SelfieToPassport
Make my photo

Guide

China visa photo apps compared: price, preview and the online file

As of November 4, 2026, the China visa photo apps we checked charge from $0 (OpenPhotoId) to $16.95 (PhotoAid’s digital photo, or $19.95 with prints by mail), with Passport Photo Guru at $2.99, Visafoto at $9 and Snap2Pass at $11.95. SelfieToPassport charges $6.95 for the 33 x 48 mm print on 4x6 and letter-size sheets plus a 420 x 560 pixel JPEG for the online form, with a free preview. The embassy wants a white or near-white background and a digital file of 40 KB to 120 KB.

Updated Rules checked against the official pages listed belowHow we check

Make my photo · free preview, $6.95

The short version

  1. SelfieToPassport: $6.95, free preview; the 33 x 48 mm print plus a 420 x 560 px JPEG of 40 to 120 KB. It keeps your own background.
  2. OpenPhotoId: $0; a 390 x 520 px file of 40 to 120 KB.
  3. Passport Photo Guru: free preview, $2.99 with a 33 x 48 mm print sheet.
  4. Visafoto: $9 per photo, preview before you pay.
  5. Snap2Pass: $11.95.
  6. PhotoAid: $16.95 digital or $19.95 with prints by mail; tries are free before buying.
  7. Print: 33 x 48 mm, head 28 to 33 mm tall.
  8. Online file: 354 x 472 to 420 x 560 pixels, JPEG, 40 to 120 KB.
  9. Background: white or close to white, no border.

How this comparison works

Each price below comes from the service’s own page, read on November 4, 2026 from a U.S. connection. We compare what the pages state: the price, whether you see the photo before you pay, and whether the app makes both the 33 x 48 mm print and the online file. We do not score or rank the apps.

The Chinese Embassy in the U.S. says applications with non-compliant photos are not processed, so the measurements matter more than the price.

The rule

  • Since December 5, 2016, the Chinese Embassy in the United States has said that visa applications with non-compliant photos will not be processed. us.china-embassy.gov.cn

What each China visa photo app charges

From the lowest price shown to the highest: OpenPhotoId says it is free, Passport Photo Guru charges $2.99, SelfieToPassport $6.95, Visafoto $9, Snap2Pass $11.95 and PhotoAid $16.95, or $19.95 with printouts by mail.

Passport Photo Guru, Visafoto and SelfieToPassport show the photo before you pay, and PhotoAid lets you try as many pictures as you like before buying.

The rules

  • OpenPhotoId says every feature and every photo is free. openphotoid.com
  • Passport Photo Guru’s China visa page offers a free preview and charges $2.99 for the HD download. passportphotoguru.com
  • Visafoto charges a one-time fee of $9 per photo, according to its prices page. visafoto.com
  • Visafoto shows a preview of the finished photo before you pay. visafoto.com
  • Snap2Pass prices its China visa photo at $11.95; a mailed 4x6 print sheet is added on the order page. snap2pass.com
  • PhotoAid charges $16.95 for a digital Chinese visa photo with a printable template, and $19.95 with printouts by mail. photoaid.com
  • PhotoAid says you can take as many pictures as you like, for free, before buying. photoaid.com

Two photos: the 33 x 48 mm print and the online file

A China visa application in the U.S. can need two versions of the photo: a 33 x 48 mm print and a digital file for the online form, between 354 x 472 and 420 x 560 pixels, JPEG, 40 KB to 120 KB.

The online system checks the photo as you upload it. If it keeps failing, you can finish the other sections and bring a standard photo when you hand in the passport.

The rules

  • The Chinese Embassy in the United States sets the paper photo for a China visa application at 33 mm wide by 48 mm tall. us.china-embassy.gov.cn
  • On a China visa photo the head must be 15 to 22 mm wide and 28 to 33 mm tall, according to the Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles. losangeles.china-consulate.gov.cn
  • A digital China visa photo measures between 354 x 472 pixels and 420 x 560 pixels, width by height. us.china-embassy.gov.cn
  • The Chinese Embassy’s photo rules call for a JPEG of 40 KB to 120 KB in 24-bit RGB color. us.china-embassy.gov.cn
  • The China Online Visa Application system lets applicants drag and crop the photo while uploading it, and checks automatically whether it meets the requirements. us.china-embassy.gov.cn
  • If the photo keeps failing the online check, China visa applicants can still complete the other sections and should bring a standard ID photo when they hand in the passport. us.china-embassy.gov.cn
  • Passport Photo Guru says its $2.99 download includes a printable sheet sized for 33 x 48 mm photos. passportphotoguru.com
  • OpenPhotoId lists a China online visa file of 390 x 520 px and 40 KB to 120 KB, on a white background. openphotoid.com
  • Visafoto has a China visa online photo page for 354 x 472 to 420 x 560 pixels. visafoto.com

Background

The background has to be white or close to white, with no border. Passport Photo Guru says its AI replaces the background with white; SelfieToPassport keeps the wall behind you, so take the photo against a plain white wall.

The rules

  • The background of a China visa photo must be white or close to white, with no border around the image. us.china-embassy.gov.cn
  • Passport Photo Guru says its AI replaces the background with white automatically. passportphotoguru.com

What SelfieToPassport does

SelfieToPassport crops, sizes and compresses the photo in your browser: the 33 x 48 mm print on a 4x6 sheet and a letter-size sheet, and a 420 x 560 pixel JPEG between 40 KB and 120 KB for the online form. It does not replace the background or retouch the face.

The preview with the measurements is free. The files cost $6.95 per person and document, once, with up to 3 photos for the same document within 30 days of purchase.

The rule

FAQ

What size is a China visa photo?

The print is 33 mm wide by 48 mm tall, with the head 28 to 33 mm tall. The online file is between 354 x 472 and 420 x 560 pixels, a JPEG of 40 KB to 120 KB. Source: official pages "Chinese Visa Photo Requirements › poster "Photo Requirements for Chinese Visa Application"" and "Photo Requirements for Visa (Consulate General of China in Los Angeles)", checked on Nov 4, 2026.

Is there a free China visa photo app?

OpenPhotoId says every feature is free and lists a China online visa file. Whatever you use, check the pixels and the KB before you upload. Source: official pages "Free Passport Photo Maker in Your Browser | OpenPhotoId" and "OpenPhotoId › Supported documents", checked on Nov 4, 2026.

How much does SelfieToPassport cost for a China visa photo?

$6.95 per person and document, once, for the print sheets and the online file; the preview is free. Source: official page "Pricing | SelfieToPassport", checked on Nov 4, 2026.

Where this information comes from

Every rule on this page comes from a page published by the U.S. Department of State and the companies named, read on the date shown. We rewrite each rule in plain words and link to the page it came from. Each rule has a review deadline; one that passes it without a new check comes off the page.

Something here out of date? Tell us and we will check it against the official page.