ChinaChina Visa and Passport Photo 2026: Size 33×48 mm and COVA
A China visa photo has an atypical size of 33×48 mm (not ICAO 35×45) with a white or near-white background and a head height of 28–33 mm. For online submission via the COVA portal, upload a JPEG roughly 354–420 px wide × 472–560 px tall, 40–120 KB.
Key points
5 points- Printed size — 33×48 mm: this is China's own standard, not the usual ICAO 35×45 mm. An ordinary "passport" photo will not do.
- Head in the photo: height 28–33 mm and width 15–22 mm (about 58–69% of the frame height, not 70–80%); face centred, both ears visible.
- Digital photo for the COVA portal: colour JPEG, roughly 354–420 px wide × 472–560 px tall, file 40–120 KB.
- The background is officially white or near-white, with no border or shadows; in practice the COVA portal accepts clean white best.
- If the upload to COVA does not go through, continue filling in the rest and take a printed 33×48 mm photo to the CVASC centre; just in case, prepare one paper copy.
Short answer
China has its own, atypical photo size — 33×48 mm (not ICAO 35×45 mm). The background must be white or near-white, without a border. For the online form on the COVA portal (cova.mfa.gov.cn) the system will crop and check your photo itself; the approximate file parameters are a colour JPEG, ~354–420 px wide × 472–560 px tall, 40–120 KB.
Exact requirements
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Printed size | 33 × 48 mm |
| Colour | colour photo |
| Head height (chin–crown) | 28–33 mm (~58–69% of the frame) |
| Head width | 15–22 mm |
| Head tilt | ≤20° sideways, ≤25° up/down |
| Background | white or near-white, no border |
| Digital format (COVA) | JPEG |
| Width × height (COVA) | ~354–420 px × 472–560 px |
| File size (COVA) | 40–120 KB |
| Glasses | allowed, except thick frames, tinted and with glare |
| Recency | taken within the last 6 months |
Print versus digital: two different stages
Do not confuse the two stages. A digital photo is needed to upload into the COVA online form — the portal has cropping tools and checks compliance itself. A printed 33×48 mm photo is a separate paper shot on glossy photo paper.
According to the official instructions of the PRC embassy and consulates: if the photo check in COVA does not pass after several attempts, you can continue filling in the other sections, but then be sure to take a standard paper photo when submitting your passport at the CVASC centre. Some centres do not require a paper photo if the online upload was successful, so just in case prepare one printed copy of 33×48 mm.
Background
The official requirement is a white or near-white background with no border and no shadows behind the head. Cream, grey and bluish tones often cause a check error in COVA, so it is safer to use a clean white background.
Composition
- Face full front, neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open.
- Both ears visible — move your hair aside; a fringe must not cover the forehead and eyebrows.
- Head centred, tilt ≤20° sideways and ≤25° up/down.
- No headwear (except religious, and it must not cover the facial features).
Common reasons for COVA rejection
- Wrong format — JPEG is required; HEIC and other formats are best converted.
- Wrong file size — a photo from a phone (several MB) is too large; an over-compressed one is too small. Stay within 40–120 KB.
- Wrong resolution — outside the approximate range of ~354–420 × 472–560 px.
- Background not white — grey, cream or bluish tone, shadows behind the head.
- Face position — head not centred, tilt, fringe on the eyebrows, ears not visible.
06Questions
4 answers01Will an ordinary 35×45 mm passport photo work for a China visa?
No. China uses its own size of 33×48 mm, which differs from the ICAO standard of 35×45 mm. A photo of a different size will be rejected.
02What size should the head be in the photo?
Head height (from chin to crown) is 28–33 mm, width is 15–22 mm. On a 48 mm tall frame this is about 58–69% of the height, not 70–80%.
03Do I need a printed photo if I have already uploaded a photo to COVA?
It depends on the centre. Officially: if the online check does not pass, be sure to take a paper 33×48 mm photo to the CVASC centre. Even with a successful upload, it is worth having one printed copy in reserve.
04Can I be photographed wearing glasses?
Yes, glasses are allowed — but not with thick frames, not tinted and without glare, and the eyes must be fully visible. Otherwise this is a common reason for rejection.
07Official sources
- Visa for China (visaforchina.cn) — Photo requirements FAQ (офіційний центр прийому віз КНР)
visaforchina.cn - Embassy of the PRC in the USA — Guidelines for China Online Visa Application (COVA)
us.china-embassy.gov.cn - Consulate-General of the PRC in New York — Guidelines for China Online Visa Application
newyork.china-consulate.gov.cn - COVA — офіційний портал онлайн-подачі (cova.mfa.gov.cn)
cova.mfa.gov.cn
Author: Yevhen Kravchenko. Published . Checked against official sources on .
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