Chinese Baby Travel Document
China
Make a compliant 33x48mm China Travel Document photo for a US-born baby (美宝). Take the photo on your phone — our tool crops, sizes, and sets the white background. Covers the 2-year validity, consulate application, and renewal.
Last reviewed:
中文 · English
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Example photo guidance
Chinese Baby Travel Document — key specifications
At-a-glance summary of the official China photo template. Every value below is enforced automatically when you upload your image.
| Physical size | 33 mm × 48 mm (1.30 in × 1.89 in) |
|---|---|
| Digital size | 390 × 567 px (300 DPI) |
| Background | Plain white |
| Max file size | 80 KB (JPEG) |
| Head coverage | 70–80% of photo height (ICAO-aligned) |
| Print sheet | 4x6 · 9 |
Requirements
Check dimensions and official rules on this page.
- Physical: 33mm × 48mm
- Digital: 390–390px × 567–567px
- Max file size: 80 KB
Latest rules for Travel Documents.
National Immigration Administration — China visa photo spec
China's National Immigration Administration sets the 33 × 48 mm visa photo standard with a specific head-height band (28–33 mm) and a precise top-margin requirement. The visa template differs sharply from the ICAO-aligned 35 × 45 mm used by most countries.
Why use this Chinese Baby Travel Document tool
- $3.99Final photo + 4×6 print sheet. No subscription. Studios typically charge $15 – $30 for the same output.
- Free previewYou only pay once a watermarked preview confirms the crop, background, and biometric framing meet the spec.
- Refund if non-compliantIf our output fails the issuing-authority checklist, we refund — see our refund policy.
Common reasons Chinese Baby Travel Document photos are rejected
Issuing authorities reject submissions that miss any of the items below. Our tool automatically corrects crop, background, and dimensions, but you still control the original capture — review this list before you upload.
- background_not_white
- ears_covered
- white_clothing
- jewelry_visible
- forehead_covered
What the China Travel Document is — and why a US-born baby needs one
The China Travel Document (中国旅行证) is a 2-year travel document issued by Chinese embassies and consulates to children who are Chinese nationals but were born outside China — most commonly babies born in the US to one or two Chinese-national parents (“美宝”).
China does not recognise dual nationality. If at least one parent is a Chinese citizen who has not formally settled abroad, China considers the US-born child a Chinese national. That child therefore cannot get a Chinese visa in their US passport — instead they travel to and from China on a China Travel Document, which functions in place of a visa.
The photo on the document follows the standard Chinese 33 × 48 mm specification: plain white background, head 31–33 mm tall, taken straight-on. The same photo rules that apply to a Chinese visa or passport apply here — the only thing that makes it harder is that the subject is an infant.
How to photograph a baby for the China Travel Document
You do not need a studio. A clear phone photo is enough — our tool does the cropping, sizing, and background work to turn it into a compliant 33 × 48 mm travel-document photo.
The method that works for babies who can't sit up or hold a pose:
- Lay the baby on their back on a plain white sheet, blanket, or towel — Chinese consulates accept the lying-down method for infants
- Hold the phone directly above, lens parallel to the floor, about 50–80 cm from the face
- Use burst mode — hold the shutter and take 20+ frames in a few seconds, because babies blink, yawn, and look away constantly
- Get the eyes open and looking roughly toward the lens; a relaxed or slightly-open mouth is usually fine for infants under 6 months
- No hands, toys, pacifiers, or other people in the frame — only the baby's face and shoulders
- Upload the best frame to our tool — it rotates the photo upright, crops the head to the 31–33 mm band, and sets the plain white background
How to apply for a China Travel Document in the United States
Travel Document applications in the US are submitted through the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre (CVASC) or the embassy/consulate, based on which consular district you live in. The five US consular districts:
- Embassy of China, Washington DC — Washington DC and surrounding states without a closer consulate
- Consulate-General in New York — New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and the north-eastern states
- Consulate-General in Chicago — the Midwest states
- Consulate-General in Los Angeles — Southern California, Arizona, Hawaii, and the Pacific territories
- Consulate-General in San Francisco (旧金山总领事馆) — Northern California, Nevada, Oregon, Alaska, Washington (note: the Houston consulate closed in 2020; its former district is reassigned)
- Typical first-application documents: the child's US birth certificate (county + state authenticated), the child's US passport, both parents' passports and US visas or green cards, the completed application form, and one compliant 33 × 48 mm photo
- Always confirm the current document checklist and submission method (mail vs in-person) with your specific consulate — requirements change and each district publishes its own procedure
Two-year validity, renewal, and what changes as the child grows
The China Travel Document is valid for 2 years. Unlike a visa, it is the child's actual travel document for entering and leaving China — there is no separate Chinese passport for a US-born child in this situation.
When the document expires (or runs out of blank pages), parents apply for a new one — the process is essentially the same first-time application, with a fresh photo. Because the child's appearance changes dramatically in the first years, every renewal needs a new photo; you cannot reuse the previous one.
As the child grows, the legal picture can shift — for example if the family formally settles abroad, or as the child approaches adulthood. These situations have nuances around nationality that go beyond a photo tool's scope; confirm the current rules with your consulate before each renewal.
For the photo itself, the process never changes: a clear capture against plain white, uploaded to our tool, exported at 33 × 48 mm. See our dedicated baby passport photo guide for the full at-home capture method.
Chinese Baby Travel Document — common questions
Why can't my US-born baby just get a Chinese visa instead?
Because China does not recognise dual nationality. If at least one parent is a Chinese citizen who has not settled abroad, China considers the US-born child a Chinese national — and a national cannot hold a visa to their own country. The child travels to and from China on a China Travel Document, which works in place of a visa and is valid for 2 years.
What size is the China Travel Document photo?
33 × 48 mm — the same specification as a Chinese visa or passport photo. Plain white background, head 31–33 mm tall, taken straight-on with the face fully visible. Our tool crops and sizes any clear phone photo to this exact spec.
What background does the travel document photo need?
Plain pure white. Off-white, cream, light grey, and any colour or pattern are rejected. For a baby, the easiest method is to lay them on a clean white sheet — our tool then normalises the background to the required white.
How do I photograph a baby who can't sit up or pose?
Lay the baby on their back on a plain white sheet and shoot straight down from above with your phone. Use burst mode — take 20+ frames so you can pick one with the eyes open. No hands, toys, or pacifiers in the frame. Upload the best shot and our tool rotates it upright, crops the head to the 31–33 mm band, and sets the white background.
How long is the China Travel Document valid, and what happens when it expires?
It is valid for 2 years. When it expires — or runs out of blank pages — parents apply for a new one through their consular district. Each renewal needs a fresh photo because the child's appearance changes so much in the early years; you cannot reuse the old photo.
Which Chinese consulate handles my China Travel Document application?
It depends on where you live. The five US consular districts are the Embassy in Washington DC, and Consulates-General in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco (旧金山总领事馆, covering Northern California, Nevada, Oregon, Alaska, and Washington state). The Houston consulate closed in 2020 and its district was reassigned. Confirm your district and the current document checklist with that consulate before applying.
What is the official Chinese Baby Travel Document size?
The official Chinese Baby Travel Document size is 33 mm × 48 mm (1.30 in × 1.89 in). For digital uploads it equals 390 × 567 px at 300 DPI.
What background color is required for a Chinese Baby Travel Document?
Chinese Baby Travel Document photos must be taken on a plain white background, evenly lit and free of shadows or patterns.
How big should the face appear in a Chinese Baby Travel Document photo?
The head should fill approximately 70–80% of the photo height, with eyes positioned in the upper-middle of the frame and a neutral expression looking straight at the camera.
Can I take a Chinese Baby Travel Document photo at home?
Yes. Use a recent phone photo against a plain wall, with even daylight and no glasses. Our tool then crops, recolors the background, and resizes to the official 33 mm × 48 mm template.
Can I print the Chinese Baby Travel Document at CVS, Walgreens, or another pharmacy?
Yes. We generate a 4x6 print sheet with 9 photos that any pharmacy or photo kiosk can print.
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Where we sourced these China specifications
Dimensions, background colour, and biometric framing on this page are compiled from the references below. Always reconfirm the latest guidance directly with the issuing authority before submitting an application.
- cs.mfa.gov.cn
Last reviewed:
Other countries' passport & visa photo rules
Photo dimensions and background rules vary by issuing authority. Compare nearby countries you may also be applying to.