Canadian passport photo
Canada is the odd one out twice over. The passport photo is 50 by 70 mm, a size almost nobody else uses, and you need two identical prints rather than one. It is also not the same as the Canadian visa photo, which is a different shape entirely.
Specification
Requirements
- 50 mm wide by 70 mm high
- Face 31 to 36 mm measured from chin to crown
- Two identical and unaltered photos
- Plain white or light-coloured background
- Face and shoulders centred and squared to the camera, not tilted
- Neutral expression, eyes open, mouth closed, not smiling or frowning
- Taken no more than 6 months before you submit the application
What gets photos rejected
- Using a 35 x 45 mm photo, which is the visa size, not the passport size
- Ordering one print when the application needs two identical ones
- Smiling, which Canada rules out explicitly
- Glare on glasses, the one thing that turns an accepted pair into a rejection
Questions
What size is a Canadian passport photo?
50 mm wide by 70 mm high, which is 2 by 2 3/4 inches. It is larger than the 35 by 45 mm used across Europe and not a square like the US, so a photo made for either will not fit.
Why do I need two photos?
IRCC asks for two identical and unaltered prints with the application. One of them is signed by your guarantor on the back, which is why they must be identical rather than merely similar.
Can I wear glasses in a Canadian passport photo?
Yes, and this is where Canada differs from the United States and Australia, which both refuse them outright. Your eyes must be clearly visible and there must be no glare on the lenses.
Is the Canadian visa photo the same?
No, and this catches people out. A visa application takes a photo of at least 35 by 45 mm with the head 31 to 36 mm. The face measurement happens to match, but the frame does not, so one photo does not serve both.
Can I smile?
No. Canada spells out that a neutral expression means not smiling and not frowning, with the mouth closed and eyes open.