Document upload limits, 2026
Every cap in one place, with the source for each one. Quote it, link to it, cite it: no account and no email needed.
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 |
| 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 | — |
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://docsupra.com/upload-limits.html">Document upload limits 2026 — DOCSUPRA</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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