---
title: "China Visa Photo Maker"
description: "Make a China visa photo online, free. Automatic 33×48 mm crop, pure white background, and instant requirement checks. Print it or upload it straight to COVA. Your photo never leaves your device."
url: "https://www.lyriktrip.com/en-GB/tools/china-visa-photo"
type: "tool"
---

# China visa photo, done right.

Turn any photo into an official 33×48 mm China visa photo with a pure white background, checked against every requirement. Free, no signup, and your photo never leaves your device.

Upload a photo: https://www.lyriktrip.com/en-GB/tools/china-visa-photo

## What this tool checks

- Photo size 33×48 mm; head height 28–33 mm; head top 3–5 mm from the top edge; chin at least 7 mm from the bottom edge.
- Head pose: facing the camera, turn within 20°, tilt within 25°; small sideways tilts are straightened automatically.
- Eyes open, lips closed naturally, plain white background with no shadows.
- Two ready-to-use exports: a 300 DPI print file for photo labs and a 40–120 KB JPEG sized for the COVA online visa application.

Requirements the tool cannot verify — recency (taken within 6 months), visible ears, religious headwear rules, and glossy photo paper for prints — are flagged for manual review in the report. Photo requirements are set by Chinese consulates and may vary by location; always follow your consulate's instructions if they differ.

## Official China visa photo requirements

Chinese Visa Application Service Center · effective 1 December 2016

1. A colour photo taken within the last 6 months.
2. Photo size 48×33 mm (48 mm high, 33 mm wide). Head width 21 to 24 mm, head height 28 to 33 mm, as shown in the diagram.
3. Easy to identify: face the camera straight on with eyes open, lips closed, both ears visible and a natural expression. Head turned no more than 20° sideways and no more than 25° up or down.
4. Facial features complete, clear and centred. No thick-framed, tinted or reflective glasses, and no hats, headscarves or other accessories. Headwear worn for religious reasons must not cover the face.
5. No light bleed or shadows, moderate brightness, natural skin tone, no red-eye and no visible distortion.
6. No borders. The background must be white or near white; everyday photos with scenery in the background are not accepted.
7. Prints must be on glossy photo paper, not textured or plain paper, and free of stains, scratches and creases.

Photos that do not meet these requirements may cause the visa application to be refused. Source: [Chinese Visa Application Service Center](https://www.visaforchina.cn/CBR3_ZH/qianzhengyewu/jichuzhishi/changjianwenti/226925147624443904.html)

## Frequently asked questions

### What size is a China visa photo?

The printed photo is 33 mm wide and 48 mm high, with the head 28–33 mm tall and 3–5 mm of space above it. For the COVA online application the digital file must be a JPEG between 354–420 px wide and 472–560 px high, 40–120 KB in size. This tool produces both files at exactly those specifications.

### Can I use a photo taken with my phone?

Yes. Stand in front of a plain wall in even light, face the camera straight on with a neutral expression, and leave room above your head and below your shoulders. The tool straightens small tilts, replaces the background and crops to size, but it cannot fix a head that is turned or tilted too far — retake instead.

### Is my photo uploaded anywhere?

No. Face detection, background removal and cropping all run inside your browser using models downloaded to your device. Your photo is never sent to our servers or to any third party.

### Can I wear glasses in a China visa photo?

The official rules exclude thick-framed, tinted or reflective glasses, and hats or headscarves except religious headwear that leaves the face fully visible. The safest choice is to remove glasses for the photo.

### Why does the first use download about 16 MB?

Because everything runs on your device, the browser has to fetch the face-landmark, segmentation and portrait-matting models once. They are cached afterwards, so later photos process in a few seconds with no further download.

### What do I do with the two files?

Take the print file to any photo lab and ask for a 33×48 mm print on glossy paper for paper applications. Upload the digital file when the COVA online form asks for your photo. Keep the same photo for both so the application and the printed copy match.