If you are applying for a Canadian visitor visa, there is a good chance you will never hand IRCC a photo at all. Most applicants give biometrics, fingerprints and a photo, at a visa application centre after they apply, and IRCC's own guide says that when you give biometrics you don't need to include paper photos. The printed-photo rules still exist, and they matter for the people biometrics don't cover.

<Callout type="note" title="Quick answer">
**Giving biometrics?** (most applicants aged **14 to 79**) Your photo is **taken at the appointment**. IRCC: "you do not need to include paper photos with your application."

**Not giving biometrics** (for example children **13 and under** or applicants **80 and over**) and applying on paper? Send **two identical photos**:

- Frame **at least 35 mm x 45 mm** (1 3/8 x 1 3/4 in)
- Head **31 mm to 36 mm** from chin to crown
- Taken in the **last 6 months**, colour or black and white, on quality photographic paper
- **Plain white or light-coloured** background, neutral expression, mouth closed
- **Name and date of birth** on the back of each photo

**Applying online?** The portal gives you your own document list. Follow it.
</Callout>

We read every IRCC page cited here on September 16, 2026. IRCC decides whether a photo is acceptable, and if it isn't, its specification says "you will have to provide new photographs before your application can be processed."

<SpecTable
  document="Canada visitor visa (TRV) photo"
  verifiedOn="September 16, 2026"
  source={{ label: "IRCC - Temporary Resident Visa application photograph specifications", href: "https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/temporary-resident-visa-application-photograph-specifications.html" }}
  rows={[
    { label: "When needed", value: "Only if you are not giving biometrics" },
    { label: "Number", value: "2 identical photos" },
    { label: "Frame size", value: "At least 35 x 45 mm (1 3/8 x 1 3/4 in)" },
    { label: "Head (chin to crown)", value: "31 mm to 36 mm (1 1/4 to 1 7/16 in)" },
    { label: "Age of photo", value: "Taken within the last 6 months" },
    { label: "Colour", value: "Colour or black and white" },
    { label: "Background", value: "Plain white or light-coloured" },
    { label: "Paper", value: "Quality photographic paper" },
    { label: "On the back", value: "Name and date of birth" },
    { label: "Glasses", value: "Non-tinted prescription, eyes clearly visible" },
  ]}
/>

## Three routes, and which one you're on

The question "what photo does a Canada visa need" has three different answers, depending on how you apply and whether you give biometrics.

| Your situation | Photo you provide | Source of the rule |
|---|---|---|
| You give biometrics (most applicants 14 to 79) | None printed; photo taken at the appointment | Guide 5256 and the biometrics pages |
| Paper application, no biometrics required | Two identical prints to the visa specification | Guide 5256 and the TRV photo specifications |
| Online application | Whatever your personalised document list asks for | IRCC Portal application process |

**Most people apply online.** Guide 5256 is blunt about it: "Most people must apply online. You can only apply on paper if you can't apply online, including for reasons of a disability, or if you're travelling with an identity or travel document that was issued to a refugee, a stateless person or a non-citizen." Online, IRCC says that after you answer all the questions, "you'll get a list of documents you need to upload." We couldn't find an IRCC page setting out a separate digital photo specification for the visitor visa portal, so if your list asks for a photo, use the visa photograph specifications below and follow any instruction on the upload screen.

## Who gives biometrics, and why that replaces the photo

IRCC's biometrics are "your fingerprints and photo". On the [Find out if you need to give biometrics](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/biometrics/need-biometrics.html) page (modified July 29, 2026), people who don't need to give them include:

- children aged 13 and under, "when their application was submitted"
- applicants aged 80 and over, "when they submitted their application", unless they're an asylum claimant
- applicants who qualify for or hold a diplomatic or official visa
- applicants for a visitor visa, study permit or work permit who have already provided biometrics for a permanent residence application that's still being processed

Everyone else applying for a visitor visa should expect to give them. The [biometrics](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/biometrics.html) page lists the fee as CAN$85 per person, with a maximum of CAN$170 for a family applying at the same time.

Guide 5256 then connects the two: "if you are required to provide biometric fingerprints and photo, you are not required to include paper photos with your application." That is the sentence most photo-shop pages leave out.

<Callout type="warning" title="The honest version for families">
In a family where the parents give biometrics and a child under 14 doesn't, the parents need no prints and the child may. Check each person's situation, not the household's.
</Callout>

## The photo taken at your biometrics appointment

You don't bring prints. IRCC's [How to give your fingerprints and photo](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/biometrics/how-to-give.html) page lists what to bring, "your BIL" (the biometric instruction letter) and "your valid passport", and what's acceptable in the photo that's taken there:

| Acceptable at the appointment | Not acceptable |
|---|---|
| Glasses, if your eyes are clearly visible and there's no glare on the lenses | Sunglasses or tinted eye glasses |
| Hair down or up, off your face so the edges of your face are visible | Hats and head coverings not worn daily for religious beliefs or medical reasons |
| Hats and head coverings worn daily for religious beliefs or medical reasons, full face clearly visible, no shadows on the face | Henna on the hands, and unhealed cuts or cracks on the fingers (for the fingerprints) |

The page also says "Booking an appointment is free." If someone charges you for the appointment itself, that isn't IRCC.

## The printed photo specification, rule by rule

IRCC publishes the rules twice: on the [Temporary Resident Visa application photograph specifications](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/temporary-resident-visa-application-photograph-specifications.html) page (modified July 24, 2023), and as a printable [visa application photograph specifications](https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/ircc/migration/ircc/english/pdf/photospecs-e.pdf) sheet headed "Take this sheet with you to the photographer". The wording matches.

**Size.** "The frame size must be at least 35 mm X 45 mm (1 3/8" X 1 3/4")." Note *at least*: it is a minimum frame, not a fixed size.

**Head size.** "The size of the head, from chin to crown, must be between 31 mm (1 1/4") and 36 mm (1 7/16")." The crown is "the top of the head or (if obscured by hair or a head covering) where the top of the head or skull would be if it could be seen." A tall hairstyle or a head covering doesn't count toward those millimetres.

**Framing.** "The photographs must show the full front view of the head, with the face in the middle of the photograph, and include the top of the shoulders."

**Expression.** "The face must be square to the camera with a neutral expression, neither frowning nor smiling, with the mouth closed."

**Background and quality.** "clear, well defined and taken against a plain white or light-coloured background", printed "on quality photographic paper". The printable sheet shows rejected examples: a blurred photo, shadows in the background and on the face, an underlit, overlit or washed-out photo, unnatural colour, reflection on glasses, hair covering part of the face, a glasses frame covering the eyes, a face too small, hands in the picture and a covered face.

**Glasses.** "You may wear non-tinted prescription glasses as long as your eyes are clearly visible. Make sure that the frame does not cover any part of your eyes. Sunglasses are not acceptable." How that compares with other countries is in our guide to [glasses in passport photos](/blog/glasses-in-passport-photo).

**Head coverings.** "If you must wear a head covering for religious reasons, make sure your full facial features are not obscured."

**Editing.** "If the photographs are digital, they must not be altered in any way."

**Back of the photo.** Guide 5256 asks you to "write your name and date of birth" on the back of each photo.

## Not the same as a Canadian passport photo

People who've dealt with Canadian passport photos often assume the visa photo works the same way. It doesn't.

| | Visitor visa (TRV) | Canadian passport |
|---|---|---|
| Size | At least 35 x 45 mm | 50 x 70 mm |
| Head, chin to crown | 31 to 36 mm | 31 to 36 mm |
| Who takes it | Not specified | Commercial photographer or studio, in person |
| Back of the photo | Your name and date of birth | Studio name, full address and date taken |
| Glasses | Non-tinted prescription | Allowed without glare or tint |

The head measurement is the same, which is where the confusion starts. The frame, the stamp and the photographer rule are not. The passport rules are in our [Canada passport photo requirements](/blog/canada-passport-photo-requirements) guide. Permanent residents and citizenship applicants use their own IRCC specifications; see [Canada PR card photo](/blog/canada-pr-card-photo) and [Canadian citizenship photo](/blog/canada-citizenship-photo).

The 35 x 45 mm frame is the most common print size worldwide, and we explain its pixel and head-height conversions in the [35x45 mm photo size](/blog/35x45-photo-size) guide. The UK uses the same frame for visas with a different head window; see [UK visa photo requirements](/blog/uk-visa-photo-requirements) if you're applying to both.

## If you do need prints

<Steps items={[
  { title: "Confirm you really need them", text: "If you're giving biometrics, stop here: no prints. If you're applying online, check your personalised document list first." },
  { title: "Shoot against a plain white or light wall", text: "Even light from the front, no shadow on the face or the wall, face square to the camera, mouth closed, neither smiling nor frowning. Prescription glasses may stay on if the frame clears your eyes and there's no reflection." },
  { title: "Size the head to 31-36 mm in a frame of at least 35 x 45 mm", text: "Measure chin to crown, where the crown is the top of the skull, not the top of the hair or a head covering. Include the top of the shoulders." },
  { title: "Print two identical copies on photo paper", text: "Quality photographic paper, no edits to the image beyond cropping to size. Colour or black and white are both accepted." },
  { title: "Write your name and date of birth on the back", text: "On each photo, lightly, so it doesn't press through to the front." }
]} />

<ToolCTA document="canada-visa" title="Two 35 x 45 mm prints, only if IRCC wants them" text="Our Canada visa setting sizes the head to IRCC's 31-36 mm window on a 35 x 45 mm frame, and checks tilt, background, sharpness and exposure first. Checking is free; $6.99 with a 4 x 6 print sheet." />

## What our tool can do here

Our [photo tool](/photo?document=canada-visa) now lists the Canadian visitor visa: it targets a head height of 31 to 36 mm measured to the top of the skull on the 35 x 45 mm frame, on a white or off-white background that fits IRCC's "plain white or light-coloured". Our head measurement is an estimate from facial landmarks, so check the print with a ruler. We don't retouch faces, and we can't detect glasses, which Canada allows anyway if they're clear and glare-free.

And for most readers of this page, the right number of photos to buy is zero.

## The checklist

<RuleList items={[
  { text: "Checked whether you give biometrics before paying for any photo", ok: true },
  { text: "Two identical prints, only for paper applicants exempt from biometrics", ok: true },
  { text: "Frame at least 35 x 45 mm, head 31-36 mm chin to crown", ok: true },
  { text: "Plain white or light-coloured background, no shadows", ok: true },
  { text: "Neutral expression, mouth closed, face square to the camera", ok: true },
  { text: "Name and date of birth on the back of each photo", ok: true },
  { text: "Prints brought to a biometrics appointment in place of the photo taken there", ok: false },
  { text: "A 50 x 70 mm Canadian passport photo with a studio stamp, reused for the visa", ok: false },
  { text: "Tinted glasses or sunglasses", ok: false },
  { text: "Any digital alteration beyond cropping", ok: false }
]} />

## Frequently asked questions

### Do I need a photo for a Canada visitor visa?

Usually not a printed one. IRCC's paper application guide says that if you need to give biometric fingerprints and photo, you do not need to include paper photos. Most applicants aged 14 to 79 give biometrics, so their photo is taken at the appointment. Applicants who are exempt from biometrics follow the photo specifications.

### What size is a Canada visitor visa photo?

The frame must be at least 35 mm x 45 mm (1 3/8 x 1 3/4 inches), with the head measuring 31 mm to 36 mm from chin to crown. IRCC asks for two identical photos taken within the last six months, in colour or black and white, on quality photographic paper.

### Is a Canada visa photo the same as a Canadian passport photo?

No. A Canadian passport photo is 50 x 70 mm, taken by a commercial photographer, with the studio's name, address and date on the back. The visitor visa specification is a 35 x 45 mm minimum frame, with your name and date of birth on the back, and no studio requirement.

### Can I wear glasses in a Canada visa photo?

Yes, non-tinted prescription glasses, as long as your eyes are clearly visible and the frame does not cover any part of your eyes. Sunglasses are not acceptable. At a biometrics appointment, IRCC also accepts glasses if your eyes are clearly visible and there is no glare on the lenses.

### What do I write on the back of a Canada visa photo?

Your name and date of birth. IRCC's instruction guide for paper visitor visa applications asks you to write both on the back of each photo. That is different from the Canadian passport, where the studio's name, address and the date the photo was taken go on the back.

### Do I bring photos to my biometrics appointment?

IRCC's page on giving biometrics lists two things to bring: your biometric instruction letter and your valid passport. Photos are not on that list, because your photo is taken at the appointment. Dress for it: glasses without glare, hair off your face, and no hat unless worn daily for religious or medical reasons.

<Sources items={[
  { label: "IRCC - Temporary Resident Visa application photograph specifications (modified July 24, 2023)", href: "https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/temporary-resident-visa-application-photograph-specifications.html" },
  { label: "IRCC - Visa application photograph specifications (printable sheet, PDF)", href: "https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/ircc/migration/ircc/english/pdf/photospecs-e.pdf" },
  { label: "IRCC - Guide 5256: Applying for a visitor visa, paper application (modified March 31, 2026)", href: "https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/guide-5256-applying-visitor-visa-temporary-resident-visa.html" },
  { label: "IRCC - Biometrics (fees)", href: "https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/biometrics.html" },
  { label: "IRCC - Find out if you need to give biometrics (modified July 29, 2026)", href: "https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/biometrics/need-biometrics.html" },
  { label: "IRCC - How to give your fingerprints and photo (biometrics)", href: "https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/biometrics/how-to-give.html" },
  { label: "IRCC - Apply online to visit Canada: IRCC Portal", href: "https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/portal-application-process.html" },
  { label: "IRCC - Photos for Canadian passports", href: "https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports/photos.html" }
]} />