Before you apply
Canadian Passport Photo Requirements
Two identical prints, 50 mm by 70 mm, taken in the last six months. The format is simple. It is the small things that send a photo back: a white shirt on a white background, a reflection on your glasses, a hint of a smile. Here is exactly what the official rules ask for.
A Canadian passport photo is 50 mm wide by 70 mm high (2 x 2¾ inches), with your face measuring 31 to 36 mm from chin to crown, on a plain white or light-coloured background. You need two identical, unaltered prints, taken in person by a commercial photographer no more than six months before you apply. Keep a neutral expression with your mouth closed and your eyes open. Glasses can stay on if the lenses are clear and free of glare. Below are the current official rules, what they look like in practice, and the mistakes that get photos refused.
Canadian Passport Photo Size: 50 x 70 mm
A Canadian passport photo is 50 mm wide by 70 mm high, or 2 by 2¾ inches. That is noticeably larger than the 35 x 45 mm British format, so a print made for another passport will not do. Your face must measure between 31 mm and 36 mm (1¼ to 1 7/16 inches) from the chin to the crown of the head.
You hand in two identical prints. Both must be taken in person by a commercial photographer or photo studio, no more than six months before you submit your application. They must be printed professionally on plain, high-quality photographic paper. A photo printed at home is not accepted, and neither is heavyweight paper.
Colour and black and white are both allowed. Alteration is not, in any form: no filters, no retouching, no cropping, no AI tools, no swapped background. Even a red-eye fix counts as an alteration.
Canadian Passport Photo Specifications at a Glance
| Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| Photo size | 50 mm wide x 70 mm high (2 x 2¾ inches) |
| Face height | 31–36 mm (1¼ to 1 7/16 inches) from chin to crown |
| Number of photos | Two, identical and unaltered |
| Recency | Taken no more than six months before you apply |
| Who takes it | A commercial photographer or photo studio, in person |
| Paper | Plain, high-quality photographic paper; no home printing, no heavyweight paper |
| Colour | Colour or black and white |
| Background | Plain white or light-coloured, in clear contrast with your face |
| Lighting | Even; no shadows, glare or flash reflections; natural skin tone |
| Expression | Neutral: eyes open and clearly visible, mouth closed, no smile or frown |
| Pose | Face and shoulders centred and square to the camera, head not tilted |
| Glasses | Accepted if the eyes are clearly visible and there is no glare; no sunglasses or tinted lenses |
| Head coverings | Only if worn daily for religious or medical reasons; full face visible, no shadows |
| Back of one photo | Date taken, studio name and complete address; guarantor's statement and signature when required |
Expression, Glasses and Head Coverings in a Canadian Passport Photo
A Canadian passport photo requires a neutral expression: eyes open and clearly visible, mouth closed, no smile and no frown. Look straight into the lens. Your face and shoulders must be centred and square to the camera, with your head level.
Glasses. Good news if you wear them every day: glasses are accepted, as long as your eyes are clearly visible and there is no glare on the lenses. Sunglasses and tinted lenses are refused, and that includes tinted prescription lenses. If your lenses darken on their own or catch the light easily, taking them off is the simplest fix.
Hair. Up or down, both are fine. It only has to stay off your face so that the edges of your face are visible.
Head coverings. A head covering is accepted only if you wear it daily for religious or medical reasons. Your full face must be visible and the covering must not cast a shadow on it. Hats and other headwear are refused.
Medical situations. If you cannot meet a requirement for a medical reason, explain it in writing when you apply. Medical headwear or a nasal cannula is accepted when your eyes stay clearly visible and you add a signed letter of explanation. You may be asked for a letter from your doctor. In a wheelchair, a plain white blanket goes behind your head or over the headrest.
Canadian Passport Photo Examples: Acceptable vs. Unacceptable
Acceptable: neutral expression, mouth closed, plain white background, untinted glasses with the eyes clearly visible.
Unacceptable: smiling, tinted glasses and a dark background.
What Goes on the Back of a Canadian Passport Photo
The back of one of your two Canadian passport photos carries three things from the photographer, written or stamped: the date the photo was taken, the studio's name and its complete address. A print with a blank back is not ready to submit.
If your application needs a guarantor, that person also writes on the back of one photo: "I certify this to be a true likeness of (your name)." Then they sign underneath.
Renewing an adult passport? You do not need a guarantor, so there is no statement to collect. For a first passport, the guarantor must be a Canadian citizen aged 18 or older who has known you personally for at least two years. They must hold a 5-year or 10-year Canadian passport that is valid or expired for less than a year.
Digital Photo for an Online Canadian Passport Renewal
A digital passport photo is only needed if you renew online. The rules for it are just as precise as for a print, so ask your photographer for the digital file and the prints at the same visit.
• File type: .jpeg or .jpg
• Shape: portrait, 3:2 ratio
• Dimensions: at least 1,200 pixels wide by 1,800 high, at most 3,000 by 4,500
• File size: between 200 KB and 5 MB
• Face: chin to crown takes up 45% to 50% of the photo's height
The file must come straight from the camera. A scan of a printed photo is refused. When you upload it, you enter the studio's name and address and the date the photo was taken.
Why Canadian Passport Photos Get Rejected
Most rejected Canadian passport photos fail on a detail, not on the size. These are the faults the official rules single out:
• No contrast: a white or pale top that melts into the light background
• A smile, or an open mouth
• A reflection on the glasses, or tinted lenses
• Hair or an accessory covering part of the face
• A face that is off centre, tilted or not square to the camera
• Shadows on the face, around the ears or on the background
• Red eyes, or any retouching to remove them
• A photo printed at home
• A photo taken more than six months before the application
The easy one to prevent is contrast. Wear a darker, solid-coloured top and you are halfway there.
Where to Get Canadian Passport Photos in Montreal
Photo Jovial takes Canadian passport photos at 683 Rue Jean-Talon O in Montreal, with no appointment. Most people are back out the door in about ten minutes. We measure the face height, print two identical photos and stamp the back with the studio name, address and date.
If you renew online, ask for the package with a digital file. Current prices are on our Canadian passport photo service page. If a passport office turns your photo down, we reshoot it free. We have been doing this for over 20 years.
Related Services and Guides
Prices and details for adults are on our Canadian passport photo service page. Applying for a little one? Read the baby and child passport photo guide first, because a few rules change. Before you come in, our guide on how to prepare for your passport photo covers what to wear. Holding a second nationality? We also take international passport photos to each country's format.
Official Resources
Rules can change, so check the official pages before you apply: the Government of Canada passport photo requirements and the Government of Canada rules on references and guarantors.
Pro Tips
- 1Wear a darker, solid-coloured top. Pale clothing blends into the white background.
- 2Keep your glasses on only if the lenses are clear. Tinted lenses are refused, even on prescription.
- 3Have the photo taken close to your application date: it must be no more than six months old.
- 4Check the back of one print for the studio name, complete address and date before you leave.
- 5Renewing online? Ask for the digital file at the same visit. A scan of a print is not accepted.
- 6Never edit the photo yourself. Cropping, filters and red-eye fixes all count as alterations.
- 7First passport? Have your guarantor write the statement and sign the back of one photo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Need Canadian Passport Photos in Montreal?
Walk into our Jean-Talon studio for passport photos measured and stamped to the official rules. No appointment, about ten minutes, and a free reshoot if your photo is refused.