Direct Answer: The Canada passport photo must be exactly 50 × 70 mm. The background must be plain white, and your head must occupy 44% to 51% of the photograph. You must maintain a neutral expression with both eyes open.
Source: Official Government of Canada (IRCC) passport photo requirements
Create Canada Passport Photo View RequirementsA Canada passport photo must be 50 mm wide by 70 mm tall (2 × 2¾ inches) with the face measuring 31–36 mm from chin to crown, on a plain white or light-coloured background. You need two identical prints taken by a professional photographer within the last 6 months, with the studio name, address and date on the back of one.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Photo size | 50 × 70 mm (2 × 2¾ in / 5 × 7 cm) |
| Face height | 31 – 36 mm chin to crown, about 44–51% of the frame |
| Background | Plain white or light-coloured, clear contrast with the face |
| Pixels @ 300 DPI | 591 × 827 px |
| Pixels @ 600 DPI | 1181 × 1654 px |
| Glasses | Accepted if eyes visible and no glare — tinted lenses are not |
| Head coverings | Accepted for religious or medical reasons, full face visible |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth closed, no smiling, eyes open |
| Photo age | Taken within the last 6 months |
| Who may take it | A professional photographer, in person |
| Copies required | Two identical prints; one endorsed on the reverse |
| Issuing authority | Government of Canada Passport Program (IRCC) |
Every rule is explained in depth in the passport photo rules library, and other national standards are indexed in the requirements by country hub.
This is the single biggest difference between Canada and countries like the United States or the United Kingdom, and it is the reason a home-made photo cannot complete a Canadian passport application.
Three genuinely useful things:
The diagram marks every measurement the Passport Program checks: the 50 × 70 mm frame and the 31–36 mm chin-to-crown face height.
Prepare and verify a 50 × 70 mm Canadian-format photo in your browser. No software, no signup, no watermarks.
A practical, plain-English guide to the exact specifications the Government of Canada Passport Program expects on every passport photo.
The Canadian passport photo standard is one of the strictest in the world. Unlike the US 2×2 inch format, Canada uses a taller rectangular photo measuring exactly 50 mm wide by 70 mm tall. The face itself must measure between 31 mm and 36 mm from the bottom of the chin to the natural top of the head (the crown, not the top of the hair). Even a few millimetres off and the photo will be returned by the passport office.
Canada follows ICAO Doc 9303 international standards but applies its own physical print size. The 50 × 70 mm format is close to unique to Canada — the United Kingdom, the Schengen area and most of Europe use 35 × 45 mm, while the United States and India use the 2 × 2 inch (51 × 51 mm) square. This is why a US or European passport photo is never accepted as a Canadian one, even if cropped.
The Passport Program accepts a plain white or light-coloured background with a clear difference between your face and the background. Lighting must be uniform, with no shadows, glare, or flash reflections, and the photo must be clear, sharp, in focus, and show natural skin tones. Your expression must be neutral with the mouth closed and no smiling, eyes open and clearly visible, and your face and shoulders squared to the camera. See the background colour rules and shadow rules.
Canada is more permissive than the US or UK on eyewear. Photos with glasses are accepted provided your eyes are clearly visible, there is no glare on the lenses, and the frames do not cover any part of your eyes. Sunglasses and tinted glasses are not accepted even when the eyes are visible. Hair may be worn up or down. Hats and head coverings worn daily for religious beliefs or medical reasons are accepted as long as your full face is clearly visible and no shadow falls across it. See the glasses rules, hair rules and head covering rules.
For a print at 300 DPI, the digital file works out to 591 × 827 pixels; at 600 DPI it is 1181 × 1654 pixels. See the pixel conversion table below, and the resolution rules for the sharpness standard.
A commercial photographer is required for the passport channel. Common options across Canada include Shoppers Drug Mart, Walmart Photo, Costco Photo Centre, London Drugs, and Staples, as well as independent studios. Confirm before paying that they will provide two prints and stamp the reverse of one with the studio name, address and date.
The complete published specification. Each rule links to the detailed standard in our passport photo rules library.
| Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| Photo Size | 50 mm × 70 mm (2 × 2¾ inches / 5 cm × 7 cm) |
| Width | 50 mm (1.97 inches) |
| Height | 70 mm (2.75 inches) |
| Aspect ratio | 5 : 7 portrait — square 2×2 inch photos are not accepted |
| Face Height | 31 mm to 36 mm from chin to crown — see head size rules |
| Face coverage | About 44–51% of the 70 mm frame — see face size requirements |
| Head & shoulders | Centred and squared to the camera, no tilt or turn |
| Background | Plain white or light-coloured, clear contrast with the face — see background colour rules |
| Lighting | Uniform, no shadows, glare, or flash reflections — see shadow rules |
| Expression | Neutral face, mouth closed, no smiling — see smile rules |
| Eyes | Open and clearly visible — see eyes requirements |
| Glasses | Accepted if eyes clearly visible, no glare, frames clear of the eyes. Sunglasses and tinted lenses are not accepted — see glasses rules |
| Hair | Worn up or down, but must not obscure the face — see hair rules |
| Ears | Not mandatory, but the face outline must be clear — see ears visibility rules |
| Head coverings | Accepted when worn daily for religious or medical reasons, full face visible and no shadow — see head covering rules |
| Image quality | Clear, sharp, in focus, natural skin tones — see resolution rules |
| Resolution | Minimum 300 DPI (591 × 827 px at 50 × 70 mm) |
| Photo Age | Taken no more than 6 months before you submit |
| Print Requirements | Original professional print on high-quality matte or semi-gloss paper — not a scan or photocopy |
| Who may take it | A professional photographer, in person — self-taken photos are not accepted for passports |
| Copies required | Two identical prints from the same session |
| Reverse of one photo | Photographer's studio or company name, complete address, and the date taken — stamped or handwritten |
Prepare a 50 × 70 mm reference before your studio visit so you know what a passing photo looks like.
Check FramingThe 50 × 70 mm physical size converts to different pixel counts depending on the export resolution. Export high — a printer can downscale, but detail cannot be recovered from a small file.
| Resolution | Pixels (W × H) | Use case |
|---|---|---|
| 150 DPI | 295 × 413 px | Below the print minimum — not acceptable |
| 300 DPI | 591 × 827 px | Minimum standard print quality |
| 450 DPI | 886 × 1240 px | Comfortable headroom for studio printing |
| 600 DPI | 1181 × 1654 px | Recommended export for professional labs |
Enlarging a small image to reach 591 × 827 pixels interpolates rather than adds detail, and the result is soft around the eyes and hairline. The Passport Program requires the photo to be clear, sharp and in focus, so an upscaled file fails on quality even when the pixel count reads correctly.
If you hold dual citizenship or are applying for more than one document, here is how the standards differ. They are not interchangeable.
| Country | Photo Size | Pixels @ 300 DPI | Face Height | Glasses | Self-taken? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 50 × 70 mm | 591 × 827 px | 31–36 mm | Accepted | No — photographer |
| United States | 51 × 51 mm (2 × 2 in) | 600 × 600 px | 25–35 mm | Not permitted | Yes |
| United Kingdom | 35 × 45 mm | 413 × 531 px | 29–34 mm | Discouraged | Yes |
| EU / Schengen | 35 × 45 mm | 413 × 531 px | 32–36 mm | Varies by state | Usually |
| Ireland | 35 × 45 mm | 413 × 531 px | 29–34 mm | Not permitted | Yes |
| Australia | 35 × 45 mm | 413 × 531 px | 32–36 mm | Discouraged | Yes |
| India | 35 × 45 mm | 413 × 531 px | 25–35 mm | Discouraged | Yes |
| China | 33 × 48 mm | 390 × 567 px | 28–33 mm | Discouraged | Yes |
Need the American format instead? Use our US Passport Photo Maker. Full worldwide reference: passport size photo dimensions.
The full specification is in the requirements table above. This is the practical list of things to confirm after the photos are in your hand and before the envelope goes out.
The same 50 × 70 mm size, 31–36 mm face height and background rules apply to children including newborns. There is no size or framing exemption for age, and the photographer endorsement is still required.
50 × 70 mm frame with the face 31–36 mm chin to crown. No age exemption applies to dimensions, background or the photographer rule.
No parent, guardian, supporting hand, toy, pacifier or car seat may appear. Support from behind a plain sheet so nothing enters frame.
Eyes should be open and clearly visible with a neutral expression. See the eyes requirements.
Uniform lighting with no shadows or flash reflections. This is the check that most often fails on infant photos — see the shadow rules.
Children's passports are issued for a shorter validity period than adult ones, so a fresh photo is needed at every renewal because young faces change quickly. Positioning and lighting technique for infants is covered in the baby passport photo guide — useful preparation even though the passport print itself must come from a photographer.
Four steps to a verified 50 × 70 mm reference file you can check before your studio visit, or submit directly to the PR card and visa channels.
Take a fresh photo against a plain light wall or upload one from your phone or computer. JPG and PNG are supported.
The tool detects your face and crops to the 50×70 mm Canadian format automatically. The crop guide explains how the 5:7 ratio and face-height band work together.
The background is replaced with a clean, compliant light tone, removing shadows and clutter.
Download a high-resolution JPEG. Use it as your studio reference, or submit it to the PR card or visa channel where applicant photos are accepted.
Applying for a PR card or visitor visa instead? Those channels accept your own photo.
PR Card SpecsFor the passport channel the prints come from the photographer. This guidance matters when you are printing for the PR card, visa, or any other 50 × 70 mm use where you supply your own photo.
| Printed size | Exactly 50 × 70 mm with no border |
|---|---|
| Print resolution | 300 DPI minimum — disable fit-to-page and auto-scaling, which change the physical size |
| Paper | High-quality matte or semi-gloss photo paper. Plain copier paper is refused |
| Original print | Must be an original photographic print — a scan or photocopy of a print is refused |
| Copies per 6 × 4 inch sheet | Two 50 × 70 mm photos with cutting margins |
| Cutting | Guillotine or steel rule for square edges. Do not cut inside the printed border |
| Colour management | sRGB. Turn off printer auto-enhance and colour correction |
| Reverse of one photo | For the passport channel, leave clear for the photographer's studio name, address and date |
| Handling | Let ink dry fully. Do not staple, fold, or write on the front |
Printer settings, paper choice and cutting technique are covered in the print passport photo at home guide, and multi-copy sheet layout in the print sheet guide.
Thousands of Canadian passport applications are delayed every year because of small photo errors. The full cross-country breakdown is in passport photo rejection reasons.
The reverse of one photo must carry the studio name, complete address and the date taken. An unendorsed pair is returned unprocessed — the most avoidable failure on this list.
Canada requires photos taken in person by a professional photographer. A home or booth photo without the studio endorsement cannot be accepted for a passport.
Photos that are not exactly 50×70 mm will be rejected. Standard 4×6 prints and US 2×2 inch sizes do not qualify — see the 2x2 photo size comparison.
The face must measure 31–36 mm from chin to crown. Photos taken too close or too far from the camera fail this rule — see the head size rules.
Standing too close to the wall causes shadows behind your head. Lighting must be uniform with no shadows, glare or flash reflections — see the shadow rules.
Glasses themselves are accepted, but glare on the lenses or frames covering any part of the eyes is not. Tinted lenses and sunglasses are refused outright — see the glasses rules.
A neutral expression is mandatory. Even slight smiles can lead to rejection — see the smile rules.
Eyes, eyebrows and the face outline must be clearly visible. Hair may be up or down but must not obscure the face — see the hair rules.
The photos must be original photographic prints. A scan, photocopy or reprint of an existing photo is refused.
Photos older than six months, filtered, or digitally retouched beyond basic colour correction are not accepted.
Whether you are shooting a reference to take to the studio, or preparing a photo for the PR card and visa channels where your own image is accepted, these details decide whether it passes.
Hand the phone to someone else. Stand about 1.5 metres away with the camera at eye level. Arm's-length selfies distort facial proportions and fail the face-height check.
Stand facing a window during the day. Natural light produces accurate skin tones and avoids the glare and flash reflections the specification prohibits.
An empty white or light wall is ideal, and stand at least 50 cm clear of it. Avoid wallpaper, posters, doors and textured surfaces.
Solid colours that contrast with the light background keep a clear difference between your face, shoulders and the backdrop. Avoid white tops and busy patterns.
Canada accepts glasses, but not glare. Tilt the frames very slightly downward and move away from direct light so the lenses stay clear and the frames do not cross your eyes.
Portrait blur, skin smoothing and face-slimming are enabled by default on many phones. They alter facial geometry and are not permitted. Use the plain photo mode.
A 50×70 mm photo isn't only for the main passport booklet. The same format is required across multiple Canadian government applications, which is why knowing the specification once saves repeat studio visits.
Most Canadians need a fresh passport photo at least once every five to ten years, but in practice these photos are needed far more often. Whether you are applying for a brand new adult passport, helping a parent renew their travel document, or sending a photo for a child's first passport, the specifications stay identical. Knowing exactly when you'll need one — and that two endorsed prints are required each time — helps you plan ahead.
For new applications you must submit two identical photos taken within the last six months. Renewal applications also require two new photos that reflect your current appearance, even through the simplified renewal process. Children's passports need updated photos every cycle because young faces change quickly. And for emergency or urgent travel documents issued by Canadian consulates abroad, the same 50×70 mm standard applies, though consular staff may apply stricter quality controls.
First-time adult applicants submit two identical endorsed 50×70 mm photos taken in the last 6 months.
Even simplified renewals need two fresh photos. Photos from your previous passport are not accepted.
Children need updated photos every passport cycle. See the child and infant section above.
Issued by consulates abroad, these still require the standard Canadian photo format and endorsement.
If you need a photo for permanent residency, see our Canada PR Card Photo page. For visa-specific requirements, use our Canada Visa Photo page. Both channels publish their own specifications and accept applicant-supplied photos.
Everything you need to know about Canada passport photo requirements.
Prepare a verified 50 × 70 mm reference so you know exactly what a passing photo looks like — or generate a submission-ready file for the PR card and visa channels. Free, secure, and accurate.
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