OCI photo refused? Find out why

Free check for a refused OCI photo (OCI (ociservices.gov.in)): it reads the file and names the cause, such as a renamed iPhone photo, a progressive JPG, two file endings or the wrong KB, then saves a fixed copy as a JPG under 200 KB. Nothing is uploaded.

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OCI photo refused? Find out why

Choose the file the portal refused. The upload doctor reads it and names each problem, then saves a fixed copy that meets the OCI (ociservices.gov.in) rule. Free, and nothing is uploaded.

PortalOCI (ociservices.gov.in)
FileJPG, under 200 KB
RuleSquare JPEG, 200 to 900 pixels, under 200 KB. Official documents give 30 KB, 200 KB or 1 MB and up to 900 or 3500 pixels (all from 200); 900 pixels and 200 KB meet the stricter readings.
StatusOfficial documents disagree; this target meets all of them

Sources, checked 24 Oct 2026: Embassy of India, Washington: OCI FAQ; VFS Global USA: OCI sample form; Embassy of India, The Hague: OCI checklist.

Common causes

An iPhone photo renamed to .jpg
iPhones save HEIC files. Renaming one to .jpg doesn't change what's inside, and portals read the inside.
A progressive JPG
Some portals read only plain (baseline) JPGs and call anything else a format error, even when size and KB are right.
Two file endings
Names like photo.jpg.jpg or scan.pdf.pdf are refused as "more than one extension".
Print colours (CMYK)
Scanners and design apps sometimes save CMYK; portals expect ordinary RGB.
A turn flag instead of a real turn
Phones often mark a photo to be turned rather than turning it; portals that ignore the mark see it sideways.
Wrong pixels, shape or KB
Over the maximum, under a minimum, or the wrong shape for the form.

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Questions

Why was my oci photo refused?
Usually the file, not what's in it. OCI (ociservices.gov.in) wants: Square JPEG, 200 to 900 pixels, under 200 KB. Official documents give 30 KB, 200 KB or 1 MB and up to 900 or 3500 pixels (all from 200); 900 pixels and 200 KB meet the stricter readings. The doctor reads your file and names the cause.
Can it fix the file?
Yes, when the photo already has the right shape: it saves a plain JPG at the right pixels and KB with one file ending. A photo with the wrong shape goes to the editor, which crops it around the face.
Is my file uploaded?
No. It is read in your browser and never leaves your device.