Canada Passport Photo Size
Canada asks for two identical 50 × 70 mm photos, taken and printed by a commercial photographer, and rejects home prints and edited pictures. This page explains the rules and how this tool can still help.
1. Position the frame
Drag the frame to move it and the round handles to resize it. Put the top of the head at the top of the dashed oval and the chin at its bottom.
2. Preview and options
Use it only where the form allows edited photos. The US, UK and Canada reject photos with a changed background.
Higher removes more background but can eat into hair or shoulders.
3. Your photo
🔒 Runs in your browser. Your files and text are not uploaded.
How to use the Canada Passport Photo Size
- Read the rules below first: for a Canadian passport application the photos must come from a commercial photographer or studio.
- To check a studio’s photo, measure the printed face with a ruler: chin to crown should be between 31 and 36 mm.
- For other uses that ask for a Canadian-style 50 × 70 mm picture, choose “Canada – passport (50 × 70 mm)” and drop in a portrait.
- Frame the head in the oval and press “Create photo”, then download the 591 × 827 px JPEG.
Canadian passport photo requirements
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Number of photos | 2 identical, unaltered photos with each application |
| Size | 50 mm wide × 70 mm high (2 × 2¾ inches) |
| Face size | Chin to crown (natural top of head) between 31 mm (1¼ in) and 36 mm (1⁷⁄₁₆ in) |
| Colour | Colour or black and white |
| Who takes it | A commercial photographer or studio, in person |
| Printing | Professionally printed on plain, high-quality photographic paper; photos printed at home or on heavy paper are not accepted |
| Background | Plain white or light-coloured |
| Age of photo | Taken no more than 6 months before you apply |
| Alterations | None: no editing software, filters or AI tools, including cropping, changing the background or removing red-eye |
Source: Government of Canada, passport photo requirements. Last reviewed: October 2026. Photo rules change from time to time, so always confirm the current requirements on the official page before you apply.
Why this tool cannot make your passport photo
The Canadian rules are stricter than most. Photos must be taken in person by a commercial photographer, printed professionally, and be unaltered, which the government defines broadly: changing brightness, cropping around the head and shoulders, cutting and pasting a person onto a white background and replacing the background all count. A picture that you cropped or printed yourself will be refused, however well it is framed, and using it risks delaying your application.
So if you are applying for a Canadian passport, go to a studio. The head guide and ruler checks on this page are useful for verifying what you receive before you submit it: measure the face on the print, and make sure there is no shadow, glare or tilt.
What the 50 × 70 mm preset is good for
- Checking the proportions of a studio photo: a 50 × 70 mm photo is a 5:7 rectangle, taller than the 35 × 45 mm used in most countries.
- Making a digital file for a club, school, employer or association that asks for a “passport-style” photo of this size.
- Practising the framing, with the oval showing where the head should sit, before you visit a photographer.
- Creating a sheet for printing with the print sheet tool. Note that a 4 × 6 in print holds only four 50 × 70 mm photos.
The result is a 591 × 827 pixel JPEG at 300 dpi. If you need another country’s size, see the country requirements guide.
Other things to know
Glasses are accepted if the eyes are clearly visible and there is no glare. Hair must be off the face so that its edges are visible, and head coverings worn daily for religious or medical reasons are accepted if the full face is visible and the covering casts no shadows. Sunglasses and tinted lenses are not accepted, even with prescription lenses. If you cannot meet a requirement for medical reasons, explain it in writing with the application. One of the two photos needs to be signed by your guarantor, as set out in the official instructions.
Frequently asked questions
Can I print my own Canadian passport photo?
No. The government does not accept photos printed at home. They must be taken by a commercial photographer or studio and professionally printed.
What is the size of a Canadian passport photo?
50 mm wide by 70 mm high, with the face between 31 and 36 mm from chin to crown.
May I crop or edit the photo?
No. Cropping around the head and shoulders, changing the background, filters, and AI tools all count as alteration and are refused.
Can I wear glasses?
Glasses are accepted if your eyes are clearly visible and there is no glare on the lenses. Sunglasses and tinted lenses are not.
What can I use this page for, then?
To understand the rules, check a studio’s photo, and make a Canadian-sized picture for purposes other than the passport application.