PAN card photo rules changed in a way many applicants and old studio price lists have not caught up with. On 1 April 2026, the Income Tax Department retired Form 49A (and the foreign-applicant Form 49AA) and introduced four new forms — 93, 94, 95 and 96 — under the Income-tax Rules, 2026. The pasted photo itself grew at the same time, from the old 3.5 × 2.5 cm to 4.5 × 3.5 cm. Individual applicants who already have Aadhaar can often skip a printed photo altogether through the free Instant e-PAN route.
Fast diagnosis
A common mistake is not realising Form 49A is gone: since 1 April 2026, new applications use Forms 93-96 and a larger 4.5 × 3.5 cm photo instead of the old 3.5 × 2.5 cm. For the photo itself, the next common causes are a background that is not plain white, and a signature or thumb impression placed incorrectly across the photo.
Individual applicants who already have Aadhaar linked to a working mobile number can get a free Instant e-PAN through the Income Tax Department's e-filing portal using Aadhaar and an OTP — no photo upload at all, since the card reuses the photo already on file with UIDAI. Ordering studio prints first is unnecessary for this route.
Form 49A and the foreign-applicant Form 49AA were retired on 1 April 2026 and replaced by Forms 93 (resident individuals), 94 (resident entities), 95 (foreign individuals, including OCI cardholders) and 96 (foreign entities). The pasted photo on these new forms is 4.5 × 3.5 cm, not the old 3.5 × 2.5 cm — a size still quoted by outdated guides and some studios.
The application instructions ask for two recent colour photographs with a white background. A cream, grey or patterned background is a common reason a photo is sent back.
The instructions explicitly say the photographs should not be stapled or clipped to the form. Affix them in the marked space only.
The applicant needs to sign, or give a left thumb impression, across the photo affixed on the left side of the form, so that part of the signature falls on the photo and part on the form itself. The photo on the right side of the form must stay clear, with no mark across it.
The application instructions warn that the clarity of the photo printed on the finished PAN card depends directly on the quality and clarity of the photograph affixed to the form — a soft or low-resolution print carries through to the card.
The instructions ask for two recent photographs. An old photo that no longer resembles the applicant is a common, avoidable reason a form is queried or sent back.
Since 1 April 2026, new applications use Forms 93, 94, 95 or 96 and a photo sized 4.5 × 3.5 cm with a white background. The older 3.5 × 2.5 cm size applied to Form 49A and Form 49AA, both of which were retired on that date and are no longer accepted for a new application.
No. A PAN already issued under the old Form 49A or Form 49AA stays valid — the new forms only apply to applications filed from 1 April 2026 onward. There is no need to reapply just because the form changed.
No. Instant e-PAN is issued through the Income Tax Department's e-filing portal to individual applicants who already have Aadhaar with a linked mobile number, using Aadhaar e-KYC and an OTP. It reuses the photo already on file with UIDAI, so there is no separate photo to upload.
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