Canada visa photo
Canada visa photo: 35 x 45 mm (1.375 x 1.75 in). The head must measure 31-36 mm from the chin to the top of the head. The photo must have been taken in the last 6 months. Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, checked September 2, 2026.
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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 |
| 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 |
|
How to apply: Canada
A Canadian temporary resident visa uses its own photo sheet from IRCC, separate from the passport and the permanent resident card. The frame must be at least 35 x 45 mm, and the head from chin to crown must measure 31 to 36 mm. The photo must have been taken within the last 6 months.
This is the one Canadian photo you may take yourself. Unlike the passport and the permanent resident card, the visa sheet does not require a commercial photographer, and it does not ask for a studio stamp on the back. Photos may be in black and white or colour, printed on quality photographic paper.
IRCC publishes no pixel size or file size for a photo uploaded with an online application. Its instruction is that a digital photo must not be altered in any way. The same sheet is used for study permits and work permits.
Why photos get rejected here
Head outside the range
The head from chin to crown must be 31 to 36 mm, whatever the size of the frame. Crown means the top of the skull, not the top of the hair.
A shadow behind the head
The background must be plain white or light-coloured, clear and well defined, with no shadow behind the head.
An altered digital photo
A digital photo must not be altered in any way. Filters and retouching are grounds for refusal.
Smiling or frowning
The expression must be neutral, neither frowning nor smiling, with the mouth closed.
Tinted glasses
Only non-tinted prescription glasses are accepted, with the eyes clearly visible and no part of the eyes covered by the frame.
What helps
Bring two identical prints
Paper applications need two identical photos for you and for each family member travelling with you.
Show the tops of the shoulders
Frame the full front of the head with the face centred, including the top of the shoulders.
Measure to the skull, not the hair
If your hair is tall or you wear a head covering, the crown is where the top of the skull would be.
Do not reuse passport rules
The passport's 50 x 70 mm size, pixel ranges and photographer requirement do not apply to a visa.
Babies and young children
The visa sheet does not set out separate rules for babies. The child must be alone in the photo, facing the camera with a neutral expression and the face fully visible.
How to take a baby's passport photo at home
Glasses
Non-tinted prescription glasses are accepted if the eyes are clearly visible and the frame does not cover any part of the eyes. Sunglasses are refused.
Passport photo glasses rules by country
Head covering
A religious head covering is accepted as long as it does not hide your full facial features. The sheet names no medical exception.
Applying online
IRCC publishes no pixel or file size rule for the visa photo, only that a digital photo must not be altered in any way. Paper applications need two identical prints.
Questions about Canada photos
Can I take my Canadian visa photo at home?
Yes. The temporary resident visa sheet does not require a commercial photographer, unlike the Canadian passport and the permanent resident card.
Is the visa photo 50 x 70 mm like the passport?
No. The visa frame must be at least 35 x 45 mm, with the head 31 to 36 mm.
Does the photo need a stamp on the back?
No. Unlike the passport, the visa sheet does not ask for the studio's name, address and date on the back.
What background colour does a Canadian visa photo need?
Plain white or light-coloured, clear and well defined, with no shadow behind the head. IRCC accepts light colours here, not only white, but the shadow rule is strict and a shadow beside your head is a named refusal reason.
Can I wear glasses in a Canadian visa photo?
Only non-tinted prescription glasses, and only if the eyes are clearly visible and the frame covers no part of them. Sunglasses are refused. If you can take them off for the photograph, that is the safe choice.
Can I smile in my Canadian visa photo?
No. The expression must be neutral, neither frowning nor smiling, with the mouth closed. Face square to the camera, the full front of the head visible and the face in the middle of the frame.
Where these numbers come from
Official sourceEvery measurement on this page comes from the issuing authority's own published requirements.
Editor: Mehmet Apaydın (Xenit)How we check our numbers