For US passports
US Passport Photo Requirements in Canada
Renewing your US passport from Montreal? You need one 2 x 2 inch photo, no glasses, taken in the last six months, and you mail the whole thing from Canada. Here is what the official rules ask for, and what trips people up.
A US passport photo is a 2 x 2 inch (51 x 51 mm) colour print, taken in the last six months, with your head measuring 1 to 1 3/8 inches (25 to 35 mm) from chin to top of head, on a plain white or off-white background, and you cannot wear glasses in it. If you live in Canada, you send one photo with your renewal by mail, because online renewal is not open to people living here. A Canadian passport photo is a different size, so the one you already have will not do. Below are the official photo rules, who can renew by mail from Canada, and the mistakes that put applications on hold.
US Passport Photo Size: 2 x 2 Inches (51 x 51 mm)
A US passport photo is a perfect square: 2 inches by 2 inches, or 51 x 51 mm. Most passport photos in the world are taller than they are wide, so this is the first thing that sets the American one apart.
Your head, measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head, must be between 1 and 1 3/8 inches, or 25 to 35 mm. Your hair can go past the edge of the photo, as long as your whole head is shown and is the right size. Head and shoulders sit in the centre.
You need one photo, in colour, taken in the last six months. It must be printed on matte or glossy photo-quality paper. A photocopy, a scan or a print with visible printer dots will not pass.
US vs Canadian Passport Photo Size, to Scale
US passport: 2 x 2 in (51 x 51 mm), head 25–35 mm, white or off-white background.
Canadian format: 50 x 70 mm. Not accepted for a US passport.
US Passport Photo Specifications at a Glance
| Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| Photo size | 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm), square |
| Head size | 1 to 1 3/8 inches (25–35 mm) from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head |
| Number of photos | One colour photo |
| How recent | Taken in the last six months |
| Background | Plain white or off-white, no shadows, texture, lines or objects |
| Glasses | Not allowed; only with a signed doctor's note if they cannot be removed for medical reasons |
| Expression | Facing the camera, eyes open, mouth closed; a natural closed-mouth smile is fine |
| Head coverings | Off, unless worn for religious or medical reasons, with a signed statement; full face visible |
| Clothing | No uniform, nothing that looks like a uniform, no camouflage; no headphones or earbuds |
| Editing | None: no filters, no apps, no retouching, no red eye |
| Matte or glossy photo paper, sharp, no creases, holes or smudges |
No Glasses in a US Passport Photo, and Other Rules to Know
The rule that catches most people in a US passport photo is the glasses. They come off, every time: prescription glasses, sunglasses, tinted lenses, and glasses pushed up on your head. If you truly cannot take them off for medical reasons, you send a signed note from your doctor with your application. Canadians are used to keeping clear glasses on for their own passport, which is exactly why this one slips through.
Expression. Face the camera straight on, head not tilted, with both eyes open. A natural smile with your mouth closed is allowed. A big grin, an open mouth or raised eyebrows is not.
Background. Plain white or off-white, with no shadow behind you and no texture, lines or objects. A light grey wall or a pale blue backdrop will not do.
Head coverings. Hats come off. If you wear a head covering daily for religious reasons, add a signed statement saying so; for medical reasons, a signed doctor's statement. Your full face must stay visible, with no shadow across it, and the covering should be one colour.
The rest. No uniform or camouflage, nothing in or on your ears, and no editing of any kind. Jewellery and facial piercings can stay if they do not hide your face.
US Passport Photo Examples: Acceptable vs. Unacceptable
Acceptable: no glasses, eyes open, mouth closed, head centred on a plain white background with no shadow.
Unacceptable: glasses on, and a shadow on the background behind the head.
Can You Renew a US Passport by Mail from Canada?
Yes. A US passport can be renewed by mail from Canada, which saves you a trip to the embassy or a consulate. What you cannot do from Canada is renew online. You qualify to renew by mail if all of these are true:
• You can send in your most recent passport with the application
• It was issued in the last 15 years
• You were 16 or older when it was issued, and it was valid for 10 years
• It has never been reported lost or stolen
• It is not damaged, beyond normal wear
• It is in your current name, or you can send a certified document showing the change, such as a marriage certificate
If one of these does not fit, you apply again in person instead. And if you travel in less than eight weeks, the official advice is to visit a US embassy or consulate rather than mail your renewal.
How to Send a US Passport Renewal from Canada
A US passport renewal from Canada goes in the mail with a renewal form, your most recent passport, one photo and the fee. A few details are specific to living here.
The form. Print it on single-sided paper, sign and date it. Do not write your Canadian Social Insurance Number where it asks for your US Social Security number.
The photo. Staple it to the form where the application tells you to, with four staples placed vertically in the corners, as close to the edges as possible. Do not bend it.
Sending it. Mail the envelope with Canada Post. The fee, how to pay it and the mailing address are set out on the official Canada renewal page; check them there right before you send, because they can change.
After you mail it. It can take about two weeks before your status shows "In Process". Your old passport comes back in a separate envelope, up to two weeks after the new one, and documents such as a marriage certificate can take up to four weeks.
US Passport Photos for Children and Babies in Canada
A US passport for a child under 16 cannot be renewed by mail. Even if your child already has one, you apply for a new passport in person at a US embassy or consulate in Canada.
The photo rules for children are the same as for adults, with a little room for babies. The background is still plain white or off-white: a baby can lie on a white sheet, or sit in a car seat covered with one. No one else can appear in the photo, not even a parent's hand holding the head. The child faces the camera with a neutral expression and a fully visible face, so no pacifier. A baby's eyes do not have to be completely open; for every other child, they must be.
When you come in, tell us the photo is for a US passport, and we take the time a small child needs.
US vs Canadian Passport Photos: Five Differences
Size. US: 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm), square. Canadian: 50 x 70 mm. Trimming a Canadian photo does not work, because the head would come out the wrong size.
Head size. A US photo wants the head at 25 to 35 mm, chin to top of head. A Canadian one wants 31 to 36 mm.
Glasses. Not allowed in a US photo. A Canadian photo accepts clear lenses with no glare.
Expression. A natural closed-mouth smile is fine for the US. Canada asks for a neutral face, no smile.
How many. You send one photo, stapled to the US form. A Canadian application takes two identical prints.
Why US Passport Photos Get Rejected
A rejected photo is the number one reason a US passport application is put on hold. These are the faults the official rules point to most:
• Glasses of any kind, including clear prescription lenses
• A Canadian-size photo, or one cut down from a larger print
• A head that is too small or too large, or not centred
• Shadows on the face or on the background
• A grey, blue or patterned background instead of white or off-white
• A photo that is too dark, too bright or not true to skin tone
• Blurry, grainy or pixelated prints, or home prints on ordinary paper
• Any editing: filters, apps, background swaps, red-eye fixes
• An open mouth, eyes closed, or the head tilted or turned
• A photo older than six months
When you renew from Canada, a refusal means a letter, another photo in the mail and weeks added to the wait.
Where to Get US Passport Photos in Montreal
US passport photos are part of our international passport photo service at 683 Rue Jean-Talon O in Montreal. We shoot on a plain white background, glasses off, print the 2 x 2 inch format on photo paper and check the head size before you leave.
No appointment is needed, and photos are usually ready in about 15 minutes.
You can get two identical prints, a digital file or both. Current prices are on our international passport photo service page. If your photo is turned down, we reshoot it free. We have been taking passport photos for over 20 years.
Related Services and Guides
US passport photos are part of our international passport and visa photo service. For a baby or toddler, our baby and child passport photo service takes the time it needs. Applying for a visa rather than a passport? The US visa photo requirements cover the digital file for the online form. Holding a Canadian passport as well? The Canadian passport photo requirements explain the 50 x 70 mm photo, and our guide on AI and edited passport photos explains why a filtered photo is refused.
Official Resources
Rules, fees and addresses can change, so check the official pages before you apply: the US passport photo requirements and the steps to renew your passport from Canada from the US Department of State, and the passport services of the US Embassy and Consulates in Canada for appointments and children's passports.
Pro Tips
- 1Take your glasses off for the photo, even if they are clear. A US passport photo does not allow them.
- 2Ask for the 2 x 2 inch format. A Canadian 50 x 70 mm photo cannot be cut down to fit.
- 3Get the photo close to the day you mail your renewal: it must be taken in the last six months.
- 4Staple the photo with four staples, vertically in the corners, and never fold or bend it.
- 5Print the renewal form single-sided and mail it with Canada Post.
- 6Travelling in less than eight weeks? Book a visit at a US embassy or consulate instead of mailing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Need a US Passport Photo in Montreal?
Come to our Jean-Talon studio for a 2 x 2 inch US passport photo on a white background, checked for head size before you leave. No appointment needed.