What is the correct photo size for PAN card application?
This depends on the portal. For NSDL (Protean): 3.5 cm (height) × 2.5 cm (width), portrait, JPEG, 200 DPI, 20–50 KB (≈276×197 px). For UTIITSL: a 213×213 px square photo, JPEG, 300 DPI, under 30 KB. Use the portal switch above the tool to load the correct crop ratio and size target automatically.
What size should my signature be for PAN card?
For NSDL (Protean): 4.5 cm (width) × 2 cm (height) landscape, 200 DPI, 10–50 KB (≈354×157 px). For UTIITSL: 400×200 px landscape, 600 DPI, under 60 KB. Sign with black or blue ink on plain white paper and photograph it clearly — the tool locks the crop ratio and targets the right file size for whichever portal you select.
Why does the PAN portal ask for a specific DPI? What does DPI mean?
DPI stands for Dots Per Inch — it describes the print resolution metadata stored inside a JPEG file. NSDL asks for 200 DPI on photo, signature and the merged Aadhaar PDF; UTIITSL asks for 300 DPI on the photo and 600 DPI on the signature, but 200 DPI on the merged supporting-document PDF. The actual pixel count is fixed, but the DPI tag tells printing systems and portals the intended physical print size. Our tool patches the JPEG binary directly to embed the correct DPI value for whichever portal is selected.
Why do I need to merge Aadhaar front and back into one PDF?
Both the NSDL and UTIITSL "Upload Supporting Documents" sections accept a single PDF per document type, and Aadhaar has two sides. Our tool crops both images to the same height, merges them side-by-side, and generates a single-page color PDF at 200 DPI — capped at 300 KB for NSDL or up to 2 MB for UTIITSL, depending on which portal you've selected.
Is my photo uploaded to your server? Is it private?
No. Absolutely nothing is uploaded to any server. All image processing — cropping, resizing, DPI injection, and PDF generation — happens entirely inside your browser using JavaScript. Your photos never leave your device. You can even use this tool with Wi-Fi turned off after the page loads.
My photo file size is below the minimum even after cropping. What should I do?
This can happen when the image has very simple content (e.g., a plain white background with minimal detail). On portals with a minimum (NSDL: 20 KB photo / 10 KB signature), the tool will display a yellow warning chip showing the actual KB. UTIITSL has no published minimum — only a maximum — so a smaller file is fine there. In practice most portals accept files toward the lower end of their range; the upper number is a hard cap, not a target.
Can I rename the downloaded photo / signature file?
Yes! After cropping, the filename field becomes editable. Click on it and type any name you want (e.g., ram_photo.jpeg). The Download button will use that name when saving the file. By default it downloads as photo.jpeg and signature.jpeg respectively.
Which documents are accepted as identity/address proof for PAN card?
Common accepted documents include: Aadhaar Card, Passport, Voter ID, Driving Licence, Ration Card, Bank Statement, Electricity Bill, and Telephone Bill. Aadhaar is the most commonly used and instantly accepted. For identity proof documents, front and back of Aadhaar merged into a single PDF is the simplest option.
What's the difference between the NSDL and UTIITSL specifications?
The two portals use different photo shapes, resolutions and file-size caps. NSDL wants a portrait 276×197 px photo at 200 DPI (20–50 KB) and a 354×157 px signature at 200 DPI (10–50 KB), with the merged Aadhaar PDF capped at 300 KB. UTIITSL wants a square 213×213 px photo at 300 DPI (under 30 KB) and a 400×200 px signature at 600 DPI (under 60 KB), with the merged Aadhaar PDF allowed up to 2 MB. The merged PDF stays in color for both portals. Use the portal toggle above the tool so every crop, size target and DPI value matches the portal you're actually applying through.