All photo formats / India
PAN card photo for online application (Form 49A)
For PAN applications filed online with a digital signature (Form 49A and related forms), Protean (NSDL e-Gov) requires a scanned colour photograph of 3.5 x 2.5 cm at 200 DPI - 197 x 276 pixels - as a JPEG of at most 20 KB. This tool crops and compresses your photo to exactly that file on your device - nothing is uploaded.
The official requirements
| Dimensions | 3.5 x 2.5 cm at 200 DPI = 197 x 276 px (the instruction's stated scan resolution) |
|---|---|
| File format | JPEG, colour |
| File size | 20 KB maximum |
| Source | Scanned or photographed portrait, cropped to the portrait frame |
Checked against the official sources below on 7 Nov 2026.
All numbers come from Protean's official DSC-based PAN application instruction (checked November 2026): 200 DPI, colour JPEG, 20 KB maximum, 3.5 x 2.5 cm. At 200 DPI that print size is exactly 197 x 276 px. The same instruction sets the signature image at 2 x 4.5 cm, 10 KB - use the PAN signature tool for that file.
20 KB is a hard cap at a very small size. This tool exports at the highest genuine quality under the cap and never pads; if a busy original cannot fit, use a plainer, sharper original.
How to do it
- Take or scan a portrait photo against a plain light background.
- Upload below and frame head and shoulders between the guide lines.
- Create the file - exactly 197 x 276 px, under 20 KB - and confirm the checklist.
- Download and attach it as the photograph in your online PAN application.
Common questions
Why 197 x 276 pixels?
The official instruction states 3.5 x 2.5 cm at 200 DPI, which converts to exactly 197 x 276 px. This tool exports that size.
What file type and size?
Colour JPEG, at most 20 KB - both stated in the same instruction.
Does the signature have its own rules?
Yes - 2 x 4.5 cm at 200 DPI (354 x 157 px), JPEG, 10 KB maximum. The PAN signature tool makes exactly that file.