head 69–80 %
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SourceGovernment of Canada / IRCC
Verified
Quick answer: A Canada visa photo must be 35 × 45 mm. White or light uniform background. Head occupies 69–80% of photo height (31–36 mm chin to crown). Neutral expression, clear lenses only, no glare. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 69–80% of photo heightICAO 9303: 70–80% |
| Head height (mm) | 31–36 mm chin to crownICAO 9303: 32–36 mm |
| Background | White or light uniform background. |
| Pose | Full face, head centred, no tilt or rotation. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | Eyes must be fully visible; no tinted lenses or strong reflections. See full rules → |
| Lighting | Shadows on the face and background not permitted. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| Attire | Clothing must not blend into the background; face and shoulder line must be clearly defined. |
| File format | JPEG · sRGB / 24-bit |
| Millimetres | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Centimetres | 3.5 × 4.5 cm |
| Inches | 1.38 × 1.77″ |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | 413 × 531 px |
| Pixels at 600 dpi | 827 × 1063 px |
Canadian visa photographs are set by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). For a temporary resident visa (visitor visa) it asks for two identical photographs taken within the last six months, in colour or black and white, clear and well defined, on a plain white or light-coloured background, printed on quality photographic paper.
The frame is at least 35 × 45 mm, with a full front view of the head in the middle and the top of the shoulders, and the head from chin to crown between 31 and 36 mm. The face is square to the camera, with a neutral expression — neither frowning nor smiling — and the mouth closed.
Non-tinted prescription glasses are fine if the eyes are clearly visible and the frame covers no part of them; sunglasses are not. Digital photos must not be altered in any way.
If the photos do not meet the specification, IRCC makes you provide new ones before the application can be processed.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Canada visa applications. These are the differences that most often determine whether a document photo is accepted.
Typical reasons a photo is rejected under the rules Government of Canada / IRCC publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Frame smaller than 35 × 45 mm, or head outside 31–36 mm from chin to crown | Use a frame of at least 35 × 45 mm with the full head and the top of the shoulders, and size the head from chin to crown between 31 and 36 mm. |
| Sunglasses, tinted lenses, or a frame covering part of the eyes | Wear non-tinted prescription glasses whose frame stays clear of the eyes, or take your glasses off. |
| Smile, frown or open mouth; face not square to the camera | Keep a neutral face — neither smiling nor frowning — with the mouth closed, and square the face to the camera. |
| Background not plain white or light-coloured, or the photo not clear and well defined | Shoot in front of a plain white or light-coloured wall and make sure the picture is sharp and well defined before you print it. |
| Digital photo that has been altered, or a photo older than six months | Submit the original digital file without any edit and use a photo taken within the last six months; the two prints must be identical. |
How to take it
Background: white or light
The tool puts in the required background. Stand half a metre from a plain light wall, face a window and shoot without flash — then there are no shadows on your face or on the wall.
Head: 69–80 % of the photo height (31–36 mm)
Camera at eye level, about a metre away; head and shoulders in the shot. The tool crops it to 35 × 45 mm.
Clear lenses only, no glare
If you wear glasses, check the shot: no glare on the lenses, eyes clearly visible.
Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open
Look straight into the lens with your head level; keep hair away from your eyes and eyebrows.
An ordinary selfie will do: we fix the background, light and framing ourselves — to this document's rules. The preview is free.
Head straightHold the phone at eye level and your head straightens by itself.
Face uncoveredMove your hair away so your eyes and eyebrows show.
No glare on glassesStand so that no light reflects in the lenses.Printing and submission
| 10 × 15 cm · 4 × 6″ | 8 (4 × 2) |
|---|---|
| A4 · 21 × 29.7 cm | 36 (6 × 6) |
Print at 100% scale, borderless, and turn off fit-to-page so each photo keeps its exact size.
A Canadian visitor visa is applied for with IRCC, mostly online; on paper applications the two printed photographs go with the file. IRCC says photos that do not meet the specification must be replaced before the application is processed.
canada.ca — apply for a visitor visa
Digital photos must not be altered. As an example of an IRCC digital specification, the International Experience Canada page gives a frame of at least 35 × 45 mm, at least 420 × 540 pixels, JPEG or JPEG2000, ideally 240 kB.
Authority pageAs instructed in the IRCC application package for your country
Two identical photographs on quality photographic paper, taken within the last six months, frame at least 35 × 45 mm, head 31–36 mm, white or light-coloured background.
Authority page| Authority | Government of Canada / IRCC |
|---|---|
| Source | Canadian visa application photograph specifications |
| Verified |
Questions
Two identical photographs taken within the last six months, in colour or black and white, clear and well defined, on a plain white or light-coloured background, printed on quality photographic paper. A frame of at least 35 × 45 mm showing the full head and the top of the shoulders, with the head from chin to crown between 31 and 36 mm. Face square to the camera, neutral expression, mouth closed. Non-tinted prescription glasses are allowed; sunglasses are not.
IRCC gives the frame size as at least 35 mm × 45 mm (1⅜ × 1¾ inches), so 35 × 45 mm is the standard choice and a larger frame is not ruled out. The head, from chin to crown, must measure 31–36 mm. Do not confuse it with the Canadian passport photo, which is 50 × 70 mm.
Yes, non-tinted prescription glasses are allowed as long as your eyes are clearly visible and the frame does not cover any part of your eyes. Sunglasses are not acceptable. If in doubt, take the glasses off.
Yes — IRCC accepts either black and white or colour. For the application you provide two photographs of yourself, identical, printed on quality photographic paper and taken within the last six months. If you provide digital photos, they must not be altered in any way.
IRCC states that you will have to provide new photographs before your application can be processed, so the file waits until you send compliant ones. Check the frame size (at least 35 × 45 mm), the head height (31–36 mm), the background, the expression and the glasses before you submit.
The Canada visa photo must be 35 × 45 mm. The head must occupy 69–80% of the photo height. Many consulates also require a specific digital file size — see the spec table above for full details.
White or light uniform background. The background must be evenly lit with no shadow gradients, especially around the head. Consular automated pre-screening rejects photos with any wall texture before the human reviewer ever sees the application.
Visa authorities typically require the photo to be taken within the last three to six months. Submitting an older photo, even one that looks similar to your current appearance, is a frequent cause of immediate consular rejection.
Not always. Tourist, work, student and transit visa categories sometimes specify different dimensions or background rules. Follow the requirements for your specific visa type rather than assuming one photo fits all Canada visa applications.
Anfas.Pro provides a 14-day full refund if the photo is the cause of rejection and you supply the consular rejection notice. We recommend keeping the consular receipt with rejection reason as proof.
Eyes must be fully visible; no tinted lenses or strong reflections. Consular automated checks flag glasses glare even when it is invisible to the human eye. Removing glasses entirely is the safest choice unless a medical exception is documented in your visa application.
35 × 45 mm = 3.5 × 4.5 cm = 1.38 × 1.77 inches. At 300 dpi that is 413 × 531 pixels; at 600 dpi, 827 × 1063 pixels.
Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. The face must stay fully visible from chin to forehead and on both sides, with no shadow across it.
Yes. The same 35 × 45 mm format and head size apply to: super visa.