Canadian Passport Photo Requirements
A Canadian passport photo is bigger than almost any other country's: 50 mm wide and 70 mm tall, with a head of only 31–36 mm inside it. Use this page to see exactly how that frame should look, check a proof from a studio, and lay two copies on one 4 × 6 print.
Passport Photo
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Quality is lowered until the photo is at or just under this size; tiny files are padded up to the spec's minimum.
300 DPI is the print standard for passport photos; a 35×45 mm photo is then 413×531 px.
Place several copies on a 4×6 in (10×15 cm) photo print or an A4 page, ready for a photo kiosk or home printer.
How many photos on the sheet. A 4×6 in print fits 6 photos of 2×2 in or 6 of 35×45 mm; an A4 sheet fits more.
How to use this tool
- 1
Start from a sharp, front-on picture
Use a photo with the whole head, the neck and the top of the shoulders, taken against a plain white or light wall. The 70 mm frame shows a lot of space around you, so a tight selfie will not fill it.
- 2
Check the head band
With Country & document on Canada passport 50 × 70 mm, the Head-size guide marks the 31–36 mm chin-to-crown band. Move the crop until your chin and the top of your hair sit inside it.
- 3
Make the two-copy sheet
Print layout is set to a 4 × 6 in sheet with two copies and Cut lines on. Press Make to download the JPG.
Two identical prints, 50 × 70 mm, head 31–36 mm, plain white or light background, taken in the last six months by a commercial photographer.
Canadian passport photo size in mm, pixels and inches
| Size | Pixels | cm | in | DPI | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50×70 mm | 591 × 827 | 5 × 7 | 1.97 × 2.76 | 300 | The print Passport Canada asks for |
| Head | 366–425 tall | 3.1–3.6 | 1.22–1.42 | 300 | Chin to crown, roughly half the height |
| 35×45 mm | 420 × 540 | 3.5 × 4.5 | 1.38 × 1.77 | 305 | Canadian visa and permit photo, not the passport |
| 4×6 in | 1200 × 1800 | 10.2 × 15.2 | 4 × 6 | 300 | Fits two 50 × 70 mm copies side by side |
What goes on the back of a Canadian passport photo
- Photographer's stamp
- The studio name, its full address and the date the photo was taken, stamped or handwritten on the back of one of the two prints. It tells the passport office the picture is recent and was taken by a professional, and the date shows it is no older than six months.
Because of that stamp, the Canadian passport is one of the few documents where a do-it-yourself print does not complete the job. What a file from this page is good for is the step before: you can see how much space a correct 50 × 70 mm frame leaves above the head, test which wall in your home photographs as plain white, and show a studio the crop you expect.
The rules on the face match those of most passport offices: neutral expression with the mouth closed, eyes open, head straight, no shadows on the face or behind it, uniform lighting and true skin tones. Head coverings worn for religious or medical reasons are accepted when the full face from chin to forehead is visible. For clothing that contrasts well with a white wall, see what to wear for a passport photo.
If you are comparing with the American rules, note that the head band is in millimeters on a much taller print; the US passport photo requirements page shows how the 2 × 2 in square differs.
Using the 50 × 70 mm preset: strengths and limits
What it helps with
- Shows the 31–36 mm head band on the exact 50 × 70 mm frame
- Places two copies on a 4 × 6 sheet with cut lines
- Lets you test background and lighting before paying for a session
- Replaces a busy wall with plain White
What it cannot replace
- The studio stamp and date on the back
- A guarantor's signature when your form needs one
- Professional printing on photo paper
Canadian passport photo questions
Can I print my own Canadian passport photos at home?
Passport Canada expects photos from a commercial photographer, who stamps or writes the studio name, address and date on the back of one print. A home print has no such stamp, so use this tool to check framing and lighting first, then bring the picture you like to a studio.
What does the guarantor write on a Canadian passport photo?
When your application needs a guarantor, that person signs the back of one photo and writes a statement that it is a true likeness of you, using your name. Renewal applications that qualify for the simplified process do not need a guarantor.
How big is the head in a Canadian passport photo?
31 to 36 mm from the chin to the crown of the head, inside a 70 mm tall frame. That is roughly half the photo's height, much smaller than on a US or Schengen photo, so a picture cropped for another country usually shows the face too large.
Why is the Canadian passport photo 50 × 70 mm?
It is a Canadian format the passport office has kept for printed photos while most countries moved to 35 × 45 mm. The image printed inside the passport itself is much smaller than the 50 × 70 mm print you hand in.
Can I keep my glasses on for a Canadian passport photo?
The rules have allowed them as long as the eyes are clearly visible, the lenses are not tinted and there is no glare or frame across the eyes. Taking them off avoids a retake, which is why most studios ask you to.
Is the head size the same for a Canadian PR card photo?
The permanent resident card has used the same 50 × 70 mm print with the head 31–36 mm, but IRCC sets its own form instructions, so read the checklist that came with your PR card application. A temporary resident visa uses a different 35 × 45 mm photo, covered on the Canada visa photo size page.
