Independent guide to official photo rules

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China Visa Photo Requirements in Australia

Australians can visit China visa-free for up to 30 days until the end of 2026. For longer stays, the visa photo is 33 × 48 mm on a white background.

Based on official sources · last checked

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Quick answer

What size is a China visa photo in Australia?

A China visa photo is 48 mm high by 33 mm wide, with the head 28–33 mm high, in colour on a white or near-white background, taken within 6 months. Uploads to the China Online Visa Processing System are JPEGs of 40–120 KB. Australians can visit China visa-free for up to 30 days until 31 December 2026.

Australian passport holders can enter China visa-free for up to 30 days for business, tourism, family visits, exchanges or transit, under a rule that runs until 31 December 2026. Longer stays and other purposes need a visa. The China visa photo is 48 mm high by 33 mm wide, with the head 28–33 mm high, in colour on a white or near-white background, taken within the last 6 months.

China visa photo size and requirements

Print size 48 mm high × 33 mm wide
Head size 28–33 mm high, 15–22 mm wide
Background White or near-white
Colour Colour photo on glossy paper
Photo age Taken within the last 6 months
Pose Full face, looking at the camera
Glasses Ordinary glasses only: no thick frames, tinted lenses or glare
Online upload JPEG, 40–120 KB, up to 354 × 472 pixels

Make China visa photo

The visa centre's own pages differ on glasses: one allows ordinary glasses, another says no glasses. Take them off to be safe. Some Chinese embassy pages, and the COVA requirement sheet below, also accept uploads up to 420 × 560 pixels; follow the limit the online form shows you.

COVA photo requirements: a digital photo template 354–420 pixels wide and 472–560 pixels high with the face 191–251 pixels wide and the eye line at least 256 pixels above the bottom edge; a 33 × 48 mm paper photo template with the head 15–22 mm wide and 28–33 mm high, 3–5 mm above the crown and at least 7 mm below the chin; and the general requirements for template, dimensions, colour space, JPEG compression and 40–120 KB file size, face, head coverings, photo quality, head size and position, background and borders, and a photo taken within 6 months
COVA's photo requirement sheet: the digital and paper photo templates and the general rules Image: China Online Visa Application (COVA), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China · View the original

Visa-free entry ends 31 December 2026

The 30-day visa-free rule for Australians runs until 24:00 on 31 December 2026. China extended an earlier version of the scheme, but no extension into 2027 had been announced when we checked. Confirm with the Chinese Embassy before travelling in 2027.

Applying for a China visa in Australia

Since 15 September 2025, applicants fill in the online China Online Visa Processing System form, upload their photo, then lodge the application at a Chinese Visa Application Service Center:

  • Sydney (Level 16, 59 Goulburn Street) for NSW, the ACT, Queensland and the NT
  • Melbourne (570 St Kilda Road) for Victoria, Tasmania, WA and SA

The Canberra, Perth and Brisbane centres have closed.

How to get your China visa photo right

  1. Check what your trip needs. Read the guide above to see whether your China trip needs a visa or travel authorisation, and whether that application asks for a photo.
  2. Take a new photo. Take a recent photo facing the camera in even light, on a white or near-white background, no more than 6 months old, ideally with someone else holding the camera. Compare it with the sample photos on this page.
  3. Crop it to the China size. Crop without stretching or editing, to match the requirements table. Photo size: 33 × 48 mm; Digital / submission: Upload to the online visa form; File: JPEG, 40–120 KB.
  4. Apply through the official channel. Upload or attach the photo as the official website, app, embassy or visa centre asks. Its current checklist takes priority over this guide.

Sample photos

Correct photo example
Correct
Rejected photo example: coloured background
Coloured background
Rejected photo example: tinted glasses
Tinted glasses
Rejected photo example: head too small
Head too small

Samples show pose, lighting and background. Crop your own photo to the China visa size.

China visa photo FAQ

48 mm high by 33 mm wide, with the head 28–33 mm high, in colour on a white or near-white background.

Not for stays of up to 30 days for business, tourism, family visits, exchanges or transit, until 31 December 2026. Longer stays and other purposes need a visa.

Official pages differ, so remove them. If you keep them on, they must be ordinary glasses without thick frames, tint or glare.

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Official sources

Last checked . Requirements and fees can change, so always confirm with the issuing agency before you apply. This site is independent and not affiliated with any government agency.