A "file too large" error when uploading a certificate or bank statement is one of the most common blockers in government and immigration applications. Every portal has a different limit. This guide gives you the exact limit for every major portal and shows you how to compress your PDF to fit — without losing legibility.
Exact PDF Size Limits by Portal
| Portal | Country | Max File Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPSC (certificates & marksheets) | India | 300 KB per file | Photo: 20–50 KB, Signature: 10–20 KB |
| SSC (supporting documents) | India | 500 KB per file | No password-protected PDFs |
| IBPS / SBI (bank exams) | India | 500 KB per file | Photo 20–50 KB, Signature 10–20 KB |
| my.uscis.gov | United States | 6 MB per file | Accepts PDF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF |
| DS-160 (US Visa photo) | United States | 240 KB (photo only) | JPEG, 600×600 px |
| UKVI (UK Visa) | United Kingdom | 6 MB per file | Accepts JPEG, PNG, PDF |
| HMRC (self-assessment) | United Kingdom | 2 MB per file | P60, payslips, receipts |
| IRCC (Canada Immigration) | Canada | 4 MB per file | Accepts JPEG, PNG, PDF, TIFF |
| BAMF (Germany) | Germany | 5 MB per file | All supporting docs |
| ANTS (France — CNI/Passeport) | France | 5 MB per file | Accepts JPEG, PDF |
| Receita Federal (Brazil) | Brazil | 3 MB per file | Accepts PDF, JPEG |
| DETRAN (Brazil) | Brazil | 2 MB per file | Driver's licence docs |
| 日本年金機構 (Japan) | Japan | 3 MB per file | Pension authority |
| マイナンバー (Japan) | Japan | 2 MB per file | My Number applications |
Why Scanned PDFs Are So Large
Most people scan at a higher resolution than portals require — and colour scans are much larger than black-and-white. Here's what causes bloated PDFs:
- Scanning at 600 DPI when 200–300 DPI is sufficient for legibility
- Scanning in full colour when the document only contains text
- Scanning multiple pages into one PDF without compression
- Using smartphone scan apps that save in maximum quality by default
- PDFs created from Word/PowerPoint with embedded high-resolution images
How to Compress a PDF to Under the Limit
For UPSC / SSC (target: under 300 KB)
Scan your certificate or marksheet in black-and-white at 200 DPI. Then use our Compress PDF tool and select "Aggressive" mode. For most A4 documents this produces a file under 100 KB — well within UPSC's 300 KB limit while remaining fully legible for examiners.
For USCIS / UKVI / IRCC (target: under 6 MB or 4 MB)
Bank statements and financial records are often multi-page colour PDFs that balloon over 10 MB. Use our Compress PDF tool in "Recommended" mode first. If the result is still too large, switch to "Aggressive" mode. Colour documents compress best when each page is converted to a lower DPI image before repackaging.
For HMRC (target: under 2 MB)
P60s and payslips are usually text-heavy — they compress extremely well. Scan at 150–200 DPI in black-and-white, then run through our tool. A typical 3-page P60 should compress to under 500 KB with no visible quality loss.
Tips to Avoid the Problem Next Time
- Scan certificates at 200–300 DPI, not 600 DPI
- Use black-and-white mode for text documents; colour only for photos
- Check the portal's size limit BEFORE scanning — it saves rework
- Keep one compressed copy of each key document in a "Portal Uploads" folder
- Use our Compress PDF tool immediately after scanning as part of your workflow