Canada visa photo
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The requirements
| Print size | 35 x 45 mm (1.375 x 1.75 in) |
|---|---|
| Head height, chin to crown | 31-36 mm Head from chin to crown 31 mm (1 1/4 in) to 36 mm (1 7/16 in). Crown means the top of the head, or where the top of the skull would be if it is hidden by hair or a head covering. |
| Background | Plain white or light-coloured background, clear and well defined, no shadow behind the head |
| Glasses | Allowed, as long as the eyes are fully visible with no glare and no tint. |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth closed, both eyes open. |
| Head covering | Only for religious or medical reasons, and the face must be visible from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead. |
| Photo age | 6 months |
| Also required |
|
IRCC publishes one photograph specification for temporary resident applications, and the study permit and work permit guides point at the same sheet. The stated 35 x 45 mm is a minimum frame size, not a fixed size, and the head must stay between 31 and 36 mm whatever the frame. IRCC publishes no pixel dimensions or file size limits for photos uploaded with an online temporary resident application: the instruction is only that a digital photograph must not be altered, and the portal's generic upload limit applies. Unlike the Canadian passport photo, this sheet does not ask the studio to write its name, address and the date on the back, and unlike the passport and the permanent resident card it does not require a commercial photographer at all. The passport rules (50x70 mm, online renewal pixel ranges, photographer only) and the permanent resident card rules (12 month photo age, 715x1000 to 2000x2800 px) must not be carried over to a visa application: they are three separate specifications.
Applying in Canada
Canada is the country where it matters most to know which application route you are on, because the two routes want opposite things. A paper application, submitted in person or by mail, needs two identical prints made by a commercial photographer, with the studio's details and the date written on the back. An online renewal needs a digital photo, and the Passport Program is explicit that it must not be a scan of a printed passport photo.
That split decides whether a photo you make yourself is useful. For the paper route it is not, whatever its quality: the writing on the back is an attestation by a business, and nothing produced at home supplies it. The Passport Program also says it does not accept photos printed at home or on heavyweight paper, so the print sheet on this site is not the answer for a mail-in Canadian application either.
For the online route the position reverses. A digital file made on your own device is what is being asked for, and the requirements are the ordinary ones: head size, eye line, plain light background, neutral expression. One caveat is worth carrying with you. The photo page leads with the two printed photos, and the digital specification belongs to the online renewal service rather than to that page, so read the service's own instructions when you reach the upload step. If you are applying on paper, use this page to understand what the photographer must deliver.
Why photos get rejected here
White or very light clothing
The Passport Program lists white clothing among the reasons a photo is not accepted, because it blends into the light background and the outline of the shoulders disappears. It is the most avoidable rejection on this list and the one people are most surprised by.
The back of the photo is incomplete
On a paper application the photographer has to write the studio's details and the date the photo was taken, and where a guarantor is required they must certify it is a true likeness and sign. A technically perfect photo with an empty back is returned.
A scanned print submitted online
Online renewals require a digital photo and specifically exclude a scanned copy of a printed passport photo. Photographing or scanning a physical print to upload it will not pass.
Any editing or alteration
Retouching, filters and skin smoothing are all listed as grounds for refusal. This includes the beauty modes some phones apply by default in the front camera, which is one reason to use the rear one.
Glare on glasses, or tinted lenses
Glasses are permitted if the eyes are clearly visible and there is no glare, but sunglasses and tinted lenses are not. Reflections from a flash are a common failure, which is a further reason to keep the flash off.
Face not centred or not square to the camera
A head turned slightly away or tilted reads as a non-frontal pose. Squaring the shoulders to the camera fixes both at once.
What helps
Decide your route before you book anything
Online renewal wants a digital file and forbids a scan. A paper application wants two prints with a signed back. The photo you need is different, so establish which application you are making first.
Wear a mid or dark tone
The background is plain white or light coloured, so the shoulder line has to come from your clothing. A mid-blue, grey or dark top gives the clearest separation.
Take the car seat off its base for a newborn
Canada permits photographing a newborn in a car seat with a white blanket over the seat behind the head. Putting the seat on the floor lets you shoot from the child's level rather than looking down at them.
Ask the studio to confirm the head height before you leave
The chin-to-crown measurement is the requirement most often missed by a photographer working quickly. It is set by 31 to 36, and it is far cheaper to check at the counter than after a rejection.
Check the fee before you pay
Passport and travel document service fees increased on 31 March 2026. Confirm the current figure on the Government of Canada fees page rather than relying on a number you remember or one printed in an older guide.
Choose the pickup option that matches your date
In person at a passport office takes 10 business days, and a Service Canada Centre or the mail takes 20, as of September 2026. Urgent pickup by the end of the next business day costs CAD 125.75, express pickup within 2 to 9 business days CAD 50, and standard pickup CAD 20. Weekend and holiday emergency service is CAD 383.50.
Babies and young children
Canada names a method for newborns that most countries leave to guesswork: you may photograph the child sitting in a car seat, with a white blanket placed over the seat behind their head. The Passport Program also allows some range for infant facial expressions, so a child who is not perfectly neutral is not automatically refused. The rule that catches parents is a separate one: the photo must not show your hands or your child's hands, so nothing may be supporting the head visibly. The commercial photographer requirement applies to children too, so for a paper application the studio still takes the picture.
Glasses
Glasses are accepted, which puts Canada in the minority among the countries on this site. The conditions are that the eyes must be clearly visible and there must be no glare on the lenses. Sunglasses and tinted lenses are not accepted. Because glare is the usual failure, the safest approach is still to take them off if you can see well enough without them, and to keep any flash out of the room if you cannot.
Head covering
A head covering worn for religious beliefs or medical reasons is accepted. The conditions are that the full face must be clearly visible and the covering must not cast shadows on the face. A head covering that is not worn daily for religious or medical reasons is listed among the reasons a photo is refused, so a hat or a hood is not acceptable. The shadow condition is the one that fails most often, because a brim or a fold catching an overhead light darkens the eye sockets.
Applying online
Online renewals take a digital photo and explicitly exclude a scanned copy of a printed passport photo, so the file has to originate as a digital image. Note that the photo page itself is written around the printed route and specifies two identical prints; the digital figures belong to the online renewal service, so confirm them there when you upload. Paper applications submitted in person or by mail take two identical prints, professionally printed on plain photographic paper, with the studio's details and the date written on the back. Photos printed at home or on heavyweight paper are not accepted for that route.
Questions about Canada photos
Can I take my own passport photo in Canada?
For an online renewal, yes: a digital photo is what is required, and it must not be a scan of a print. For a paper application, no. The photo has to be taken in person by a commercial photographer or photo studio, and the back has to carry the studio's details and the date.
What has to be written on the back of the photo?
The photographer writes the studio's details and the date the photo was taken. Where a guarantor is required, they write that they certify it to be a true likeness of the applicant, and sign. A guarantor is not required for an adult renewal.
How many photos do I need?
Two identical and unaltered photos accompany each paper passport application. An online renewal takes a single digital file instead.
Can I print the photos myself on photo paper?
No. The Passport Program does not accept photos printed at home, or printed on heavyweight paper. Prints must be produced professionally on plain, high-quality photographic paper.
Why was my photo refused for white clothing?
Because the background is white or light coloured, a white top leaves no visible boundary at the shoulders and the head appears to float. White clothing is named directly in the list of reasons a photo is not accepted.
Has the passport fee changed recently?
Yes. Most passport and travel document service fees increased on 31 March 2026. As of September 2026 a five-year adult passport is CAD 122.50, a ten-year adult passport CAD 163.50, and a child passport for ages 0 to 15 is CAD 58.50. Check the current amount before you pay, since older guides quote the previous figures.
Where these numbers come from
Official sourceEvery measurement on this page comes from the issuing authority's own published requirements.
- Temporary Resident Visa application photograph specificationschecked September 2, 2026
- Visa Application Photograph Specifications (photospecs-e.pdf)checked September 2, 2026
Reviewed by Editorial teamHow we check our numbers