Will 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.

What 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%.

Do 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.

Can 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.

Photo standards

China Visa and Passport Photo 2026: Size 33×48 mm and COVA

Published Jun 17, 2026 · Updated Jun 17, 2026 · 4 хв read

Source: Visa for China (visaforchina.cn) — Photo requirements FAQ (офіційний центр прийому віз КНР) Verified Jun 17, 2026 Affects:

China

In short. 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.

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.

Related guides

Official sources

Questions

Will 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.
What 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%.
Do 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.
Can 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.