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Travel advice and advisories by destination

Digital Canadian passport photos

For general passport applicants, please use the photo requirements for a paper application.

Photo requirements

Your passport photo must be taken

in person by a commercial photographer
no more than 6 months before the date you submit your application

Your photo must have

your face and shoulders centered and squared to the camera
a neutral facial expression
- eyes open and clearly visible
- mouth closed, no smiling
uniform lighting
- no shadows, glare or flash reflections
- clear, sharp and in focus
- natural skin tones
a plain white or light-coloured background with a clear difference between your face and the background.

Passport Canada accepts photos with

glasses worn if your eyes are clearly visible and there is no glare on the lenses
hair down or up
hats and head coverings worn daily for religious beliefs or medical reasons if your full face is both clearly visible and no shadows are cast on your face

Passport Canada doesn’t accept photos with

sunglasses or tinted eye glasses (even when the eyes are clearly visible)
red-eye effect or red-eye alterations
hats and head coverings not worn daily for religious beliefs or medical reasons

Photo and photographer’s details

When you upload your photo, you must provide

the studio or photographer’s name
the studio or photographer’s address
the date the photo was taken

Digital requirements

The requirements for a digital photo are different from the requirements for a physical photo.

Please provide the following requirements to your photographer (PDF, or share the web address) when you have your photo taken.

Your photo must be provided in .jpeg or .jpg format
The file must be saved directly from the original file captured by the camera and either
- uploaded to an online file sharing service
- saved on a USB flash drive or
- sent by email
Scanned copies of a physical photo will not be accepted.
The photo may be in either colour or in black and white.
No altering of the file is allowed.

The image must

have a 3:2 aspect ratio with the camera oriented in portrait mode
be at least 1800 pixels high by 1200 pixels wide
be no larger than 4500 pixels high by 3000 pixels wide
between 200 KB and 4 MB in size
have a chin to crown (the top of your head) measurement between 45 to 50% of the photo’s height.

Examples of acceptable and unacceptable passport photos

Please visit the website to view the examples

The photos don’t represent the actual size of a passport photo. Unacceptable photos show you what to look for before you submit your application.

Tips for taking a good passport photo

Video: passport photos of adults

If you’re in a wheelchair: Passport photos must be taken against a plain white background. If your wheelchair has a headrest, a plain white covering should be placed over it. This makes your facial features and the edges of your face clear against the background.
If you have headwear or nasal cannula: Your headwear or a nasal cannula may appear in a passport photo if worn for medical reasons. Your eyes must remain clearly visible. Include a signed explanation with your application. We may ask for a letter from your doctor.
Why can’t I smile in my passport photo?: The International Civil Aviation Organization recommends that passport photos be taken with a neutral expression. This lets us use facial recognition systems to help prevent fraud. They electronically verify identity based on each person’s unique facial features.

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