What is the USCIS file size limit?

USCIS online filing commonly accepts up to 12 MB per file, in PDF, JPG or JPEG, with TIF and TIFF accepted on some forms. Files must not be password-protected.

What is the IRS document upload size limit?

The IRS Document Upload Tool commonly accepts up to 15 MB per file in PDF, JPG, JPEG or PNG, with up to 40 files per submission.

How big can a DS-160 visa photo be?

A DS-160 photo must not exceed 240 KB and must be JPEG only, square, between 600x600 and 1200x1200 pixels in 24-bit colour. PNG, HEIC, GIF and TIFF are rejected.

Is the DS-160 photo the same as the passport photo?

No. The DS-160 visa photo has a hard 240 KB cap and accepts JPEG only. The US passport renewal photo must be between 54 KB and 10 MB. Submitting one to the other form is a common cause of rejection.

Document upload limits, 2026

Name: Document upload limits by agency, 2026
Creator: DocVerify Pro
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Every cap in one place, with the source for each one. Free to use, quote and link to — no account, no paywall, no email.

Last checked against the published sources in August 2026

US federal

Where it goes	Size limit	Formats	Source
USCIS — online filing / evidence verified Files must not be password-protected. 300 DPI is the usual recommendation.	12 MB per file	PDF, JPG, JPEG (TIF/TIFF on some forms)	uscis.gov — Tips for Filing Forms Online
IRS — Document Upload Tool verified Up to 40 files per submission. PDFs limited to about 120 pages each.	15 MB per file	PDF, JPG, JPEG, PNG	irs.gov — IRS Document Upload Tool
DS-160 — US visa photo verified Square, 600×600 minimum to 1200×1200 maximum, 24-bit colour. PNG, HEIC, GIF and TIFF are rejected.	240 KB maximum	JPEG only	travel.state.gov — digital image requirements
US passport photo — online renewal verified 2×2 in (51×51 mm), head 1–1⅜ in. A DIFFERENT spec from the DS-160 photo — they are not interchangeable.	54 KB to 10 MB	JPEG	travel.state.gov — passport photo help
USCIS 2×2 photo (green card, EAD, naturalisation) verified 600×600 to 1200×1200 px. Head 50–69% of frame height, eyes 56–69% from the bottom. Plain white background, taken within the last 6 months.	no fixed file cap	Colour photograph	uscis.gov — photo requirements

Email

Where it goes	Size limit	Formats	Source
Gmail attachment starting point Larger files are replaced with a Drive link, which some recipients cannot open.	about 25 MB	any	Google support
Outlook.com attachment starting point Corporate Exchange servers are frequently configured lower.	about 20 MB	any	Microsoft support
Corporate mail (typical) starting point No standard exists. Assume the lowest unless the recipient tells you otherwise.	assume 10 MB	any	—

Common portals

Where it goes	Size limit	Formats	Source
Job application portals starting point Starting point. Each applicant tracking system differs.	2–5 MB	PDF usually	—
University / school upload starting point Starting point. Confirm on the specific portal.	2–10 MB	PDF, JPG	—
Bank / KYC identity check starting point Most want COLOUR so security features stay visible.	about 5 MB	JPEG, PDF	—
Insurance claim upload starting point Multi-page PDF at moderate resolution is normally expected.	about 8 MB	PDF	—

Read this before you rely on any number here. Agencies change these without notice and without announcing it. The rows marked verified were read from the official source on the date above; the ones marked starting point are reasonable defaults and nothing more. Whatever you are filing, confirm the current limit on the portal you are actually using — especially before a deadline. This page is information, not legal or immigration advice.

Using this table somewhere else? Go ahead — that is what it is for. A link back is appreciated and helps keep it maintained.

<a href="https://docverifypro.com/upload-limits.html">Document upload limits 2026 — DocVerify Pro</a>

The two that get confused most

The DS-160 visa photo and the US passport photo look like the same requirement and are not. The DS-160 has a hard 240 KB ceiling and takes JPEG only. The passport photo must be at least 54 KB and may be up to 10 MB. Sending one to the other form is one of the most common avoidable rejections there is.

The other frequent mix-up is assuming a single federal standard exists. It does not: USCIS commonly allows 12 MB and the IRS 15 MB, and neither is binding on the other.

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