India OCI photo requirements

India OCI photo requirements, in plain English

India's OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) registration photo follows ISO/ICAO travel-document conventions: a full frontal face, eyes open and level, head centred in the frame. Every rule below comes straight from India's official OCI services photo specification.

Size, head height, and position

The photo must be a 2×2 inch (51×51 mm) square, in colour. It should present the full head from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin, with the head height measuring 1 to 1‑3⁄8 inches (25–35 mm), and the head centred within the frame. Both edges of the face must be clearly shown, and the photo must have a clear, continuous-tone quality.

Expression

The expression on the face should look natural. The spec does not grant a smiling allowance, so a relaxed, natural neutral expression is the safe choice. For children and infants, a neutral expression with the mouth closed is required.

Glasses — clear lenses only, no glare

Unlike some countries, OCI permits ordinary prescription eyeglasses. The rules are about clarity, not removal:

• No tinted or dark glasses (no sunglasses).
• Avoid glare on the lenses — a slight upward or downward tilt of the head

helps eliminate flash reflection.

• The eyes must not be covered by the eyeglass frames.

Head coverings and hats

Head coverings are not permitted except for religious reasons. When a religious covering is worn, the facial features from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead and both edges of the face must be clearly shown, with no shadows across the face. A non-religious hat or cap must be removed.

Lighting, shadows, and exposure

Use even, balanced lighting — three-point, with diffuse sources such as umbrella lights preferred over point sources — so the facial features are clearly evident. There must be no distracting shadows on the face or background, and the background behind the head must be properly illuminated. Avoid over- or under-exposure, and ensure colour reproduces natural skin tones.

Background

A plain, light-coloured background — explicitly not required to be pure white. Snapassport standardizes your background to the exact compliant colour automatically, so a slightly off-colour or busy wall is corrected for you.

Eyes, gaze, and obstruction

The head should face the camera directly and must not be tilted or turned into a portrait-style angle. The eyes must be open, level and clearly visible, and must not be covered by hair or eyeglass frames.

Children and infants

The OCI spec relaxes some rules for the youngest applicants:

• Babies under one year do not have to have their eyes open.
• For children under ten, the height of the face and the position of the

eyes can be relaxed; for babies and infants, the position of the face, the facial expression, the eyes and the line of sight can also be relaxed.

• A frontal photograph with clarity is still required, showing the **child

alone (no chair backs, toys or other people visible), looking at the camera with a neutral expression and the mouth closed**.

Print and format

Print on thin photo paper or stock with a clear, continuous-tone quality. Do not retouch, enhance, or soften the photo. Both conventional and digital photography (and printing) are acceptable; digital photos should be high- quality colour, free of visible pixels or dot patterns.