logo
en | $ USD

Explore

Settings

Select Your Language

Select Your Currency

  • AED United Arab Emirates Dirham
  • AFN Afghan Afghani
  • ALL Albanian Lek
  • AMD Armenian Dram
  • ANG Netherlands Antillean Guilder
  • AOA Angolan Kwanza
  • ARS Argentine Peso
  • AUD Australian Dollar
  • AWG Aruban Florin
  • AZN Azerbaijani Manat
  • BAM Bosnia-Herzegovina Convertible Mark
  • BBD Barbadian Dollar
  • BDT Bangladeshi Taka
  • BGN Bulgarian Lev
  • BIF Burundian Franc
  • BMD Bermudan Dollar
  • BND Brunei Dollar
  • BOB Bolivian Boliviano
  • BRL Brazilian Real
  • BSD Bahamian Dollar
  • BWP Botswanan Pula
  • BZD Belize Dollar
  • CAD Canadian Dollar
  • CDF Congolese Franc
  • CHF Swiss Franc
  • CLP Chilean Peso
  • CNY Chinese Yuan
  • COP Colombian Peso
  • CRC Costa Rican Colón
  • CVE Cape Verdean Escudo
  • CZK Czech Republic Koruna
  • DJF Djiboutian Franc
  • DKK Danish Krone
  • DOP Dominican Peso
  • DZD Algerian Dinar
  • EGP Egyptian Pound
  • ETB Ethiopian Birr
  • EUR Euro
  • FJD Fijian Dollar
  • FKP Falkland Islands Pound
  • GBP British Pound Sterling
  • GEL Georgian Lari
  • GIP Gibraltar Pound
  • GMD Gambian Dalasi
  • GNF Guinean Franc
  • GTQ Guatemalan Quetzal
  • GYD Guyanaese Dollar
  • HKD Hong Kong Dollar
  • HNL Honduran Lempira
  • HTG Haitian Gourde
  • HUF Hungarian Forint
  • IDR Indonesian Rupiah
  • ILS Israeli New Sheqel
  • INR Indian Rupee
  • ISK Icelandic Króna
  • JMD Jamaican Dollar
  • JPY Japanese Yen
  • KES Kenyan Shilling
  • KGS Kyrgystani Som
  • KHR Cambodian Riel
  • KMF Comorian Franc
  • KRW South Korean Won
  • KYD Cayman Islands Dollar
  • KZT Kazakhstani Tenge
  • LAK Laotian Kip
  • LBP Lebanese Pound
  • LKR Sri Lankan Rupee
  • LRD Liberian Dollar
  • LSL Lesotho Loti
  • MAD Moroccan Dirham
  • MDL Moldovan Leu
  • MGA Malagasy Ariary
  • MKD Macedonian Denar
  • MNT Mongolian Tugrik
  • MOP Macanese Pataca
  • MUR Mauritian Rupee
  • MVR Maldivian Rufiyaa
  • MWK Malawian Kwacha
  • MXN Mexican Peso
  • MYR Malaysian Ringgit
  • MZN Mozambican Metical
  • NAD Namibian Dollar
  • NGN Nigerian Naira
  • NIO Nicaraguan Córdoba
  • NOK Norwegian Krone
  • NPR Nepalese Rupee
  • NZD New Zealand Dollar
  • OMR Omani Rial
  • PAB Panamanian Balboa
  • PEN Peruvian Nuevo Sol
  • PGK Papua New Guinean Kina
  • PHP Philippine Peso
  • PKR Pakistani Rupee
  • PLN Polish Zloty
  • PYG Paraguayan Guarani
  • QAR Qatari Rial
  • RON Romanian Leu
  • RSD Serbian Dinar
  • RUB Russian Ruble
  • RWF Rwandan Franc
  • SAR Saudi Riyal
  • SBD Solomon Islands Dollar
  • SCR Seychellois Rupee
  • SEK Swedish Krona
  • SGD Singapore Dollar
  • SHP Saint Helena Pound
  • SLL Sierra Leonean Leone
  • SOS Somali Shilling
  • SRD Surinamese Dollar
  • SVC Salvadoran Colón
  • SZL Swazi Lilangeni
  • THB Thai Baht
  • TJS Tajikistani Somoni
  • TOP Tongan Pa anga
  • TRY Turkish Lira
  • TTD Trinidad and Tobago Dollar
  • TWD New Taiwan Dollar
  • TZS Tanzanian Shilling
  • UAH Ukrainian Hryvnia
  • UGX Ugandan Shilling
  • USD United States Dollar
  • UYU Uruguayan Peso
  • UZS Uzbekistan Som
  • VND Vietnamese Dong
  • VUV Vanuatu Vatu
  • WST Samoan Tala
  • XAF CFA Franc BEAC
  • XCD East Caribbean Dollar
  • XOF CFA Franc BCEAO
  • XPF CFP Franc
  • YER Yemeni Rial
  • ZAR South African Rand
  • ZMW Zambian Kwacha
Canada passport & visa photo requirements
iVisa
5 min read
Updated on Mar 25, 2024

The right photo is key to your Canada visa or passport application.

If you’re applying for a Canadian travel document, your photo must meet specific rules. A small mistake here could affect the success of your application.

Fill me in

We've compiled a guide to help you understand the Canadian government's requirements for passport and visa photos. This way, you can make sure your photo is just right. Read on to get the specifics and make your application journey a little easier.

Canada passport photo guidelines

Your photos for a Canadian passport application must be professionally taken by either a commercial photographer or at a photo studio. For your application, two identical images are necessary.

  • Recent photo: Your photos must be recent, ideally taken within the last six months, to show how you currently look.

  • Photo dimensions: Each photo should measure 50mm x 70mm, with your face measuring 31-36mm from the top of your head to the bottom of your chin.

  • Quality: They can be in color or black and white, but must be clear, in focus, and printed on high-quality photographic paper. The images must not be altered in any way and must represent your natural skin tone.

  • Background: Use a plain white or light-colored background with no patterns or shadows. There should be a clear distinction between your face and the background.

  • Head position: Look directly at the camera without tilting your head. Your head and shoulders should be level and centered in the frame.

  • Facial expression: You should have a neutral expression with your eyes open and visible and your mouth closed.

  • Lighting: Make sure the light is even and doesn’t cast shadows or create glare on your face or in the background.

  • Eyeglasses: If you need to wear glasses for medical reasons, choose thin frames that don’t block your eyes. Your eyes should still be clearly visible, and there must be no glare on the lenses. Tinted lenses and sunglasses are not allowed.

  • Head coverings: Hats and head coverings are only allowed for religious or medical reasons. They should not cast shadows or cover any part of your face.

  • Hair and clothing: Wear regular clothes that contrast with the white background. Religious clothing is allowed for those who wear it daily. Keep your hair off your face so that the edges of your face are visible.

  • Verification: The back of one photo must have the date, name, and address of the photo studio. If you’re applying for a new passport, you’ll need a guarantor to certify the image as a true likeness of you and sign. Adult passport renewals don’t need a guarantor.

Fill me in

Canada visa photo guidelines

You’ll need to provide two identical photos that meet the specifications below.

  • Recent photo: Your photos must be recent, ideally taken within the last six months, to show how you currently look. If you’re using a VFS Application Centre, you need just one photo that’s not older than one month.

  • Photo dimensions: The photos should be 35mm x 45mm. Your face should measure between 31-36mm from the top of your head to the bottom of your chin.

  • Quality: They can be in color or black and white, but must be clear, in focus, and printed on high-quality photographic paper. The images must not be altered in any way and show your natural skin tone.

  • Background: Use a plain white or light-colored background with no patterns or shadows. There should be a clear difference between your face and the background.

  • Head position: Look directly at the camera without tilting your head. Your head and shoulders should be level and centered in the frame.

  • Facial expression: You should have a neutral expression with your eyes open and visible and your mouth closed.

  • Lighting: Make sure the light is even and doesn’t cast shadows or create glare on your face or in the background.

  • Eyeglasses: If you need to wear glasses for medical reasons, they should have thin frames that don’t block your eyes. Your eyes should still be clearly visible, and there must be no glare on the lenses. Tinted lenses and sunglasses are not allowed.

  • Head coverings: Hats and head coverings are only allowed for religious or medical reasons. They should not create shadows or hide any part of your face.

  • Hair and clothing: Wear regular clothes that stand out against the white background. Religious clothing is permitted only for those who wear it daily. Your hair must be off your face, and the edges of your face should be visible. You can wear a hairpiece if it doesn’t change how you usually look.

  • Jewelry: Keep jewelry or any other cosmetic accessory simple, and make sure it doesn’t change how your face looks.

Passport & visa photos for infants and children

Fill me in

Taking photos for infants' and children's travel documents requires special attention. The basic requirements for photo quality, background, and head position are the same as for adults. However, there are additional considerations for children as they’re harder to photograph.

  • Recent photo: The images should be taken within the last six months and accurately reflect your child's current appearance.

  • Eyes visibility: The child's eyes should be open and visible. For infants, capturing them with their eyes open might take a bit of time and patience. Glasses should be avoided unless medically necessary. They should not cover the eyes, and there must be no glare on the lenses.

  • Facial expression: While infants and children are not required to maintain the neutral expression demanded for adults, try and take a photo where they appear calm and natural.

  • Clothing: Dress your child in simple, everyday outfits that don’t hide their face. Accessories like hats and pacifiers are not allowed, but religious head coverings are acceptable as long as they reveal the child’s entire face.

  • No visible support: When photographing infants or young children who need support, make sure no hands or supporting objects are visible in the photo. ​

  • Focus on the child: The photo should only feature the child, without other people or props.

  • Verification: The rule for validating the photo with a guarantor is the same as with adult applications.

For infants unable to sit or stand, a photo can be taken from above while they lie on a plain white background or placed in a car seat covered with a plain white cloth.

Learn what every traveler should know before visiting Canada in our trip guide.

Get support for your Canadian visa application

If you’d like to apply for a Canada eTA or a Canada Visitor Visa and need more information, you can get in touch with our customer support team. Contact them any time via WhatsApp or through the iVisa chat.

Disclaimer
  • iVisa is NOT affiliated with any government agency. This site does not provide legal advice and we are not a law firm. None of our customer service representatives are lawyers and they also do not provide legal advice. We are a private, internet-based travel and immigration consultancy provider dedicated to helping individuals travel around the world. You may apply by yourself directly on the various government websites. For government source information, please visit our product pages.
Intercom Chat