The DS-160 form caps each supporting document at 2 MB, and many applicants hit that limit with a single 300 DPI scan. Use GekiPDF's compress tool with the Extreme preset (~96-120 DPI) to shrink a 16-page scan to roughly 1.5 MB in about one second. That keeps your file under the cap while retaining enough detail for visa officers to read text and stamps.
Upload your PDF (up to 50 MB), pick Light (~200 DPI) if you need sharper text, or Recommended (~150 DPI) for a balance of size and legibility. The tool rewrites the file, drops metadata, and keeps the text layer intact—so searchable content stays. No signup, no watermark, and files are deleted after one hour.
Frequently asked questions
What is the exact file size limit for DS-160 uploads?
Each supporting document must be under 2 MB. Use the Extreme preset to get scans below that; a typical 32 MB scan drops to around 1.5 MB.
Will compressing make my scanned passport page unreadable?
At Extreme (~96-120 DPI), small print may blur. If legibility matters more than size, use Recommended (~150 DPI) — it usually still fits under 2 MB for a few pages.
How fast is compression on GekiPDF?
A 16-page scan takes about one second. You can do up to 40 conversions per hour per IP address, which is plenty for multiple documents.
Do it in the full tool
Open Compress PDF for all options, or jump straight to another step below.
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