The OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) online application asks you to upload a photo and a signature. According to Indian missions, photos and signatures that don't meet the rules are among the most common reasons OCI applications are sent back.
Photo requirements
| Rule | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Shape | Square (1:1) |
| Size | From 200 × 200 to 1500 × 1500 pixels |
| File | JPG or JPEG, up to 500 KB |
| Printed photo | At least 51 × 51 mm (2 × 2 inch) |
| Face | About 80% of the frame, centred |
| Background | Plain and light-coloured, with no border |
The OCI photo maker creates a 600 × 600 JPEG under 500 KB. Drag and zoom so your face fills most of the square.
Signature requirements
| Rule | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Shape | 3 times as wide as it is tall (3:1) |
| Size | From 200 × 67 to 1500 × 500 pixels |
| File | JPG or JPEG, up to 500 KB |
| Ink | Blue or black, inside the signature box |
Sign on plain white paper, take a photo of it, then open the signature maker, choose Upload photo and the size 600 × 200 px, and download the JPG. The signature must match the one on your printed form and in your passport.
Common reasons for rejection
- Photo isn't square, or the face is too small.
- Shadows on the background or across the face.
- Signature cropped too tightly, or in the wrong shape.
- Signature that doesn't match the passport.
Each Indian embassy or consulate publishes its own OCI instructions, and some add rules for the printed photos. Check the page of the mission handling your application.