PAN Card Photo & Signature Size Requirements (2026)

PAN Card Photo & Signature Size Requirements (2026)

PAN card applications have strict photo and signature size requirements. Uploading the wrong dimensions or file size leads to rejections. This guide covers the exact specifications from Protean (TIN-NSDL) and how to resize your photos to match.

PAN Card Photo Requirements

Per the Protean Form 49A Instructions:

  • Dimensions: 2.5 cm wide × 3.5 cm tall (portrait orientation)
  • Minimum resolution: 200 DPI
  • File size: Maximum 20 KB
  • Format: JPEG
  • Background: White

Note: At 200 DPI, 2.5×3.5 cm equals approximately 197×276 pixels.

PAN Card Signature Requirements

Per the Protean Form 49A Instructions:

  • Dimensions: 2 cm tall × 4.5 cm wide (landscape orientation)
  • Minimum resolution: 200 DPI
  • File size: Maximum 10 KB
  • Background: White
  • Ink color: Black or dark blue

Note: At 200 DPI, 4.5×2 cm equals approximately 354×157 pixels.

Resize for PAN Card

Select "PAN Photo (2.5×3.5 cm)" or "PAN Signature (4.5×2 cm)" preset at 200 DPI.

Open Image Compressor

Aadhaar Photo Requirements

Aadhaar enrollment and update requirements vary. Check UIDAI official website or your enrollment center for current specifications.

  • Photo: Recent photograph, typically passport-style
  • File size: Check your specific update portal
  • Background: Plain white or light background

Note: For in-person enrollment, photos are captured at the center. Online update portals have specific requirements listed on the upload page.

How to Resize Your Photo

  1. Open the Image Compressor.
  2. Upload your photo.
  3. Enable "Resize" and select the appropriate preset:
    • "PAN Photo (2.5×3.5 cm, 200 DPI)" for PAN applications — gives 197×276 px
    • "PAN Signature (4.5×2 cm, 200 DPI)" for PAN signature — gives 354×157 px
  4. Set target size to 20 KB for photo or 10 KB for signature.
  5. Download and upload to the Protean portal.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Wrong aspect ratio: PAN photo is 5:7 (width:height). Don't use passport photos (7:9) directly.
  • File too large: Phone photos are often 3–5 MB. Must compress to under 20 KB.
  • Wrong format: Use JPG, not PNG or HEIC.
  • Wrong orientation: Photo is portrait (tall); signature is landscape (wide).

Signature Tips

  • Sign on plain white paper with a black pen.
  • Take a photo in good lighting, avoiding shadows.
  • Crop tightly around the signature.
  • Use the "PAN Signature (4.5×2 cm, 200 DPI)" preset.
  • Compress to under 10 KB as required by Protean.

PAN Signature at 200 DPI

4.5×2 cm (354×157 px), compressed to max 10 KB per Protean spec.

Open Image Compressor

Remove Location Data

Photos from phones include GPS coordinates in EXIF metadata. Before uploading to government portals, strip this data with the EXIF/GPS Remover.

All Processing Stays Local

FlashKit never uploads your photos to any server. Resizing and compression happen in your browser. Your ID photos remain private.

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