{
  "slug": "pdf-upload-limits",
  "title": "Official-source PDF upload size limits",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://compresscat.com/pdf-upload-limits",
  "embedUrl": "https://compresscat.com/embed/pdf-upload-limits",
  "jsonUrl": "https://compresscat.com/data/pdf-upload-limits.json",
  "csvUrl": "https://compresscat.com/data/pdf-upload-limits.csv",
  "sourceCheckedAt": "2026-06-29",
  "rowCount": 9,
  "disclaimer": "This staged dataset records upload-size limits from official source pages checked on 2026-06-29. Rows are not marked verified because the official sources did not state a policy effective date; always re-check the official source before filing, emailing, or submitting documents.",
  "fields": [
    "id",
    "platform",
    "country",
    "workflow",
    "fileType",
    "limitLabel",
    "maxSizeValue",
    "maxSizeUnit",
    "officialSourceUrl",
    "sourceLabel",
    "sourceCheckedAt",
    "effectiveDate",
    "verified",
    "recommendedTarget",
    "notes"
  ],
  "rows": [
    {
      "id": "uscis-online-evidence",
      "platform": "USCIS",
      "country": "United States",
      "workflow": "USCIS online evidence upload",
      "fileType": "PDF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, TIF, or TIFF",
      "limitLabel": "12 MB maximum per uploaded file",
      "maxSizeValue": 12,
      "maxSizeUnit": "MB",
      "officialSourceUrl": "https://www.uscis.gov/file-online/tips-for-filing-forms-online",
      "sourceLabel": "USCIS, Tips for Filing Forms Online",
      "sourceCheckedAt": "2026-06-29",
      "effectiveDate": null,
      "changedFrom": null,
      "changedTo": "12 MB maximum per uploaded file",
      "recommendedTarget": "10mb",
      "recommendedTargetLabel": "10MB",
      "recommendedToolSlug": "10mb",
      "verified": false,
      "status": "source-checked-effective-date-missing",
      "notes": "Use the 10MB target for headroom below the 12MB USCIS cap, then verify the field in the USCIS account before submitting."
    },
    {
      "id": "common-app-sat-score-report",
      "platform": "Common App",
      "country": "United States",
      "workflow": "SAT score report PDF upload",
      "fileType": "PDF",
      "limitLabel": "2000 KB maximum PDF size",
      "maxSizeValue": 2000,
      "maxSizeUnit": "KB",
      "officialSourceUrl": "https://appsupport.commonapp.org/s/article/SAT-score-report-PDF-file-size-2000-KB",
      "sourceLabel": "Common App Support, SAT score report PDF file size",
      "sourceCheckedAt": "2026-06-29",
      "effectiveDate": null,
      "changedFrom": null,
      "changedTo": "2000 KB maximum PDF size",
      "recommendedTarget": "1mb",
      "recommendedTargetLabel": "1MB",
      "recommendedToolSlug": "1mb",
      "verified": false,
      "status": "source-checked-effective-date-missing",
      "notes": "A 1MB target leaves margin under the 2000KB cap after browser and filesystem rounding."
    },
    {
      "id": "gmail-personal-attachments",
      "platform": "Gmail",
      "country": "Global",
      "workflow": "Email attachments sent through Gmail",
      "fileType": "PDF and other attachment types",
      "limitLabel": "25 MB maximum attachment size",
      "maxSizeValue": 25,
      "maxSizeUnit": "MB",
      "officialSourceUrl": "https://support.google.com/mail/answer/6584?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en",
      "sourceLabel": "Google Help, Send attachments with your Gmail message",
      "sourceCheckedAt": "2026-06-29",
      "effectiveDate": null,
      "changedFrom": null,
      "changedTo": "25 MB maximum attachment size",
      "recommendedTarget": "10mb",
      "recommendedTargetLabel": "10MB",
      "recommendedToolSlug": "10mb",
      "verified": false,
      "status": "source-checked-effective-date-missing",
      "notes": "Compress to 10MB when the recipient also has a mail gateway or form limit; use a file-sharing link for larger PDFs."
    },
    {
      "id": "ircc-secure-account",
      "platform": "IRCC",
      "country": "Canada",
      "workflow": "IRCC secure account document upload",
      "fileType": "PDF and supporting document formats",
      "limitLabel": "4 MB maximum file size in many secure-account upload fields",
      "maxSizeValue": 4,
      "maxSizeUnit": "MB",
      "officialSourceUrl": "https://ircc.canada.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=1123&top=23",
      "sourceLabel": "IRCC Help Centre, document size upload answer",
      "sourceCheckedAt": "2026-06-29",
      "effectiveDate": null,
      "changedFrom": null,
      "changedTo": "4 MB maximum file size",
      "recommendedTarget": "2mb",
      "recommendedTargetLabel": "2MB",
      "recommendedToolSlug": "2mb",
      "verified": false,
      "status": "source-checked-effective-date-missing",
      "notes": "Use 2MB for safety when an IRCC checklist accepts several PDFs; verify the exact upload slot before final submission."
    },
    {
      "id": "ircc-webform-documents",
      "platform": "IRCC",
      "country": "Canada",
      "workflow": "IRCC web form document attachment",
      "fileType": "PDF, DOC, DOCX, JPG, TIFF, or PNG",
      "limitLabel": "2 MB maximum per file; 3.5 MB combined attachment limit",
      "maxSizeValue": 2,
      "maxSizeUnit": "MB",
      "officialSourceUrl": "https://secure.cic.gc.ca/ClientContact/en/Application",
      "sourceLabel": "IRCC Web form upload instructions",
      "sourceCheckedAt": "2026-06-29",
      "effectiveDate": null,
      "changedFrom": null,
      "changedTo": "2 MB maximum per file; 3.5 MB combined attachment limit",
      "recommendedTarget": "1mb",
      "recommendedTargetLabel": "1MB",
      "recommendedToolSlug": "1mb",
      "verified": false,
      "status": "source-checked-effective-date-missing",
      "notes": "Target 1MB when sending multiple attachments through the web form because the combined limit is lower than two full 2MB files."
    },
    {
      "id": "usajobs-resume",
      "platform": "USAJOBS",
      "country": "United States",
      "workflow": "Federal resume upload",
      "fileType": "PDF, DOC, DOCX, RTF, or TXT",
      "limitLabel": "5 MB maximum resume file size",
      "maxSizeValue": 5,
      "maxSizeUnit": "MB",
      "officialSourceUrl": "https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/account/documents/resume/upload",
      "sourceLabel": "USAJOBS Help Center, Upload a resume",
      "sourceCheckedAt": "2026-06-29",
      "effectiveDate": null,
      "changedFrom": null,
      "changedTo": "5 MB maximum resume file size",
      "recommendedTarget": "5mb",
      "recommendedTargetLabel": "5MB",
      "recommendedToolSlug": "5mb",
      "verified": false,
      "status": "source-checked-effective-date-missing",
      "notes": "The 5MB target is useful for scanned federal resumes; text-based resumes should usually be much smaller."
    },
    {
      "id": "opm-usastaffing-documents",
      "platform": "OPM USA Staffing",
      "country": "United States",
      "workflow": "USA Staffing document upload",
      "fileType": "PDF and other hiring document formats",
      "limitLabel": "5 MB maximum document upload size",
      "maxSizeValue": 5,
      "maxSizeUnit": "MB",
      "officialSourceUrl": "https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Documents",
      "sourceLabel": "OPM USA Staffing Help, Documents",
      "sourceCheckedAt": "2026-06-29",
      "effectiveDate": null,
      "changedFrom": null,
      "changedTo": "5 MB maximum document upload size",
      "recommendedTarget": "5mb",
      "recommendedTargetLabel": "5MB",
      "recommendedToolSlug": "5mb",
      "verified": false,
      "status": "source-checked-effective-date-missing",
      "notes": "Use this row for federal hiring document packets after checking the announcement-specific upload prompt."
    },
    {
      "id": "ceac-immigrant-visa-scans",
      "platform": "CEAC",
      "country": "United States",
      "workflow": "Consular Electronic Application Center civil document upload",
      "fileType": "PDF, JPG, or JPEG",
      "limitLabel": "2 MB maximum document upload size",
      "maxSizeValue": 2,
      "maxSizeUnit": "MB",
      "officialSourceUrl": "https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/national-visa-center.html",
      "sourceLabel": "U.S. Department of State, Uploading documents to CEAC",
      "sourceCheckedAt": "2026-06-29",
      "effectiveDate": null,
      "changedFrom": null,
      "changedTo": "2 MB maximum document upload size",
      "recommendedTarget": "1mb",
      "recommendedTargetLabel": "1MB",
      "recommendedToolSlug": "1mb",
      "verified": false,
      "status": "source-checked-effective-date-missing",
      "notes": "Use 1MB when a scan is near the CEAC cap so page-count changes or metadata do not push it over."
    },
    {
      "id": "irs-secure-digital-correspondence",
      "platform": "IRS",
      "country": "United States",
      "workflow": "IRS secure digital correspondence attachment",
      "fileType": "PDF and image attachments",
      "limitLabel": "15 MB maximum attachment size",
      "maxSizeValue": 15,
      "maxSizeUnit": "MB",
      "officialSourceUrl": "https://www.irs.gov/help/irs-secure-messaging-help",
      "sourceLabel": "IRS, Secure messaging makes it easier to respond to certain notices",
      "sourceCheckedAt": "2026-06-29",
      "effectiveDate": null,
      "changedFrom": null,
      "changedTo": "15 MB maximum attachment size",
      "recommendedTarget": "10mb",
      "recommendedTargetLabel": "10MB",
      "recommendedToolSlug": "10mb",
      "verified": false,
      "status": "source-checked-effective-date-missing",
      "notes": "Because tax workflows are high-stakes, verify the active IRS message center prompt before relying on this staged row."
    }
  ]
}