Canada Passport Photo Requirements 2026

Written and fact-checked by the PassportLayout team · Last verified: 7 July 2026

Official requirements from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), checked against the source on the date above.

Photo Dimensions

Canadian passport photos must measure 50 mm wide by 70 mm high (2 inches by 2¾ inches), as set out on the IRCC photo requirements page. This distinctive rectangular format (7:5 ratio, taller than wide) is noticeably larger than the square 51×51 mm format used by the US and the 35×45 mm format used by the UK and most of Europe. The photo must have been taken no more than 6 months before the date you submit your application.

Two identical and unaltered photos are required for applications submitted by mail or in person. Canada is unusually strict about who takes the photo: it must be taken in person by a commercial photographer or photo studio and professionally printed on plain, high-quality photographic paper — IRCC does not accept photos printed at home or on heavyweight paper. Digital photos are used only for adult passport renewals submitted online. Photos may be in colour or in black and white.

Face and Head Size Requirements

The height of the face — measured from the chin to the crown (top of head) — must be between 31 mm (1¼ inches) and 36 mm (1⁷⁄₁₆ inches) within the 70 mm tall photo, per the official IRCC photo specifications. The face and shoulders must be centred and squared to the camera, not tilted in any direction.

Eyes must be clearly visible and open. The photo must show a full frontal view of the face. Partial profiles or angled shots are not accepted. Hair should not cover the face, and ears do not need to be visible.

Background Requirements

The background must be plain white or light-coloured, evenly lit and free of shadows, patterns, or objects — IRCC requires a clear difference between your face and the background. This is a more flexible approach than countries that demand pure white.

Avoid wearing white clothing: it can blend into the background and will mean that your photo gets rejected. Lighting must be uniform, with no shadows around your ears, in the background, or across your face and shoulders. The background must be plain — no gradients or edges of objects visible behind you.

Expression, Eyes, and Pose

You must have a neutral expression: eyes open and clearly visible, looking straight at the camera, mouth closed, not smiling or frowning. IRCC follows the International Civil Aviation Organization's recommendation of a neutral expression because it helps facial recognition systems confirm identity and prevent fraud.

Unlike the US and UK, Canada accepts photos with glasses, provided your eyes are clearly visible and there is no glare on the lenses. Sunglasses and tinted glasses are not accepted — including tinted prescription lenses, even when your eyes are clearly visible. Your head must be squarely facing the camera with no tilt, rotation, or lean, and your hair must be off your face so that the edges of your face are visible. Photos must be completely unaltered: no editing software, filters, or AI tools, and no red-eye correction.

Photographer Stamp and Guarantor Requirements

Canada is unusual in requiring information on the back of one of the two photos. The photographer must clearly write or stamp the date the photo was taken and the name and complete address of the photo studio. This is why the photo must come from a commercial photographer — a home-printed photo cannot carry a studio stamp.

On the same photo, for new applications, your guarantor — a person who has known you for at least 2 years — must clearly write "I certify this to be a true likeness of (the applicant's name)" and sign their name at the bottom. If you are renewing an adult passport, you do not need a guarantor. Check the IRCC website for the guarantor eligibility rules for your specific application category.

Digital Photo Specifications (Online Renewals)

A digital photo is needed only if you are renewing an adult passport online. It must still be taken in person by a commercial photographer, no more than 6 months before you apply, and it cannot be a scanned copy of a printed photo. The digital specifications differ from the printed format:

• Format: JPEG (.jpeg or .jpg)
• Aspect ratio: 3:2, camera oriented in portrait mode
• Minimum resolution: 1,800 pixels high × 1,200 pixels wide
• Maximum resolution: 4,500 pixels high × 3,000 pixels wide
• File size: between 200 KB and 5 MB
• Head size: chin-to-crown measurement between 45% and 50% of the photo's height
• Colour: colour or black and white, saved directly from the camera's original file

Complete Specifications Table

Common Rejection Reasons

• Photo not 50×70 mm (wrong aspect ratio from printing)
• Face too small or too large (outside 31–36 mm range)
• Background with shadows or poor contrast (e.g., white clothing blending in)
• Sunglasses or tinted glasses worn, or glare on the lenses
• Non-neutral expression (smiling, frowning, mouth open)
• Photo older than 6 months
• Photo altered or edited (filters, AI tools, red-eye correction)
• Photographer's stamp or guarantor signature missing from back of photo
• Photos not identical (minor differences in expression or lighting)

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) — Passport photo requirements — official photo specifications (verified July 7, 2026)
• ICAO Doc 9303 — Machine Readable Travel Documents — international biometric portrait standard