic photo is a bareheaded picture taken recently, on a white background, frameless, with complete facial features, clear and «free of spots, flaws or ink defects», saved as a JPG of 40–120 KB, no smaller than 354 × 472 pixels and no larger than 420 × 560 pixels, in 24-bit true colour. Hats or headscarves are not recommended; if a religious one is necessary it must not cover the entire face. The print size is not given on the work-permit pages: the State Council guide names a 33 × 48 mm bareheaded colour ID photo on a white background for the visa extension and residence permit routes, with free on-site photography at the office.
The employer files the application online (the guide: «online applications submitted by the employers; local service centers for foreigners working in China»), and the passport must be valid for at least 6 months.
Examples and mistakes
A photo that will be accepted, next to the six most common reasons China work permit photos get rejected.
Typical reasons a photo is rejected under the rules Beijing Municipal People's Government (foreigner work permit service) and the State Council of China publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A photo that is not bareheaded and full-faced, or that has been taken more than six months before the application | Take a new bareheaded, full-faced photo within six months of the application. |
| A background that is not white, a frame or border, incomplete facial features, or spots, flaws or ink defects in the image | A white background without a frame, a clear image with the complete face and no marks. |
| A file that is not a JPG of 40–120 KB, or has fewer than 354 × 472 or more than 420 × 560 pixels, or is not 24-bit colour | Save a 24-bit colour JPG of 40–120 KB between 354 × 472 and 420 × 560 pixels. |
| A hat or headscarf worn without a religious reason, or one covering part of the face | Bare head; a religious covering only with the entire face uncovered. |
How to take it
Background: plain white
The tool puts in the required background. Stand half a metre from a plain light wall, face a window and shoot without flash — then there are no shadows on your face or on the wall.
Head: 70–80 % of the photo height
Camera at eye level, about a metre away; head and shoulders in the shot. The tool crops it to 33 × 48 mm.
Clear lenses only, no glare
If you wear glasses, check the shot: no glare on the lenses, eyes clearly visible.
Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open and clearly visible
Look straight into the lens with your head level; keep hair away from your eyes and eyebrows.
An ordinary selfie will do: we fix the background, light and framing ourselves — to this document's rules. The preview is free.
Head straightHold the phone at eye level and your head straightens by itself.
Face uncoveredMove your hair away so your eyes and eyebrows show.
No glare on glassesStand so that no light reflects in the lenses.Printing and submission
| 10 × 15 cm · 4 × 6″ | 9 (3 × 3) |
|---|---|
| A4 · 21 × 29.7 cm | 36 (6 × 6) |
Print at 100% scale, borderless, and turn off fit-to-page so each photo keeps its exact size.
A Chinese work permit for foreigners is applied for online by the employer in the work permit system, and the originals are then brought to the local service centre for foreigners working in China by appointment.
The foreigner work permit system and the service centre of the employer's city (Beijing: english.beijing.gov.cn, work permit)
JPG 40–120 KB, 354 × 472 to 420 × 560 px, white, frameless, within six months.
Authority page| Authority | Beijing Municipal People's Government (foreigner work permit service) and the State Council of China |
|---|---|
| Source | Foreign Investment Guide of the People's Republic of China (2024) |
| Verified |
Questions
A bareheaded, full-faced photo taken within the past six months, on a white background without a frame, clear and free of defects; the electronic file is a 24-bit colour JPG of 40–120 KB between 354 × 472 and 420 × 560 pixels; hats and headscarves are not recommended.
A JPG of 40–120 KB, no lower than 354 × 472 pixels and no higher than 420 × 560 pixels, in 24-bit true colour (Beijing government pages).
The work-permit pages give the electronic file rules; the State Council guide names 33 × 48 mm bareheaded colour ID photos on a white background for the visa extension and residence permit routes.
Hats and headscarves are not recommended; a religious covering is accepted only if it does not cover the entire face.
The recommended size for the China work permit photo is 33 × 48 mm. The head occupies 70–80% of the photo height.
Yes, if it was taken within the last six months and meets the size and background rules of the work permit. If not, take a new one.
Plain white background. A plain, evenly lit wall without shadows or pattern is enough — the tool sets the required background colour.
Most offices accept a photo taken within the last six months. Use one that shows how you look now.
No. For China work permit photos, wear ordinary clothes: no uniform or camouflage, nothing that hides your neck or shoulders. Religious head coverings are usually allowed if the face is fully visible.
We refund the payment in full. Email us within 14 days of purchase with your order number and the rejection notice from the China authority.
33 × 48 mm = 3.3 × 4.8 cm = 1.3 × 1.89 inches. At 300 dpi that is 390 × 567 pixels; at 600 dpi, 780 × 1134 pixels.
Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. The face must stay fully visible from chin to forehead and on both sides, with no shadow across it.