PDF Tools for Visa Applications
Compress and prepare your visa documents to meet strict embassy portal size limits. Your passport scans, bank statements, and personal data never leave your device.
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Visa Portal Size Limits by Country
Each embassy and consulate portal has different requirements. Here are the typical limits you will encounter.
| Country | Portal | Size Limit | Formats | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | CEAC / ustraveldocs.com | 2MB per document | PDF or JPEG | DS-160 photo must be under 240KB. Supporting documents typically 2MB each. |
| United Kingdom | GOV.UK / TLScontact | 6MB total upload | PDF, JPEG, PNG | Total upload limit across all documents. Individual files often capped at 1.5MB. |
| Canada | IRCC GCKey Portal | 4MB per document | PDF, JPEG, TIFF, PNG | Some document types limited to 2MB. Total upload varies by application type. |
| Australia | ImmiAccount | 5MB per document | PDF, JPEG, PNG | Up to 60 documents allowed. Recommended to keep each file well under the limit. |
| Schengen (VFS Global) | VFS Global / TLScontact | 1MB per document | PDF, JPEG | Strictest limits among major portals. High compression strongly recommended. |
| India (e-Visa) | indianvisaonline.gov.in | 300KB-1MB | Passport page scan max 300KB. Supporting documents typically 1MB each. |
Limits are approximate and may change. Always verify current requirements on the official embassy or consulate website before submitting.
Document Preparation Guide
Tips for preparing each type of visa document to meet portal requirements.
Passport Scan
- Scan at 200-300 DPI (higher is unnecessary and creates larger files)
- Crop to just the passport page, removing excess whitespace
- Compress to meet the specific portal limit (often 300KB-2MB)
Bank Statements
- Download digital statements directly from your bank (smaller than scans)
- If scanning, use 200 DPI grayscale instead of color
- Merge multiple months into a single PDF, then compress
Employment Letters
- Request digital letters from HR when possible (smaller file size)
- If scanned, compress to under 500KB using high compression
- Ensure text remains readable after compression (always preview first)
Travel Itinerary
- Export directly from airline or booking site as PDF
- Remove unnecessary pages (ads, terms and conditions)
- Compress the final file to well under the portal limit
Recommended Tools for Visa Documents
Everything processes in your browser. Your personal documents are never uploaded anywhere.
Compress PDF
Meet portal size limits
Shrink passport scans, bank statements, and supporting documents to fit within strict embassy portal file size limits. Typically achieves 80-95% reduction.
Merge PDF
Create application packages
Combine all supporting documents into a single, organized PDF. Merge bank statements, employment letters, and travel plans in the order required by the embassy.
JPG to PDF
Convert scanned photos
Turn phone photos of passports, ID cards, and documents into proper PDFs. Many portals require PDF format rather than raw image files.
Resize PDF
Standard page sizes
Ensure all your documents use standard A4 or Letter page sizes. Some portals reject non-standard page dimensions.
OCR PDF
Make documents searchable
Convert scanned documents into searchable, text-selectable PDFs. Some immigration systems perform automated text extraction on uploaded files.
Protect PDF
Secure personal data
Add password protection to documents containing sensitive personal information like bank details, passport numbers, and addresses before sharing.
Your Sensitive Data Stays on Your Device
Visa documents contain some of your most sensitive personal information: passport numbers, bank account details, employment history, and home addresses. With PDF Smaller, none of this data ever leaves your computer or phone.
- No server uploads — Your passport scans and bank statements are processed locally
- No data storage — Nothing is saved after you close the browser tab
- No third-party access — No cloud services, no external APIs, no data sharing
- Works offline — After the page loads, you can disconnect from the internet and still process files
Frequently Asked Questions
What file size do I need for a US visa application?
US visa applications through CEAC typically require documents under 2MB each. The DS-160 passport photo must be under 240KB. Our compressor can reduce most scanned documents to well under these limits while maintaining the quality needed for visa processing.
How do I compress a PDF for a Schengen visa?
Schengen visa portals (VFS Global, TLScontact) often have the strictest limits at about 1MB per document. Upload your PDF to our compressor, select Medium or High compression, and download. Most documents shrink by 80-95%. Always preview the result to ensure passport photos and text remain clear.
Will compressing my passport scan make it unreadable?
No. Our compression preserves text clarity and important visual details. For passport scans, we recommend using Medium compression first. If the file is still too large, try High compression and preview the result. The passport photo, text, and MRZ code will remain legible.
Is it safe to use an online tool for passport and bank documents?
With PDF Smaller, yes. Unlike other online tools, your files are never uploaded to any server. All processing happens locally in your web browser using JavaScript and WebAssembly. Your passport scans, bank statements, and personal documents never leave your device.
Can I merge multiple documents into one PDF for my visa?
Yes. Use our Merge tool to combine bank statements, employment letters, travel itineraries, and other supporting documents into a single PDF. You can drag and drop files to set the order. After merging, compress the combined file if it exceeds the portal size limit.
What format should my visa documents be in?
Most embassy portals accept PDF and JPEG formats. PDF is generally preferred as it maintains better quality and allows multi-page documents. If you have photos or image scans, use our JPG to PDF converter to create proper PDF files before uploading.
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