Canada Photo Requirements: 50x70 mm for Passports, 35x45 mm for Visas — Which One Applies?

“Canadian photo size” has no single answer, and that is what makes it a common trap. The photo for a Canadian passport is far taller than the photo for a Canadian visa, and a photo made for one is not simply a crop of the other. This guide sorts out which format goes with which application, using what IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) and the passport office publish. National specifications like these exist to produce portraits that meet biometric standards such as ICAO Doc 9303.

Two families of formats

The head measurement is the constant: 31 to 36 mm from the bottom of the chin to the crown of the head. On a 50 x 70 mm photo that is about 44% to 51% of the height; on a 35 x 45 mm photo the same head fills roughly 69% to 80% of the height. That is why you cannot take one photo and just crop it to both formats: the head is proportionally much bigger in the 35 x 45 photo.

Canadian passport photo

• Size: 50 x 70 mm.
• Number: two identical photos.
• Who takes them: IRCC’s passport guidance requires photos taken by a commercial photographer or studio.
• Age: taken within the last 6 months.
• Look: neutral expression, eyes open, mouth closed.
• Background and light: plain white or light-coloured, uniform lighting, no shadows, glare or flash reflections.

Online citizenship and PR card photos

For citizenship applications submitted online, IRCC publishes the digital rules: one colour digital photo, 50 mm wide by 70 mm high, taken no more than 6 months before you submit, JPG or JPEG with minimal compression, at least 420 by 540 pixels, approximately 240 kB and no more than 4 MB. The face height must be between 31 mm and 36 mm. The background is plain white or light-coloured, the eyes must be open and clearly visible, and the mouth must be closed with no smiling or frowning.

For the PR card, the online portal wants one professional digital photo in JPEG/JPG format, between 715 x 1000 and 2000 x 2800 pixels and 4 MB or less. Paper PR photos are 50 x 70 mm with a head of 31–36 mm.

Visa and work permit photos

Canadian visa applications require two photographs of the applicant and of each accompanying family member. IRCC’s specification calls for a frame of at least 35 x 45 mm, a head of 31–36 mm from chin to crown, a face square to the camera with a neutral expression and closed mouth, and a plain white or light-coloured background. For International Experience Canada work-permit applications, the digital photo must be at least 420 x 540 pixels, in JPEG or JPEG2000, ideally about 240 kB and not less than 60 kB.

Glasses, hats and head coverings

• Glasses: allowed only if your eyes are clearly visible and there is no glare on the lenses; the frames must not cover your eyes, and sunglasses or tinted glasses are rejected.
• Head coverings: only when worn daily for religious beliefs or medical reasons, and the full face must remain clearly visible.
• Expression: no smiling or frowning.

Common reasons Canadian photos come back

1. Wrong format for the application. A 35 x 45 photo sent for a passport, or a 50 x 70 photo sent for a visa.
2. Head too small or too big. Anything outside 31–36 mm.
3. Old photo. Older than 6 months (for passport and citizenship) is refused.
4. Glare on glasses or flash reflections. Light the face evenly from the front.
5. Over-compressed or too-small file. Digital uploads below the minimum pixels do not pass.

If you only need to see what a 50 x 70 mm frame with a 31–36 mm head looks like on your own portrait, our Canada passport photo tool shows the exact frame for you.