China Visa Photo — COVA's 40–120KB Band
354×472 px · 40KB–120KB · White
COVA, China's online visa form, runs the harshest photo check of any portal: the file must land inside a 40–120KB band — too small fails, too big fails — at 354×472 px on pure white. Ordinary photo tools can't hit that band; this one compresses into it precisely.
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Official spec — China Visa (COVA)
- Size
- 354×472 px JPEG
- File
- 40KB–120KB
- Head height
- 58–69%
- Background
- White
- Print size
- 33×48 mm
Portal quirks
- The 40–120KB band is enforced on BOTH ends — a file that is too small fails just like one that is too big
- Accepted dimensions range from 354×472 to 420×560 px — we render the 354×472 baseline
- COVA's automatic face check is notoriously strict and buggy — 'photo check failed' is common even for near-compliant photos
- Both ears should be visible; head coverings and glasses are rejected
Source: cova.cs.mfa.gov.cn · Last verified: 2026-08
Common rejection reasons
COVA's "photo check failed" error is infamous — it fires even on photos that look perfect. Here's what it's actually measuring:
Fix a COVA photo check failure →Frequently asked questions
A 354×472 to 420×560 pixel portrait (33×48 mm), JPEG between 40KB and 120KB, pure white background, head 58–69% of frame height, both ears visible, no glasses or head coverings.