Canadian Passport Photo Maker (50 x 70 mm)
- Size50 x 70 mm
- BackgroundPlain white or light-coloured
- Head height44–51% of the photo
- GlassesAllowed, no glare
- Add your photo
- We check it
- Download & print
Add a photo for your Canadian Passport
For the best result
- Plain wallCleaner edges around hair
- Face the lightA window or lamp, no side shadow
- Neutral faceEyes open, look at the lens
- No glassesHats and headphones off too
- Arm's lengthHead and shoulders in frame
Your photo stays on your device. It is processed here in your browser — we don't upload it, and we can't see it.
About this photo
A Canadian passport photo is 50 x 70 mm - taller and narrower than the US 2 x 2 inch square, and not the 35 x 45 mm size the rest of the world uses. Your face has to measure 31 to 36 mm from chin to the top of your head, which is a much smaller share of the frame than most countries ask for. This page crops to that specification exactly and gives you a 4 x 6 sheet holding four copies, so you can print them at any photo counter. One thing this tool cannot do for you: IRCC requires the back of one photo to carry the studio name, address and the date, so read the endorsement section below before you order prints.
How to make a Canadian Passport photo
- Upload a photo of yourself taken against any background, or take one with your phone.
- Our tool finds your face, replaces the background with plain white or light-coloured and crops to 50 x 70 mm (2 x 2 3/4 inches).
- Check the compliance results, then download your photo free — plus a 4x6 sheet you can print at a drugstore.
Canadian Passport photo requirements
- Print size
- 50 mm wide x 70 mm high (2 x 2 3/4 inches)
- Head height
- 31 to 36 mm from the chin to the crown, the top of the head including hair - about 44 to 51% of the photo height
- Number of photos
- Two identical photos. Both are submitted with the application
- Back of print
- The name and complete street address of the photo studio, and the date the photo was taken, on the back of ONE of the two photos. A P.O. box is not accepted
- Who takes it
- Taken in person by a commercial photographer. IRCC does not accept a photo you made and printed entirely yourself
- Background
- Plain white or light-coloured, with enough contrast between the background, your face and your clothing that your features are clearly distinguishable
- Age of photo
- Taken within the last 6 months
- Expression
- Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open and clearly visible, looking straight at the camera. Full front view of the face and the top of the shoulders, squared to the camera
- Glasses
- Non-tinted prescription glasses are allowed provided there is no glare on the lenses and the frames do not cover any part of your eyes. Sunglasses and tinted lenses are not accepted
- Hats and head coverings
- Not allowed except for religious or medical reasons, and then your full facial features must not be obscured
- Lighting
- Uniform lighting with no shadows, glare or flash reflections. Clear, sharp and in focus
- Colour
- Colour or black and white are both accepted
- Editing
- An original photo, not altered or edited in any way. IRCC names photo editing software, filters and AI tools specifically
Mistakes that get this photo rejected
- A US 2 x 2 inch photo is not accepted and cannot be cropped into one. 50 x 70 mm is a different shape and the face has to be a different share of the frame, so the photo must be re-made from the original rather than trimmed.
- The endorsement on the back is the most common reason a Canadian application is returned. One of the two photos needs the studio name, its full street address and the date - and a P.O. box does not count. Ask the photo counter to write it before you leave.
- IRCC asks for a photo taken in person by a commercial photographer. Use this tool to get the framing and the print sheet right, then have the counter produce and endorse the prints - do not print at home on plain paper.
- The face measurement is chin to the top of your hair, not to your forehead. Tall or voluminous hair can push you past the 36 mm ceiling even when nothing else has changed.
- Glasses are allowed here, which surprises people who have just done a US application where they are not. They still have to be untinted, glare-free and clear of your eyes - if in doubt, take them off, because no rule requires you to wear them.
- Both photos must be identical. Two shots from the same session are not the same photo; they have to be two prints of one image.
Printing it for about 40¢
The 4×6 sheet this tool gives you holds several copies of your photo at exactly 50 x 70 mm (2 x 2 3/4 inches). Order it as an ordinary 4×6 photo print — about 19¢ at Walmart, 39¢ at Walgreens or 42¢ at CVS — then cut them out. That is the same print the store charges $7.64 to $16.99 for at the counter.
The one thing that goes wrong: letting the store’s website or kiosk crop, zoom or “fit” your image. That changes the photo’s physical size and is the most common reason a printed photo is rejected. Always choose the option that prints the whole sheet at actual size.
Common questions
What size is a Canadian passport photo?
50 mm wide by 70 mm high, which is 2 by 2 3/4 inches. It is unusual: most of the world uses 35 x 45 mm and the United States uses a 2 x 2 inch square, so a photo made for either of those is the wrong shape for a Canadian passport.
Can I use this tool and still meet the commercial photographer rule?
IRCC asks that the photo be taken in person by a commercial photographer. The safest reading is to have a studio or photo counter shoot and print it. This tool is most useful for checking your framing against the 31-36 mm face rule before you go, and for getting a correctly sized print sheet - it does not replace the studio requirement or the endorsement on the back.
What has to be written on the back of the photo?
On one of the two photos: the name and the complete street address of the photo studio, and the date the photo was taken. A P.O. box is not accepted. The other photo is left blank.
Can I wear glasses in a Canadian passport photo?
Yes, if they are non-tinted prescription glasses, there is no glare on the lenses, and the frames do not cover any part of your eyes. Sunglasses and tinted lenses are not accepted. This differs from the US passport, where glasses have to come off.
How recent does the photo have to be?
Taken within the last six months. It also has to reflect your current appearance, so a significant change in how you look restarts that clock regardless of the date.
How many photos do I need?
Two, and they must be identical prints of the same image rather than two shots from the same session. The 4 x 6 sheet this tool produces holds four copies, which gives you a spare pair.
Is the Canadian permanent resident card photo the same?
No. The PR card and citizenship photos have their own specifications and are not interchangeable with the passport photo. Check the requirement for the exact document you are applying for.
Other photos you can make free
Checked August 2026 Specifications and prices on this page come from the sources below. Rules and prices change — if you spot something out of date, please tell us.
- → Government of Canada - Passport photo requirements (50 x 70 mm; face 31-36 mm chin to crown; two identical photos; studio name, complete address and date on the back of one; original photo not altered or edited including filters and AI tools)
- → Government of Canada - Passport photo specifications (PDF, revised 2015): plain white or light-coloured background, uniform lighting without shadows or flash reflection, neutral expression, taken within the last six months
- → Government of Canada - What you need to apply for a new adult passport from the US (non-tinted prescription glasses permitted with no glare and frames clear of the eyes; hats and head coverings only for religious or medical reasons)