Canada Passport
Canada Passport Photo Requirements (50x70mm)
Canada passport photo requirements: 50x70mm, head 31-36mm, plain white or light background. The photo must be taken by a commercial photographer and not edited, so we explain the rules and do not make this photo.
Last updated Oct 9, 2026
Verified against the official source · Oct 9, 2026Official Canada Passport Photo Dimensions & Requirements (50x70mm)
Canadian passports use a unique 50x70mm photo size, which is larger than standard visa photos. This is why reusing a 35x45mm visa photo or a square passport-style crop can lead to rejection.
- Dimensions: 50mm wide x 70mm high.
- Head Size: Chin to crown must be between 31mm and 36mm.
- Background: Plain white or light-colored.
- Expression: Neutral expression, mouth closed.
Canada Passport Photos Are Different From Canada Visa Photos
A Canadian passport application needs two identical printed photos taken in person by a commercial photographer or photo studio. On the back of one, the photographer writes or stamps the studio's name and address and the date. The photo must be 50x70mm with the chin-to-crown head size inside the allowed range.
- Canada passport: 50mm x 70mm.
- Canada visa/TRV/study/work permit: usually 35mm x 45mm.
- Do not reuse a Canada visa photo for a passport application.
Why We Do Not Make This Photo
IRCC says the photos must be taken in person by a commercial photographer or photo studio and must be original, not altered or edited in any way. It names photo editing software, filters and AI tools, and counts changing the background as an alteration. That rules out a photo made online, so we do not offer one for Canadian passports.
Photo Examples
Pass example
Correct photo
Common rejection risk
Incorrect photo
Real Canada Passport Rejection Data
57.4% of Canada Passport photos were rejected on first submission, based on 183 checks run through VisaPhotoCheck.
Most common reasons a rejected photo failed
- Crop or framing56%
- Resolution28%
- sharpness7%
- Accessories (glasses, hats, headphones)5%
- Expression5%
- Lighting or shadows3%
- Head pose or angle3%
Each figure is the share of rejected Canada Passport photos that failed that specific check. A single rejection often fails more than one check, so these do not add up to 100%.
Based on VisaPhotoCheck's own Canada Passport submissions — this reflects our users, not an official or industry-wide rejection rate.
How Canada Passport compares to similar documents
Every figure below is read from the same rule profiles this checker validates against, so it says what actually differs rather than what sounds different.
What changes for nearby documents
- Brazil Visa wants 35×45mm, not 50×70mm; head fills 64–76% of the frame, not 44–51%; file limit 300 KB, not 240 KB.
- Mexico Visa wants 31×39mm, not 50×70mm; head fills 50–70% of the frame, not 44–51%; file limit 300 KB, not 240 KB.
- Argentina Passport wants 40×40mm, not 50×70mm; head fills 70–80% of the frame, not 44–51%; file limit 1000 KB, not 240 KB.
- Colombia Passport wants 40×50mm, not 50×70mm; head fills 70–80% of the frame, not 44–51%; file limit 1000 KB, not 240 KB.
Frequently Asked Questions
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