Disclosed are a CMOS image sensor and a method for manufacturing the same, for reducing or preventing damage to a photodiode and improving a pixel design margin to achieve scale down of a pixel. The CMOS image sensor includes an isolation layer in a semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode crossing a part of the isolation layer and the active area, a photodiode area in the active area, an insulating sidewall spacer on sides of the gate electrode, a metal silicide layer on the gate electrode and at least part of a surface of the photodiode area adjacent to the gate electrode, a metal layer electrically connecting the gate electrode to the photodiode area, and a dielectric layer on the entire surface of semiconductor substrate.