Canada / Passport photo standard
Canada Passport Photo Requirements
A taller format. A stricter original-photo rule. Start with a professional photo, then check the dimensions against the official Canadian requirements.
The specification, at a glance
| Specification | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Photo size | 50×70 mm |
| Digital size | 420×540 px min |
| Background | plain white or light-coloured, no shadows |
| Head height | 31–36mm crown to chin |
| DPI | 300 |
| Recency | within last 6 months |
| Source | canada.ca · official page ↗ |
Canada Passport
Synthetic example for format illustration only. Not a submission-ready photo.
“Photos must be professionally taken, original and unaltered”
Paraphrased from the official requirements — canada.ca is the source of truth.
No digital edits to background, facial features or appearance. Taken within the last 6 months. Neutral expression, no glasses. Preserve the original photo; if it does not meet the rules, return to your photographer for a retake.
Catch the problem at the source
Three reasons to retake, not retouch.
Wrong head size
The crown-to-chin measurement must be 31–36mm.
The right fix
Ask your photographer to measure the head height and reframe the original photo. If it cannot meet the specification, retake it.
Shadows on background
The background must be plain, pure white and evenly lit.
The right fix
Have the photo professionally retaken with even lighting. Do not digitally replace, erase or whiten a shadowed background.
Smiling or glasses
Keep a neutral expression, with no glasses.
The right fix
Remove glasses, close your mouth and look straight at the camera. Have a new photo taken; do not retouch the face or remove glasses digitally.
Your face is never an editing target
“No digital edits to background, facial features or appearance.”
That is the Canadian rule, and it is stricter than most: Canada prohibits both face edits and background swaps. We follow the same line everywhere — only crop and align, never alter a face.
Automatic pre-check — not official approval. A pre-check cannot replace the current canada.ca requirements.