# India PAN Card Photo Maker, 35x45 mm

Country: India

Document: PAN Card

Page language: en

Page: [India PAN Card Photo Maker, 35x45 mm](https://onedollarpassportphoto.com/in/panCard/)

Requirements last verified: 2026-04-18

## Photo specifications

These are document-specific values from the page data. Printed and digital requirements may apply to different application routes; consult the guide and sources below.

| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Photo dimensions | 35 × 45 mm |
| Photo paper | Glossy or matte |
| Digital pixel dimensions | 413 × 531 px (see guide/source for applicability and minimum vs exact sizing) |
| Digital file format | JPEG |
| Maximum digital file size | 50 KB |
| Photo age | Taken within 6 months |

## Appearance and composition

- Background: Plain white background
- Head size: Face should occupy ~70-80% of the photo
- Glasses: Permitted; check the source for restrictions.
- Even lighting; no harsh shadows.
- Filters, beauty modes and retouching are forbidden.
- Color photo.
- Head coverings are permitted for religious reasons; check the source for conditions.
- Uniforms are restricted; check the source for exceptions.
- No earphones or wireless devices.

## Common rejection reasons

- Wrong dimensions — Current 2026 paper form (Form 93) expects 4.5×3.5 cm (35×45mm portrait). Older channels use 3.5×2.5 cm — check which form your channel uses

- Wrong orientation — The photo is portrait (height greater than width). The PAN card itself is landscape like a credit card, but the photo printed on it is portrait

- Non-white background — Background must be plain white; patterns and coloured backgrounds cause rejection

- Wrong file format — Must be JPEG (.jpg) only

- File size too large — Legacy Protean DSC upload caps photo at 20KB and signature at 10KB. UTIITSL caps at ~30KB. The 2026 paper form does not publish a file-size limit

- Missing signature image — Current paper form and legacy upload channels all require a separate signature alongside the photo

## Source for the document requirements

[Source linked by the document page](https://www.incometaxindia.gov.in/documents/d/guest/annex-a-pan-form)

The complete guide below includes additional sources and application-specific qualifications when available.

## Create a photo with One Dollar Passport Photo

The service sizes, crops and checks a photo for the selected document. Its output settings are service choices, not additional government requirements.

- Digital photo download: $1 USD.
- Print-ready sheet download: $5 USD. Printing is separate.
- Optional human expert review: +$4.99 USD.

[Open the photo tool](https://onedollarpassportphoto.com/in/panCard/)

Complete Guide

## PAN card photo: the 2026 size rule and how to get it right

The PAN card photo size changed in 2026 — and the photo is portrait while the card is landscape. What the current spec is, and how to produce a compliant photo.

Written by

Jake

Community & Writing, One Dollar Passport Photo

Reviewed by

Lisa

Expert Reviewer, One Dollar Passport Photo

Fact-checked & verified

May 17, 2026

## The official requirements

The PAN card photo rule changed in 2026, and the current spec catches people out:

-   **Size:** 35×45 mm (4.5 cm tall × 3.5 cm wide) — **portrait**, the same physical size as an Indian passport photo, under the Income-tax Rules, 2026
-   **Orientation:** portrait — taller than it is wide
-   **Background:** plain white
-   **Head size:** face fills roughly 70–80% of the photo
-   **File:** JPEG (.jpg) only
-   **Expression:** neutral, mouth closed, both eyes open
-   **Glasses:** allowed, with no glare
-   **Recency:** taken within the last 6 months

Two things trip people up. First, **the current 2026 paper form (Form 93) expects 4.5×3.5 cm** — older channels used the smaller 3.5×2.5 cm, so check which form your channel uses. Second, the photo is portrait _even though the PAN card itself is landscape_ like a credit card.

## How to take a compliant photo

The capture is standard; the size and a separate signature are the PAN-specific points:

1.  Stand 6–8 feet in front of a plain white wall, far enough out to cast no shadow.
2.  Light yourself evenly from the front.
3.  Have someone else take the shot, looking straight at the camera.
4.  Crop to the **portrait 35×45 mm** frame — not landscape, not square — with the face filling 70–80%.
5.  Save as a JPEG. Most PAN channels also need a **separate signature image**, so prepare that alongside the photo.

## Why photos get rejected

PAN application channels reject a predictable set of problems. Each one, and the fix:

-   **Wrong dimensions** — the 2026 paper form expects 4.5×3.5 cm; older channels use 3.5×2.5 cm. Match your form.
-   **Wrong orientation** — the photo is portrait. A landscape photo, copying the card’s shape, is rejected.
-   **Background not plain white** — patterns and coloured backgrounds fail.
-   **Wrong file format** — must be JPEG (.jpg).
-   **File too large for legacy upload** — the older Protean DSC channel caps the photo at 20 KB and UTIITSL at ~30 KB. The 2026 paper form publishes no size cap, but legacy upload channels are strict.
-   **Missing signature image** — every PAN channel needs a separate signature alongside the photo.

## What to wear (and not wear)

There is no formal dress code, but a few choices reliably cause trouble.

**Avoid:** hats and non-religious head coverings, headphones, and a white or very pale top that blends into the background. Glasses are permitted — remove them if they cause glare.

**Fine:** ordinary everyday clothing in a solid darker color, light everyday makeup, and religious head coverings worn daily with the full face visible.

## Where to get your photo

You can get a PAN card photo from a studio or produce one yourself:

| Where | Cost | Correct portrait sizing | Digital file | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Local photo studio | varies locally | Usually — ask for PAN/passport size | Often | Confirm 4.5×3.5 cm portrait |
| Online tool (this site) | $1.00 | Yes — exact 35×45 mm portrait crop | Yes — JPEG | Set the file small for legacy uploads |

A studio that does passport photos produces the right physical size, since PAN now matches the passport photo dimension. For an online PAN application you need the JPEG — and for the legacy upload channels, a small one. Whichever you use, confirm the photo is portrait and that you also have a signature image.

## Submitting your photo

**Paper application (Form 49A / Form 93)** — You affix two printed 4.5×3.5 cm portrait photos to the form and sign across one of them.

**Online application (Protean/NSDL or UTIITSL)** — You upload the photo and a separate signature as JPEG files. The legacy DSC-based channel caps the photo at 20 KB and the signature at 10 KB; UTIITSL caps the photo at about 30 KB. Compress the files to fit before uploading.

### Sources & References

This guide is fact-checked against official government publications and updated regularly to reflect the latest requirements.

1.  \[1\]
    
    [Income Tax Department of India — PAN application form (Annexure A)](https://www.incometaxindia.gov.in/documents/d/guest/annex-a-pan-form)
    
    incometaxindia.gov.in