Your printed photos must come from a commercial photographer or studio. The studio writes or stamps the date and its name and full address on the back. Photos printed at home or on heavyweight paper are not accepted. Source: canada.ca, checked 24 Oct 2026.
The Canada Passport photo is 50 × 70 mm; printed photos must come from a commercial photographer or studio.
| Who makes the photo | Printed photos must come from a commercial photographer or studio. |
|---|---|
| Size (official rule) | Print only (50 × 70 mm photo from a studio) |
| In other units (a conversion) | 50 × 70 mm · 5 × 7 cm · 1.97 × 2.76 in · 591 × 827 px at 300 DPI · 1181 × 1654 px at 600 DPI · ratio 5:7 |
| File size | No file for you to upload |
| Background | Plain white or light-coloured |
| Head size | 44% to 51% of the photo height, chin to top of head |
| Source | canada.ca |
| Checked | 24 Oct 2026 |
These printed photos are for a new adult or child passport, and for adult renewals made in person or by mail. Each application needs 2 identical prints, and canada.ca warns that it will refuse the application if they fall short. A commercial photographer or studio must take them in person and print them professionally on plain, high-quality photographic paper, no more than 6 months before you apply. Home prints and heavyweight paper are refused. On the back of one print, the studio writes or stamps the date and its name and complete address.
Black and white is accepted as well as colour. Avoid light-coloured clothing, which can blend into the background. Any alteration is refused, from brightness or contrast tweaks and pasting you onto a new background to removing red eye, scars or shadows. Tinted lenses are refused even when prescribed. Hats and head coverings are accepted only if worn daily for religious beliefs or medical reasons, and medical headwear or a nasal cannula needs a signed letter of explanation. In a wheelchair, place a white blanket behind your head. Renewing online needs a separate digital file, not a scan of these prints.
Source, checked 24 Oct 2026: Passport photo requirements (canada.ca).
No. Your printed photos must come from a commercial photographer or studio. The studio writes or stamps the date and its name and full address on the back. Photos printed at home or on heavyweight paper are not accepted.
The Canada Passport photo is 50 × 70 mm; printed photos must come from a commercial photographer or studio. 50 × 70 mm is 5 × 7 cm or 1.97 × 2.76 inches, in a 5:7 shape. Printed at 300 DPI it is 591 × 827 pixels, and at 600 DPI 1181 × 1654 pixels. These are conversions of the official size, not extra rules.
50 × 70 mm, background: plain white or light-coloured, head 44% to 51% of the photo height. Two identical photos taken within 6 months, in colour or black and white, not altered. Face 31–36 mm from chin to crown. Neutral face, mouth closed. Glasses are fine if eyes are clear with no glare; no tinted lenses. New adult and child passports: a guarantor signs one photo. Adult renewals need no guarantor.
The official rules say: Glasses are fine if eyes are clear with no glare; no tinted lenses.
The official rules say: New adult and child passports: a guarantor signs one photo.
On the back of one of the two photos, your guarantor clearly writes "I certify this to be a true likeness of" followed by your name, and signs at the bottom. For a child, they write the child's name. If you are renewing an adult passport, you do not need a guarantor.
No. A neutral expression means your eyes are open and clearly visible, you look straight at the camera, your mouth is closed, and you are not smiling or frowning. Canada follows the International Civil Aviation Organization's advice here, which lets facial recognition systems help prevent fraud.
A commercial photographer or studio still takes it. Your newborn may sit in a car seat with a white blanket over the seat behind their head, with no shadows, and neither your hands nor the child's may show. Canada allows some range of facial expressions for infants.
No. Online renewal needs a digital photo taken by a commercial photographer, and a scanned copy of a printed photo is not accepted. Canada suggests asking the photographer for both a digital copy and a printed copy, so you can still apply in person or by mail.
On canada.ca. We checked them on 24 Oct 2026.
Source: canada.ca, checked 24 Oct 2026. Rules can change, so confirm on the official page before you apply.