PAN card photo size in cm and mm for the offline form

The commonly quoted paper-photo measurement

Older PAN application guidance commonly describes a passport-size photograph as 3.5 × 2.5 cm, which is35 × 25 mm (height × width). That gives a photo about 1.38 inches tall and 0.98 inches wide. Check the current form’s printed photo box and instructions, and match the orientation: these measurements are height first, width second.

Form 49A is no longer accepted for new PAN applications from 1 April 2026. Current Indian new-PAN applications use Form 93 or Form 94 according to the provider’s official instructions. Do not assume that the older 35 × 25 mm guidance automatically applies to a current blank form if its photo area or instructions differ.

Print size is not pixel size or KB

Centimetres and millimetres describe physical dimensions. Pixels describe digital resolution, and KB describes how much storage the saved file uses. The same 35 × 25 mm photo can have different pixel dimensions depending on print resolution. For example, at 200 DPI, the equivalent is approximately 276 × 197 pixels (height × width). That calculation is a conversion, not proof that a current form requires 200 DPI or those pixels.

How to prepare a paper photo

1. Download the latest blank form from the provider handling your application.
2. Read the photo instructions and measure the designated box; use the form’s specified size if it differs from 35 × 25 mm.
3. Print a recent, clear color photo at the required physical dimensions, with the subject framed as instructed.
4. Place or affix the photograph only as the current form directs. Avoid covering text, barcodes, or other fields.

An image tool can prepare the crop and dimensions before printing, but the printer’s scaling setting can change the final physical size. Print at actual size (100%) and measure a test print with a ruler.