Form 93 photo and signature requirements (2026 rules)

Form 93 is the current application form for individuals who are Indian citizens, in force from 1 April 2026. This guide separates the two contexts people confuse most: pasting photos on the printed paper form, and uploading scanned images in the Protean digital workflow.

The two contexts, in one table

Printed Form 93 (paper): the form shows two photo boxes labelled 4.5 cm × 3.5 cm, and the instructions ask for two recent colour photographs with a white background. There is no pixel size or byte cap on paper — printing at 300 DPI (413 × 531 px) is a convenience, not an official digital rule.

Protean DSC digital upload (Form 93 / 94): the official guidance table lists the photograph as colour JPEG, 200 DPI, 3.5 × 2.5 cm, maximum 20 KB; the signature as colour JPEG, 200 DPI, 2 × 4.5 cm, maximum 10 KB; and supporting documents as black-and-white PDF/A or JPEG, 200 DPI, maximum 300 KB per page.

Why the numbers differ (and why that is normal)

The paper form defines a physical box for a photo you print and paste. The DSC table defines digital files that a server must handle quickly. They were never the same requirement, and older posts that list one 'PAN size' mix them up.

Older UTI-style figures seen around the web (for example a 213 × 213 photo or 400 × 200 signature) belong to a pre-2026 workflow. PanCard Resizer Online does not publish them as current rules without a live primary source.

Which one applies to you?

Filling a physical form by hand and pasting photos → use the printed-form preparation (3.5 × 4.5 cm portrait print file).

Applying online through Protean with a digital signature certificate → use the DSC digital upload profile.

Applying through UTIITSL or another portal → the current upload table was not verified at this review date, so enter the values shown on the live form with the custom tool instead of trusting third-party numbers.

Change log

2026-10-23 — Initial review. Form 93 photo box (4.5 × 3.5 cm) captured from the official form PDF; DSC upload table from Protean's guidance page. UTIITSL digital table listed as not verified.

Sources

Income Tax Department — Form No. 93 (official PDF)Photo boxes 4.5 cm × 3.5 cm; two recent colour photographs, white background.
Protean — DSC-based PAN application guidelinesPhoto 200 DPI colour JPEG max 20 KB 3.5×2.5 cm; signature 200 DPI colour JPEG max 10 KB 2×4.5 cm; documents 200 DPI B/W PDF/A or JPEG max 300 KB per page.
Income Tax Department — PANCurrent forms index (Forms 93–96, CR-01/CR-02) and provider links.

Last reviewed 23 October 2026 by the PanCard Resizer Online spec owner.

Independent utility — not affiliated with or endorsed by the Income Tax Department, Protean (NSDL), UTIITSL, or any government body. Forms change; check the official pages before submitting.