An ink jet printing process for improving the light stability of an ink jet image comprising: providing an ink jet recording element comprising a support having thereon an image-recording layer comprising a cross-linkable polymer of gelatin or acetoacetylated poly(vinyl alcohol) and a mordant; applying liquid ink droplets of a dye on the image-recording layer in an image-wise manner, the dye being a water-soluble deprotonated cationic dye which is capable of being reprotonated to a cationic dye having a N—H group which is part of a conjugated system; and applying an aqueous solution of a multivalent inorganic salt to the image to cross-link the polymer.