Canada Passport Photo Size — 50×70mm

Canada uses a taller frame than almost anywhere else — 50×70mm — and adds a requirement no online tool can satisfy for you: a commercial photographer has to write the studio name and the date on the back of one print.

Canada passport photo specifications

Printed size

50 × 70 mm · 591 × 827 px

Head height (chin to crown)

31 – 36 mm

Background

Background: plain white

Photo age limit

Taken within 6 months

Glasses

Only with a medical certificate

Prints to submit

2 identical prints

Rules specific to Canada

• 50×70mm (2 × 2¾ inches), with the face measuring 31–36mm from chin to crown.
• The measurement runs to the crown of the head, not the top of the hair. Voluminous hair does not count.
• Plain white or light-coloured background with a clear boundary between face and background.
• Two identical prints, uncut and unaltered.
• A commercial photographer or studio must write or stamp the studio name, address and the date taken on the back of one photo. A photo you produce at home will not be accepted for a paper application.
• Taken within the last 6 months.
• Glasses are not permitted unless you have a medical reason and supporting documentation.

Why passport photos get rejected

• Head too large or too small. This is the single most common reason, and the one people notice least — the canvas size can be perfect while the head is out of range.
• Shadow behind the head, usually from standing too close to a wall. Step a metre away from the background.
• Smiling, or mouth slightly open. Neutral expression means neutral.
• Hair covering an eye, or a fringe casting a shadow across the eyes.
• Uneven lighting that leaves one side of the face darker than the other.
• A photo that has been retouched, filtered, or run through an AI beauty tool. Most authorities now check for this and reject it outright.

Other countries