Canada Passport Photo (50 × 70 mm)
Canada uses a unique, larger photo size: 50 mm wide by 70 mm high, with the face 31–36 mm from chin to crown. It is also one of the strictest countries about who takes the photo and how it is printed — read this before you rely on any DIY photo.
🔒 100% in your browser — your photo is never uploaded
1. Choose a photo — front-facing, even light, plain light background.
2. Adjust — drag to move, slider to zoom.
3. Optional: replace background
⚠️ Many authorities reject photos that are digitally altered. For the safest result, take the photo against a plain light wall and skip this step.
Background editing is disabled for this photo type because the issuing authority prohibits edited or background-replaced photos. Use a real plain wall.
4. Checks
- Waiting for a photo
Automated checks are guides only — they can't judge expression, glasses, shadows or focus.
5. Download (free)
Requirements at a glance
| Photo size | 50 × 70 mm (1.97 × 2.76 in) |
|---|---|
| Digital output (this tool) | 591 × 827 px JPEG |
| Head height (chin to crown) | 31–36 mm |
| Background | plain white or light-coloured |
| Print resolution | 300 DPI |
| Photos per 4×6 / A4 sheet | 4 / 16 |
| Background editing | not allowed — tool disabled |
Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports/photos.html. Checked 2026-10-20. Rules change — always confirm with the issuing authority before applying.
Size and composition
- Photo: 50 mm × 70 mm (2 in × 2¾ in).
- Face height, chin to crown (top of head): 31–36 mm (1¼ in to 1 7/16 in).
- Plain white or light-coloured background with a clear difference between face and background; avoid light-coloured clothing.
- Neutral expression: mouth closed, not smiling, eyes open, looking straight at the camera.
- Colour or black-and-white, taken within 6 months.
Important: Canada requires a commercial photographer
Passport Canada states that photos must be taken in person by a commercial photographer or photo studio and professionally printed on plain, high-quality photographic paper. Photos printed at home are not accepted, and any alteration — including colour, brightness or contrast correction, cropping around the head and shoulders, or changing/removing the background — leads to rejection. For that reason the background tool is switched off for this spec.
So how is this page useful? Use it to check your framing and head size before a studio visit, to understand what a correct 50×70 photo looks like, or for non-passport uses that accept the same size (some Canadian forms and visa applications for other countries use different sizes — always check). If you print our sheet, it will not satisfy the passport studio-stamp requirement.
The back of the photo
For first adult passports and child passports, the photographer must write or stamp the studio name, full address and the date the photo was taken on the back of one photo, and your guarantor must write "I certify this to be a true likeness of (name)" and sign. Adult renewals do not need a guarantor.
Online renewal: a different digital spec
If you renew online you need a digital photo from a commercial photographer: JPEG, 3:2 portrait ratio, at least 1200×1800 and at most 3000×4500 pixels, 200 KB–5 MB, with chin-to-crown 45–50% of the image height. You must also provide the studio name, address and date. Scans of printed photos are not accepted.
Glasses and head coverings
Clear glasses are allowed if your eyes are clearly visible with no glare; sunglasses and tinted lenses are not. Religious or medical head coverings are allowed if the full face is visible without shadows.
How to make a Canada passport photo with this tool
- Pick a photo taken in the last few months against a plain white or light-coloured background, face lit evenly from the front.
- The tool finds your face and scales it so the head is about 34 mm tall on a 50 × 70 mm (1.97 × 2.76 in) photo.
- Drag or zoom until every check is green.
- Download the 591×827 px JPG for online forms, or a 4×6 sheet with 4 photos to print.
FAQ
What size is a Canadian passport photo?
50 mm wide by 70 mm high, with the face 31 to 36 mm from chin to crown.
Can I take my own Canadian passport photo at home?
No. Passport Canada requires photos taken in person by a commercial photographer or studio and professionally printed. Home-printed or edited photos are refused.
Can I smile in a Canadian passport photo?
No. The expression must be neutral, mouth closed, not smiling or frowning.
Can I wear glasses?
Yes, if your eyes are clearly visible and there is no glare. Sunglasses and tinted lenses are not allowed.
What is the digital spec for online renewal?
JPEG, 3:2 portrait, 1200x1800 to 3000x4500 px, 200 KB to 5 MB, chin-to-crown 45 to 50% of height, from a commercial photographer.