Canada · Passport
Canada passport photo
IRCC requires the photo to be taken in person by a commercial photographer, and the back of each 50 x 70 mm print to carry the studio's name, full address and the date. No app or website can supply that stamp — including us. What we offer is a free pre-submission check on the photo your studio gave you.
Requirements verified September 16, 2026 — always confirm with the issuing authorityFree, on-device check. This document's rules mean there is nothing to buy.
The exact specification
The same numbers the checker applies, drawn from our Canada guide. The official source of each value is listed under the table.
- Printed size
- 2 × 50 × 70 mm
- Print rules
- IRCC requires the photo to be taken in person by a commercial photographer or studio, and the back of the print to carry the studio's name, complete address and the capture date. Photos printed at home are not accepted. No software can supply that stamp.
- Digital file
- JPEG/JPG · 1200 × 1800 to 3000 × 4500 px · 200 kB min, 5 MB max
- Head size
- 31–36 mm chin to crown
- Background
- Plain white or light-coloured
- Glasses
- Allowed if your eyes stay clearly visible and there is no glare on the lenses. No sunglasses or tinted lenses.
- Taken within
- the last 6 months
Where these values come from
- Printed size, Print rules, Digital file, Head size, Background, Glasses, Taken within: checked against Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada - Photos for Canadian passports, as set out in our Canada Passport Photo: 50x70mm and the Stamp guide.
Free check only. Canada requires a commercial studio: the print's back must be stamped with the studio name, full address and date, and the online-renewal file must come straight off that photographer's camera. We cannot supply either. What we offer is a free pre-submission check of framing, tilt, background and lighting.
About background editing. IRCC rejects applications whose photos were altered in any way and names editing software, filters and AI tools. Replacing a background counts as an alteration. Off by default; we recommend leaving it off entirely for Canada.
What the free check covers
We measure
- Head size against the published window
- Eye position, where the authority sets one
- Head tilt and rotation
- Background brightness and evenness
- Sharpness and exposure
Only you can confirm
- Glasses — we can't reliably detect them, so we flag rather than pass
- Expression and mouth position
- Red eye
- Filters, retouching or AI edits made before upload
We are an independent service, not affiliated with any government. The issuing authority always makes the final decision — a pass here means your photo meets the published measurements we can check.
What does a failure look like? See our accepted and rejected passport photo examples, with the fix for each one.
Common questions
A Canadian passport photo is 50 mm wide by 70 mm high (2 inches by 2 3/4 inches). Your face must measure between 31 mm and 36 mm from chin to crown. You submit two identical prints with a paper application.
No. IRCC requires photos to be taken in person by a commercial photographer or photo studio, and says it does not accept photos printed at home. This applies to the digital photo used for online renewal as well.
The photographer or studio must write or stamp the date the photo was taken and the studio's name and complete address. If your application needs a guarantor, they write 'I certify this to be a true likeness of' plus your name on the back of one photo and sign it.
The photo must have been taken no more than six months before the date you submit your application. That is more generous than the UK's one month, but you still need a new photo for each application.
Yes, if your eyes stay clearly visible and there is no glare on the lenses. Sunglasses and tinted glasses are not allowed. Canada is more permissive here than the United States, which asks you to remove eyeglasses entirely.
Yes. Canada.ca states that photos may be in colour or in black and white. Most studios shoot colour, but a black-and-white print that meets every other rule is acceptable.
No. IRCC says it will reject your application if the photos have been altered in any way, and names photo editing software, filters and AI tools specifically. Background replacement counts as an alteration.
Keep reading
Requirements Canada Online Passport Renewal Photo: Studio Still Needed
Renewing a Canadian passport online still needs a commercial photographer's digital file: JPEG, 3:2, 1200x1800 px min, 200 KB-5 MB. Rules from canada.ca.
Read the guide
Requirements Canada Passport Photo: 50x70mm and the Stamp
Canada passport photo rules: 50 x 70 mm, face 31-36 mm, two prints, and the studio stamp on the back that no app can replace. Verified on canada.ca.
Read the guide