20 KB is small — plan for a resize
A full phone photo cannot reach 20 KB without looking rough. First scale the image down to the pixel size the form actually needs — often around 200 x 230 pixels for a passport-style photo — then compress. That combination reaches 20 KB while keeping the face clear.
Steps that work
- Crop to just the head and shoulders.
- Resize to the form's stated dimensions.
- Compress, check the size, and nudge the dimensions down again if you are still over.