Official size requirements
| Document | Dimensions | File size | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photograph (Protean / NSDL e-KYC & e-Sign) | 3.5 cm × 2.5 cm, 200 DPI, colour (276 × 197 px) | max 20 KB | JPEG |
| Signature (Protean / NSDL) | 2.0 cm × 4.5 cm, 200 DPI (355 × 158 px) | max 10 KB | JPEG |
| Photograph (UTIITSL) | Passport size 3.5 × 4.5 cm, 300 DPI | max 30 KB | JPEG |
| Supporting documents (both) | A4 scan, 200 DPI, black & white | max 300 KB each |
Specifications are taken from the latest notification we could verify (see Sources on the main resizer page). Boards occasionally change limits between cycles — if your form shows a different number, choose Custom in the list and type it in.
How to use the PAN card photo and signature resizer
- Keep PAN (Protean/NSDL) photo selected, choose a colour photo with a white background and frame the face; download — you get 276 × 197 px under 20 KB.
- Switch to PAN (Protean/NSDL) signature, choose the signature photo; the tool fits it on white at 355 × 158 px under 10 KB.
- Applying through UTIITSL? Choose Custom and type 413 × 531 px, max 30 KB.
- Upload in the online PAN form (Form 49A / 49AA or the correction form); the same files are printed on your PAN card, so make sure the photo is clear.
Why uploads get rejected — and the fix
| Rejection reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| 'Photo file size exceeds 20 KB' | The preset compresses below 20 KB automatically; do not re-save in another app afterwards |
| Photo appears stretched on the card | The PAN photo frame is landscape-ish (3.5 wide × 2.5 high) — use the preset ratio, not a passport-style crop |
| Signature cut off on the printed card | Choose Signature mode so the whole signature is padded with white; sign within the centre of the paper |
| Blurry photo on the card | Start from a sharp photo of at least 600 × 600 px; the card is printed from your upload |
| Signature rejected for pencil or coloured ink | Black or dark blue ink only |
Where the photo and signature go
For Protean (formerly NSDL e-Gov) applications with e-KYC and e-Sign, you upload the photo, signature and documents as files; with the physical mode you paste two photos on the printed form instead. The uploaded photo is what is printed on the card, so a cropped-out passport photo on a white background works best. Minors' PAN cards carry no photo; a parent signs. The specs here match the Protean portal; UTIITSL's online form takes a 3.5 × 4.5 cm photo up to 30 KB.
Tips and common mistakes
- Keep the original high-resolution photo; make a fresh resized copy for every form — do not resize an already-resized file.
- A plain white or light background, face straight to the camera, no cap or dark glasses, and 70–80% of the frame filled by the face is accepted by every board.
- Photograph the signature in daylight on plain white paper with a black pen; choose Signature mode so nothing is cropped off.
- Other forms: SSC · IBPS / SBI · UPSC · NEET / JEE / CUET · RRB · Passport Seva · EPFO / UAN · all presets.