Short answer: you upload a square 2×2 inch (51×51 mm) photo to the DS-160 form, and the Visa Application Centre (VAC) takes your photo and fingerprints again before the interview (U.S. Embassy & Consulates in India: nonimmigrant visas). Bring one printed photo only if the upload fails.
Read on the official pages below on 4 November 2026. Visa rules change, so check the official page before you apply.
How it works from India
- Fill in the DS-160 online and upload your photo. If the upload fails, bring one printed photo in the same format (U.S. Embassy & Consulates in India: nonimmigrant visas).
- The photo must be in colour, square, on a plain white or off-white background, without glasses, and taken in the last 6 months (travel.state.gov: visa photo requirements).
- Book two appointments: the VAC for your photo and fingerprints, then the interview at the Embassy or Consulate (U.S. Embassy & Consulates in India: nonimmigrant visas).
- For an immigrant visa, bring two 5×5 cm colour photos to the interview as well (travel.state.gov: immigrant visa steps at the U.S. Consulate General Mumbai).
Or make it at home. Picproved costs ₹199 for 3 photos (free while we launch) for one person's photo in every size you need, and it checks the size, background, head size and face rules before you save. The office still makes the final decision. Make your United States Visa (DS-160) photo
Questions
- Is the US visa photo the same as the Indian passport photo?
- No. The US visa photo is square, 2×2 inches, on white or off-white. The Indian passport photo is a different shape, so make a separate square photo.
- Can I wear glasses in my US visa photo?
- No. The State Department doesn't accept glasses in visa photos except in rare medical cases with a signed statement.
- Do children need a US visa photo from India?
- Yes. Every applicant, including a baby, needs their own photo on their own DS-160.
Visa photos for Indians: other countries
Indian passport photo · OCI photo · All Indian documents
