Government websites vary. Some are modern, but most seem to run on technology from 2005. If you are trying to upload a photo of your Passport or ID for a Visa application, you might get rejected with vague errors like "Upload Failed" or "Invalid Format".
The Strict Rules
Most official portals (USCIS, UK GOV, VFS Global) have strict requirements:
- Format: Must be JPG or PDF. (No HEIC, no PNG).
- Size: Often under 2MB or 500KB.
- Filename: No spaces or special characters.
How to make your file compliant
If you took the photo with your iPhone, it is likely an HEIC file (rejected) and over 3MB (too big).
Step 1: Convert to JPG
Drag your photo into LocalImageConverter. Select JPG.
Step 2: Check the Size
After downloading, check the file size. If it is still over 2MB, you might need to lower the quality slightly or resize the dimensions.
(Pro Tip: We convert to a highly optimized JPG by default, so usually, just converting it is enough to shrink it under the limit!)