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Canada Passport Photo Size & Requirements

A Canadian passport photo is 50 × 70 mm. This is a requirements reference — what to check a studio's work against, and how to get a photo that is accepted.

Source: official Canada guidance, checked 2026-08-26.

No Canada rule is recorded here for eye line, print resolution and an exact background colour, plus 2 more, so this tool cannot check them. Check the official guidance.

These are automated checks, not an approval. The issuing authority decides whether your photo is accepted.

How to get a photo Canada accepts

No crop, resize or background fix changes the rule above, so this is the route that works.

  1. Go to a commercial photographer or photo studio

    IRCC requires the photo to be taken in person and professionally printed on photographic paper. Photos printed at home are refused, whatever they look like.

  2. Ask for two identical prints

    Canada requires two, and one of them has to be signed on the back by your guarantor. Studios that do passport work know this; say it anyway.

  3. Take the requirements below with you

    A studio that does passport work every day can still hand you the wrong country's frame. The size, background and expression rules on this page are what you check the result against before you leave.

Canadian passport photo requirements

Photo size
50 × 70 mm (1.97 × 2.76 in)
Head height
44.3–51.4% of photo height, chin to crown
Eye line
Not published by this authority
Resolution
Not published by this authorityThis tool uses 300 dpi (591 × 827 pixels) as an assumption.
Background
plain white or light-coloured background
Expression
Neutral, mouth closed — no smiling
Glasses
Allowed if the eyes are clear, with no glare or tint
Ears
Not published by this authority
Head coverings
Not published by this authority
Photo you took yourself
Not accepted — see above
Edited photos
Not accepted, including edited backgrounds

Taken from the official Canada guidance, last checked . Where a row says the authority publishes nothing, that is what it means — not that anything goes.

Common reasons Canadian passport photos get rejected

  1. Taking the photo yourself

    Canada does not accept a photo you supply. This is the single most likely reason an otherwise good photo is refused here, and no amount of cropping fixes it.

  2. Editing the photo

    Canada rejects photos altered with software, including replacing or tidying the background. Fix the lighting and the wall instead of the file.

  3. A background that is not plain

    Canada asks for plain white or light-coloured background. Patterned wallpaper, door frames and furniture edges are common causes.

  4. Head too large or too small in the frame

    Chin to crown must be 44.3–51.4% of the photo height. Standing too close to the camera is the usual cause, and it also distorts your features.

  5. Smiling

    Canada requires a neutral expression with the mouth closed. A closed-mouth smile still counts as an expression here.

  6. Glare or heavy frames on glasses

    Glasses are allowed, but reflections on the lenses and frames crossing the eyes are both rejection reasons. Removing them avoids the risk entirely.

  7. Shadows on the face or behind the head

    Standing close to a wall throws a shadow onto it, and overhead lighting casts shadows into the eye sockets. Move away from the wall and face a window.

  8. A blurry or low-resolution photo

    Cropping tightly into a small photo is the usual cause. Start from a full-resolution photo taken a couple of metres away rather than enlarging a small one.

  9. Something else in the frame

    Another person, a hand steadying a child, a chair back, a toy, headphones, or a face covering. Authorities list these individually because they see them constantly — the photo must show you alone, with your whole face visible.

  10. A photo that is too old

    Most authorities require a photo taken within the last six months, and one that still looks like you.

Canadian passport photo questions

What size is a Canadian passport photo?
50 × 70 mm (1.97 × 2.76 inches).
How big should my head be in a Canadian passport photo?
Chin to the top of your head must measure between 44.3% and 51.4% of the photo's height.
Can you smile in a Canadian passport photo?
No. Canada requires a neutral expression with your mouth closed.
Can you wear glasses in a Canadian passport photo?
Glasses are allowed, provided your eyes are clearly visible with no glare and the frames do not cover them. Tinted lenses and sunglasses are not accepted.
What background does a Canadian passport photo need?
plain white or light-coloured background.
Can I take my own Canadian passport photo?
No. Canada does not accept a photo supplied by the applicant. Check the official guidance for how photos must be taken.
What does Canada not specify?
No published rule was found for eye line, print resolution, an exact background colour, whether ears must be visible and head coverings. That does not mean anything is acceptable — it means the authority has not stated a figure, so check its own guidance and err on the cautious side.
Where do these Canadian requirements come from?
They were read from the official guidance at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports/photos.html, last checked on 2026-08-26. Requirements change, so confirm against that page before you apply.

This is a summary of published guidance, not advice. Canada’s issuing authority decides whether your photo is accepted. This site is not affiliated with any government.