Canada Passport Photo Specs (50×70 mm)
Canada passport photo requirements — 50×70 mm, head 31–36 mm (44–51%), white or light background, guarantor rules — the outlier spec, cited to IRCC.
Canada is the outlier among the major passport specs: a tall 50×70 mm photo — closer to old imperial formats than to ICAO — with a head band that’s proportionally smaller than anything in the 35×45 mm family.
The spec
| Field | Canada passport |
|---|---|
| Print size | 50×70 mm |
| Digital pixels | print-first; portal uploads vary |
| Head size (crown→chin) | 31–36 mm (44–51%) |
| File limit | varies by channel |
| Background | white or light-coloured |
| Photo age | ≤6 months |
| Glasses | allowed if eyes clearly visible — no glare, no sunglasses |
| Expression | neutral, mouth closed |
Why reusing a crop fails. Scale a 35×45 mm Schengen crop up to 50×70 mm and the head — composed to fill ~75% — lands at ~54% of the Canadian frame, over the 51% ceiling. Canada needs a looser composition: more background above the crown and around the shoulders. This is the one spec where "zoom out" is the fix.
The print-first workflow
Unlike the digital-first portals elsewhere, the standard Canadian filing is two identical printed photos:
- one photo signed by the guarantor on the back, with the “true likeness” certification line;
- the studio’s name/address or the date written or stamped on the back of one photo;
- plain white or light-coloured background, uniform lighting, no shadows.
Glasses are allowed — a genuine difference from the US/India/China bans — provided the eyes are clearly visible, there’s no glare or reflection, and the frames aren’t tinted. Neutral expression is still required, and the photo must be taken within six months.
Sources
Related: US passport & visa specs · ICAO 9303 explained · the full dataset in the spec lookup.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the Canadian passport photo so large?
Canada kept a 50×70 mm format — close to the old imperial 2×2¾ in — when most of the world converged on ICAO 35×45 mm. The bigger frame pairs with a smaller head band: the face fills only 44–51% of the height, so a passport-booth crop made for Europe leaves the head far too large.
Can I submit a digital photo for a Canadian passport?
Canada is print-first: the standard filing is two identical printed photos, one signed by the guarantor. Some channels accept digital uploads, but the pixel rules vary — the printed 50×70 mm spec is the constant to plan around.
Does a Schengen or UK photo work for Canada?
No — the frame is bigger and the head band is lower (31–36 mm of 70 mm ≈ 44–51%, vs 71–80% for Schengen). A photo composed for 35×45 mm will have the head far too large when scaled to 50×70 mm. It needs a separate crop with more space around the head.
What does the guarantor need to write on the photo?
For a standard passport application, the guarantor signs the back of one photo and writes "I certify this to be a true likeness of (name)" — plus their signature. The photo studio's stamp or a handwritten date should also appear on the back.