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OCI card photo for your baby.

Free photo check

Some authorities relax the rules for young children, so the age decides which rules apply.

Without an age we apply the strictest rules.

A frame in the document's proportions, with the eye line where the rules put it and the head outline at typical proportions.

Any photo of your child, straight on. It is resized on your device, measured on our servers, and not kept.

What we check here

Head height
50%–68.6% required
Eye line
56%–68.6% required
Head pose
facing the camera
Gaze and eyes
at the camera
  • Face centred in the frame
  • Even light on the face
  • Too dark or too bright
  • Sharpness
  • Background: colour, shadows, creases

What we don't check here

  • Other objects in the frame
  • Print format

The app checks these when you shoot.

An OCI card photo is 51 × 51 mm, with the head 25.5–35 mm from chin to crown, on a plain white, off-white, or light grey background. Under 1, eyes may be closed. It can be uploaded online or handed in as a print. Official source: OCI Services, Government of India.

What this document requires

All documents
Print size
51×51 mm
Submission
Upload or print
Background
  • White recommended
  • Off-white
  • Light grey

We don't replace the background — shoot on one of these.

Official source

Each row links to the authority's own page. TotShot is independent of every authority listed.

Rules for babies and children

Under 1 year

  • Eyes may be closed

At every age

  • Looking straight at the camera
  • Neutral expression
  • Mouth closed
  • Head 25.5–35 mm from chin to crown
  • Some leeway is allowed for young children, but no figure is given, so the photo is checked against the adult size.
  • Alone in the photo
  • No hands, arms or supports in the frame
  • No dummy, bottle or toys
  • Taken in the last 6 months

How to take an OCI card photo at home

Read the full guide

  1. Spread a smooth, plain white, off-white, or light grey sheet on the floor or a firm bed, close to a window with soft daylight — no flash, no overhead light.

  2. Lay your baby on their back and shoot from directly above, phone parallel to the floor, so the photo reads as a straight-on portrait with no shadow on the sheet. Keep every hand out of the frame.

  3. Check the photo before you print: TotShot measures the head, eye line, pose and background against the OCI card rules.

Questions parents ask

Can my baby's eyes be closed in an OCI card photo?

Yes, under 1. After that, the eyes must be open.

What size is an OCI card photo?

51 × 51 mm, with the head 25.5–35 mm from chin to crown.

Can I take an OCI card photo of my baby at home?

Yes. A photo you take yourself is accepted as long as it meets every rule — the final decision is always the authority's. It can be uploaded online or handed in as a print.

Can I hold my baby for the photo?

Not in the frame — no hands, arms or supports may show. Lay your baby on a plain sheet and shoot from above instead: holding a baby up pushes the shoulders up and tilts the head, and a hand that slips into the frame gets the photo refused.

Does my baby have to look at the camera?

Yes, at every age. A baby's glance lasts about half a second, which is why TotShot plays a sound to catch it and takes the shot itself.

What background does an OCI card photo need?

Plain white, off-white, or light grey, evenly lit, with no shadows, creases or pattern. White is the safest choice. TotShot doesn't replace backgrounds — authorities refuse a photo whose background was replaced — so shoot on a sheet of the right colour.

Final acceptance is always the authority's decision.