Canada passport photo size
Canadian printed passport photos measure 50 × 70 mm, with a chin-to-crown height of 31–36 mm. Paper applications require commercial photography and professional printing.
- Document
- Passport
- Photo size
- 50 × 70 mm (2 × 2¾ in)
- Chin to crown
- 31–36 mm
- Background
- Plain white or light-coloured
- Photo age
- Within the last 6 months
- Online upload
- 1200 × 1800 px (1200 × 1800 to 3000 × 4500 px accepted), JPEG, 200 KB to 5 MB
Size reference only. Canada requires a commercial photographer and professional printing for paper applications; home-taken or home-printed photos are not accepted. Online renewals upload the photographer’s original file.
Online renewals only: the file saved directly from the photographer’s camera, not edited or scanned, with the chin-to-crown height at 45–50% of the photo height.
Place the crown and chin at the guide lines and the eyes in the band when one is shown. The oval is an approximate placement guide, not a face measurement or approval check.
This authority publishes no head height: keep the face centred with space above the head and the shoulders visible.
Canadian printed passport photo dimensions
The printed photo is 50 mm wide and 70 mm high, 2 × 2¾ inches. The face height from chin to crown must be 31–36 mm. This differs from the US 2 × 2 inch square and the 35 × 45 mm format used by many other countries.
Use a commercial photographer
For an in-person or mail application, Canada requires photos taken by a commercial photographer and printed professionally. Home-taken or home-printed photos are not accepted. Use a recent, unaltered photo against a plain white or light-coloured background.
Online renewal uploads the original file
Online renewals take the file saved directly from the photographer’s camera, not edited or scanned: 1200 × 1800 to 3000 × 4500 px JPEG, 200 KB to 5 MB, with the chin-to-crown height at 45–50% of the photo height. The studio name, address and date taken are entered at upload.
The preview is a reference for the printed format
The Canada preset shows the 50:70 proportions and the adult head guide. It does not replace studio capture, professional printing or the photographer’s stamp on the back. Exports are disabled because any alteration, including cropping, leads to rejection.
How to take a valid photo
The shared ICAO points first, then what this authority adds.
- Have someone else take the photo at eye level from a few steps away; most authorities reject selfies.
- Face the camera straight on with your head level, both eyes open, mouth closed and a neutral expression.
- Light the face evenly: no shadows on the face or the background, no flash reflections, no red-eye.
- Keep the photo as taken: no filters, retouching, background replacement or AI edits.
- Only you in the frame, nothing covering the face, hair away from the eyes, no uniform.
- Leave space around the head and shoulders so the crop can follow the guide.
- Glasses are accepted if the eyes are clearly visible with no glare; sunglasses and tinted glasses are not, even prescription ones.
- Head coverings only if worn daily for religious or medical reasons, with the full face visible and no shadows.
- Neutral expression: eyes open, looking straight at the camera, mouth closed, not smiling or frowning.
- Absolutely no alteration: no colour, brightness or sharpness changes, no cropping, no red-eye correction, no background edits, no filters or AI tools.
Official sources
Requirements checked on 27 October 2026 against the official pages below. The issuing authority makes the acceptance decision; nothing on this page certifies a photo.
To compare formats, see passport photo sizes by country.
Related free photo tools
- Free toolPassport photo size by countryCompare passport photo sizes and official application rules for 40 countries. Align a private head guide; export prints, 4 × 6 in sheets and upload files where the authority allows it.
- Free toolChina passport photo sizeChinese passport photos are 33 × 48 mm with the head 28–33 mm tall and 15–22 mm wide. Export the 354–420 × 472–560 px JPEG of 40–120 KB, or a print, with a head guide.
- Free toolChina visa photo sizeChinese visa photos are 33 × 48 mm or a 354–420 × 472–560 px JPEG of 40–120 KB for the online COVA form. Crop with the eye-line and crown guides and export both.
- Free toolFinland passport photo sizeFinnish passport photos are 36 × 47 mm, or exactly 500 × 653 px JPEG under 250 KB for the police photo server. Crop with the 445–500 px head guide and read the studio-code route.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Canadian passport photo 2 × 2 inches?
No. The Canadian printed format is 50 × 70 mm. A US 2 × 2 inch photo has a different shape and size.
How big should my head be in a Canadian passport photo?
The chin-to-crown measurement must be 31–36 mm. The guide is approximate; check the final photo against the official requirements.
Can I print a Canadian passport photo at home?
No. For in-person or mail passport applications, the official guidance requires commercial photography and professional printing.
Why is there no Canadian photo download?
Because the application requires a commercial photographer and forbids any alteration, including cropping. Use the official route to obtain your final photos.