Skip to main content

India Passport

Passport Signature Requirements — India

Size, format, and ink rules for Indian passport applications via Passport Seva. Create a compliant signature image — browser-only, no signup.

Browser-only · never uploadedNo signup requiredFree — no watermarks ever

Passport Seva signature specifications

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) processes passport applications through the Passport Seva portal (passportindia.gov.in). For the digital signature upload, the requirements are:

  • Dimensions: 2 cm (height) × 4.5 cm (width)
  • File format: JPEG only
  • File size: 10 KB – 50 KB
  • Background: plain white
  • Ink colour: black or dark blue ballpoint pen

Last verified against Passport Seva guidelines, May 2026. Always confirm with the official portal before submitting — requirements do change.

Why you need your actual handwriting

Indian passport applications require your physical, hand-drawn signature — not a typed font, not a stylized image. The signature on the digital upload must match the one you put on paper at the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK). Staff compare them. If they don't match, you get sent back.

This matters more than it sounds. People sometimes sign the form in a hurry at the kendra and produce a different signature than the careful one they photographed for the upload. Sign the same way both times.

Using the Upload tab (correct approach)

The right approach for a passport signature:

  1. Sign your name on plain white paper with a black or dark blue ballpoint pen.
  2. Photograph it in good light, flat on a table, camera directly above — no angle.
  3. Open the Upload tab in the tool above.
  4. Adjust the threshold slider until the white background disappears cleanly.
  5. Export as JPG (not PNG — the portal requires JPEG).
  6. Check the file size. It must be between 10 KB and 50 KB. If it's over 50 KB, reduce dimensions or compress before uploading.

Common rejection reasons

Applications get kicked back for avoidable reasons. The main ones:

  • Format mismatch: uploading a PNG or BMP instead of JPEG. The portal may appear to accept it, then reject it at processing. Always use JPEG.
  • Signature on lined or coloured paper: the background must be plain white. Ruled paper creates artefacts around the ink strokes that remain after threshold processing.
  • File too large: above 50 KB. Common when the photo was taken at full smartphone resolution. Resize the image before uploading to the tool.
  • Pencil or light ink: the portal's preview may look acceptable, but the printed copy in the passport booklet can look washed out. Dark ballpoint ink only.
  • Signature at the PSK doesn't match upload: the most common human error. Practice your signature before you go so both instances look the same.

ECNR and ECR passports — same signature rules

Whether you're applying for an ECNR (Emigration Check Not Required) or ECR (Emigration Check Required) passport, the signature format requirements are identical. The distinction between ECNR and ECR is based on your educational qualifications, not your signature. Follow the same specs above regardless of which category applies to you.

Signature for passport renewal

Renewal applications follow the same upload requirements. If your signature has noticeably changed since your previous passport — which is normal over 10 years — the PSK may ask you to confirm it's still your signature. That's routine, not a rejection. Just be consistent between your upload and what you sign in person on renewal day.

Minors and guardians

Children under 5 don't provide a signature — the parent or guardian signs in the designated box. For children aged 5 to 18, the child may sign if they have a consistent signature; otherwise the guardian signs. Current Passport Seva guidelines have the precise rules for each age bracket.

Frequently asked questions

The Passport Seva portal requires a signature image of 2 cm × 4.5 cm (height × width). The file must be JPEG, between 10 KB and 50 KB, and the signature must appear on white paper.

JPEG only. The portal will reject PNG, BMP, or GIF uploads. The file size must be between 10 KB and 50 KB. Make sure you export as JPG from this tool, not as PNG.

No. Indian passport applications require your actual handwritten signature. The signature you submit must match the one you will provide at the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK). Type and Upload modes in this tool won't help here — sign on paper and photograph it.

Common rejection reasons: signature doesn't match the uploaded image, the background isn't plain white, the file is too large, or the signature is in pencil. Sign in black or blue ink on white paper for the upload, and make sure it looks the same when you sign in person at the kendra.

Children below 5 years don't sign — a parent or guardian signs instead. Children between 5 and 18 may sign, but if they're inconsistent signers, the parent/guardian signature is still acceptable. Check the current Passport Seva guidelines for your specific case.

Sign within the box provided on the form and in the digital upload. The signature should be clear and not touch the borders of the signature box. Don't let the ink strokes extend outside the boundary.

Black or dark blue ballpoint pen is standard for Indian passport signatures. Avoid gel pens (they smear when photographed) and pencils (not accepted). The signature must be clearly legible against the white background.

For renewal, your new signature should be reasonably consistent with the one on your current passport. Significant changes may prompt questions at the PSK. If your signature has genuinely changed (common after years), it's accepted — just be prepared to explain.

Related tools

Aadhaar Signature Size

UIDAI size and format requirements for Aadhaar enrolment and update.

PAN Card Signature

NSDL/UTIITSL format specs and common rejection reasons for PAN applications.

Photo to Signature

Photograph your paper signature and extract it as a clean digital image.

US Passport Signature Requirements

State Department specs for signing US passport applications.