China Visa Photo — 33×48 mm for COVA and Consulate

How Many Pixels and KB Is a China Visa Photo? COVA Rules (2026)

From 30 September 2025, China moved all visa applications to the COVA (China Online Visa Application) system. Every applicant must complete the online form and upload a photo BEFORE the CVASC (China Visa Application Service Center) appointment in Istanbul or Ankara. Digital photo: **JPEG ONLY** (PNG, HEIC, WebP, TIFF are rejected), file size between **40-120 KB**, resolution between **354-420 pixels wide × 472-560 pixels tall**. All three limits must fall inside their bands together — a 39 KB or 121 KB file fails the automated check.

Physical size is **33×48 mm portrait** — not square, so a US 51×51 mm or Schengen 35×45 mm photo is NOT accepted for China. Head height (chin to crown) 28-33 mm, head width (ear to ear) 15-22 mm — the head fills 70-80% of the frame. The colour profile must be RGB colour; black-and-white is rejected. Official Chinese consular photo requirements document: PRC Consular Department — Photo Requirements. The comparative list is in the full table of document photo sizes.

Why Are Bangs the #1 Rejection Reason for China Visas?

The top rejection reason for Chinese visa photos is not, as often assumed, the background or file size — it is **hair covering the forehead or eyebrows** (bangs / fringe). The Chinese standard is insistent on two lines: (1) "**both eyebrows must be fully visible**", (2) "**forehead must be fully visible**". Even side-swept bangs that clip just one eyebrow are enough for the COVA automated checker to reject. You must clear the forehead and eyebrows with a clip, hairband or gel.

The second most common rejection is **hair covering one or both ears**: both ears must be clearly visible, and even a partial ear is not accepted. Long-haired applicants must tuck hair behind both ears; the clip stays behind the head, out of frame. The third rejection is **glasses glare and frame shadows** — see the next section. These three physical rules set China apart from US and Schengen photos.

Are Glasses Allowed on a China Visa Photo?

The official PRC Consular Department document (2016 announcement, still in force) states clearly: "Eyeglasses are allowed except thick-rimmed, tinted or glare glasses" — thick-frame, tinted/coloured or reflective glasses are banned. Technically, **thin-framed, clear, non-glare prescription glasses ARE allowed**. But practice is different: since 2025 the automated COVA photo checker tends to return "Photo check failed" the moment it detects glasses — experienced application agents therefore recommend shooting without glasses.

Coloured contacts, sunglasses and tinted lenses are always rejected. **Jewellery** (necklaces, earrings, non-religious head coverings) is also not accepted — China is stricter here than Schengen and the US. Religious head coverings (hijab etc.) are accepted only with formal documentation and while the face contour remains fully visible. There is also a measurable head-angle rule: **≤20° horizontal tilt left/right, ≤25° vertical tilt up/down** — anything more triggers automatic rejection.

China vs Russia vs Schengen: How Do the Three Compare?

The table clarifies China's three distinctive rules: (1) the unique 33×48 mm size, (2) the strict bangs-forehead-ears policy, (3) the jewellery ban. A single burst is not enough for all three countries; each needs its own crop and optimisation. See the 35×45 mm size guide for the general background of the comparison.

For long-haired applicants, a practical tip: for China, use clips before the shoot to expose both ears and push bangs back off the forehead. If a Schengen or US application happens the same day, "two different poses" are not needed; the China-friendly pose (hair pinned back) works in both other countries — Schengen and the US are more relaxed, so the stricter China rule dominates.

What to Do If COVA Shows "Photo Check Failed"?

The automated COVA photo check that has been running since September 2025 is known to **often reject compliant photos**. The most common hidden causes: (1) a small trace of bangs on one corner of the forehead, (2) a hair strand covering one ear, (3) an imperceptible sideways head turn, (4) a soft shadow behind the head that the algorithm reads as "face obstruction". As a workaround, many application centres allow the application to continue with a compliant photo even after "Photo check failed" — the human consular officer can then manually review and accept the photo.

vesikalik.com.tr's "China mode" analysis report scores the measurable items COVA checks: pure white background (#FFFFFF comparison), head-height band, ear visibility, bangs-forehead clearance, lens glare, file size, pixel resolution and colour profile. Green results show that the file meets those measurable COVA rules; they do not guarantee portal or consular acceptance. From the same source selfie, additional versions can be produced for Russia visa or US visa — each country receives its own JPEG within its size and file limits. The full country breakdown is in the visa photo sizes by country guide.