Canadians residing in the United States and abroad
The requirements for passport photos in Canada are different from those in the United States and other countries. Photos must be taken in person by a commercial photographer and must comply with the Government of Canada’s Passport Program photo requirements. If not, your application will be rejected.
To ensure the correct photo requirements are met, print a copy of the Passport photo specifications (PDF, 652.38 KB) to take with you to the photographer.
You must submit two (2) identical and unaltered photos with each passport application.
Your photos must be:
Taken in person by a commercial photographer.
50 mm wide X 70 mm high (2 inches wide X 2- 3/4 inches long) and sized so the height of the face measures between 31 mm (1- 1/4 inches) and 36 mm (1- 7/16 inches) from chin to crown of head (natural top of head).
Clear, sharp and in focus.
Photos may be in colour or in black and white.
Taken with a neutral facial expression (eyes open and clearly visible, mouth closed, no smiling).
Taken with uniform lighting and not show shadows, glare or flash reflections.
Taken straight on, with face and shoulders centered and squared to the camera.
Taken in front of a plain white or light-coloured background with a clear difference between your face and the background. Photos must reflect/represent natural skin tones.
Original photos that are not altered in any way or taken from an existing photo.
What is an altered photo?
An altered photo refers to any photo that has been edited or changed in any way, by any means, and includes, but is not limited to technical corrections or enhancements such as adjustments to colour, brightness, contrast and sharpness of the image, cropping around the subject’s head and shoulders (cutting and pasting the subject against a white background), editing of the facial features (changing size or shape of eyes, nose, mouth, ears, etc.), editing to improve the appearance of the subject (eliminating wrinkles, blemishes, birthmarks; changing hair colour; removing red-eye; removing glare, etc.), changing the background (eliminating shadows, etc.), editing the subject’s clothing (changing colours, etc.).
Reflect your current appearance (taken within the last six months)
Professionally printed on plain, high quality photographic paper (photos printed at home and photos printed on heavy weight paper are not acceptable).
The following must be included on the back of one photo:
The name and complete address of the photo studio and the date the photo was taken. The photographer may use a stamp or handwrite this information. Stick-on labels are unacceptable.
Your guarantor must clearly write: “I certify this to be a true likeness of (applicant’s name)” and sign (guarantor’s name and surname). If you are renewing an adult passport, a guarantor is not needed.
Extra details
Glasses may be worn in photos as long as the eyes are clearly visible and there is no glare in the glasses.
Sunglasses and tinted eye glasses are unacceptable.
Photos with the red-eye effect or red eye alterations are unacceptable.
Hats and head coverings must not be worn, unless they are worn daily for religious beliefs or medical reasons. However, your full face must be clearly visible and the head covering must not cast any shadows on your face.
Your hair can be down.
Shadows are not acceptable. Lighting must be uniform to avoid shadows across the face or shoulders, around the ears or in the background.
Child photos
Child photos must follow the same rules indicated above.
Photos must show the child’s head and shoulders only. Parent’s or child’s hands must not appear in the photo.
The Passport Program recognizes the difficulty in obtaining a neutral expression of a newborn and will allow for some minor variations in this regard.
For newborn babies, the photo may be taken while the child is sitting in a car seat, as long as a white blanket is placed over the seat behind the child’s head. There must be no shadows on the face or shoulders, around the ears or in the background.
Your application will be rejected if your photos do not meet these specifications.
Here are a few unacceptable passport photos so you know what to look for before you submit your application.
No contrast
Shadow behind ears
Hands in picture
Reflection on glasses
Face not square to camera
Facial features not clearly visible
Mouth open
Smiling
Tinted eye glasses cannot be worn
Notice – Passport requirements in effect May 9, 2015
February 27, 2015 — The Government of Canada is committed to protecting the security and integrity of Canadian travel documents. On May 9, 2015, the following new passport requirements will come into effect for all passport applicants:
Photos
Photos will be valid for six months from the date they were taken (currently 12 months).
Tinted eye glasses cannot be worn.
Signature
New passports printed on or after May 9, 2015, will no longer have a pre-printed digital signature on page 2. Applicants must physically sign page 3 in the passport book when they receive it.
This change has no effect on the security or integrity of the passport. Previous versions of the passport book, which include the signature, remain valid.
These changes comply with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards for travel documents.
Take this information with you to the photographer
Make sure that you provide the correct number of photos specified in the Checklist.
You must provide identical and unaltered photographs.
Photographs may be in colour or in black and white.
Photographs must be original and not altered in any way or taken from an existing photograph.
Photographs must reflect your current appearance (taken within the past six (6) months).
Notes to the photographer
The photographs must be:
taken by a commercial photographer;
50 mm x 70 mm (2 inches wide x 2 3/4 inches long) and sized so the height of the face measures between 31 mm and 36 mm (1 1/4 inches and 1 7/16 inches) from chin to crown of head (natural top of head);
clear, sharp and in focus;
taken with a neutral facial expression (eyes open and clearly visible, mouth closed, no smiling);
taken with uniform lighting and not show shadows, glare or flash reflections;
taken straight on, with face and shoulders centred and squared to the camera (i.e. the photographs must show the full front view of the person’s head and shoulders, showing the full face centered in the middle of the photograph);
taken in front of a plain white background with a clear difference between the person’s face and the background. Photographs must reflect and represent natural skin tones.
The back of one (1) photograph must:
bear the name and date of birth of the subject, as well as the name and complete address of the photography studio;
bear the date the photograph was taken;
The photographer may use a stamp or handwrite this information. Stick-on labels are unacceptable.