Digital image of your photo can be made in two ways

1. Clicking your photo using a digital device (camera etc)
2. Scanning of already available photograph

1. Click a photo using a digital device

1. Clicking your photo

1. Stand/sit against a white background.
2. Click colour photograph in bright light using any digital device (preferably with > 5 megapixel resolution). Avoid using flash as it tends to create a shadow on the white background.
3. Look straight into the camera (to avoid angulation of face).
4. Ensure that your eyes and both ears are clearly visible on the photograph.

2. Editing of digital photograph

1. Transfer the photograph from the digital device to a computer/laptop.
2. Crop the photograph such that your head, shoulders are visible and occupy most of the image.
3. Resize the image to 50 – 100 Kb (maintain aspect ratio, i.e. height and width ratio to avoid distortion of image)



2. Scanning of already available photograph
   
In case you already have a professionally clicked passport size colour photograph follow the following procedure to prepare scanned image of the same.



1. Before you scan the photograph ensure that

1. Photo has been taken against a white background without a border and clearly shows your face, eyes and both ears.
2. The photograph is of standard passport size (3.5 cm X 4.5 cm, width X height)
3. The photograph is recent (within 6 months of online application).

2. Scanning of passport size photograph

1. Draw a Box of 3.5 horizontal and 4.5 vertical size (3.5 cm x 4.5 cm) on a white sheet of paper using a pencil.
2. Paste the photograph in the box drawn.
3. Put the paper with photograph in the scanner and scan only the box with photograph (do not scan the whole sheet of white paper). Set the scanning to 200 dpi and scan the photograph. During scanning most software allows selection of the desired area for final scanning after initial preview & scan.
4. Save the scanned images as jpg/jpeg/gif/png as “Photograph.jpg” or “Photograph.jpeg” or “Photograph.gif” or “Photograph.png”
5. Resize the scanned image to 50 – 100 Kb. Use any image editing software to size the image. Maintain the aspect ratio (i.e. relationship of height vs width while resizing)


Checklist before uploading digital image of photo

1. 1. Photograph is in colour with white background.
2. Your face is clearly visible.
3. Size of the image is between 50-100 kb.
4. Image is in .jpg/.jpeg/.gif/.png format.
5. Image is not blurred in the process of editing.

Please note the common reasons for rejecting photographs are :

1. Background is not white.
2. Image is blurred
3. Whole sheet is scanned such that the photograph is occupying only a small portion of the frame.
4. Photograph taken casually with dark glasses/full length/group/side profile etc.