Take Your Canadian Visa Photo in Only 3 Seconds
Taking photos for a Canadian visa has never been easier—snap them in 3 seconds from home!
How do our mobile and web apps work?
Snap the perfect biometric passport photo in under 3 minutes!
Find out just how simple it can be!
Take or upload a photo
Use a photo you already have or take a new one. We'll double-check it and make sure it passes all compliance tests.
Get your photo tuned-up by AI
Our AI system will crop, resize, and adjust the background of your image.
Get expert verification
One of our experts will carefully review your passport photo, providing you with feedback in under a minute!
Key benefits of using our passport photo tool
Get comfy at home, grab your phone, and snap a few pictures. End up with a result you’re 100% satisfied with!
Independence
No need to drive or wait in line. Take a photo wherever you are with only your smartphone.
Trusted service
Over a million users worldwide, 18 million photos processed, and thousands of 5-star reviews on TrustPilot.
Professional support
Questions or doubts about your photos? Our photography experts and support agents will be happy to help you out.
Acceptance guarantee
Once you place your order, our AI and human expert will verify your photo to ensure it's 100% compliant.
Passport photo-taking tips
Follow these guidelines to create the perfect passport picture.
Consider the distance
Keep your front-facing camera 16–20 inch (40–50 cm) away from the face. For rear cameras, keep a 4–6 foot (1–2 meter) distance.
Keep your head and body straight
Look directly into the camera and avoid tilting your body. Remember, portrait mode is unacceptable for passport photos.
Prepare good lighting
Take your passport photos in a daylight setting, like near a window on a sunny day. Shadows on your face or in the background are not permitted.
Canadian visa photos—technical details
Here’s a quick overview of all requirements for your photo.
Size
35x45 mm
Resolution
300 dpi
Is it suitable for online submission?
Yes
Is it printable?
Yes
Background Color
Image definition parameters
Head height: 34.7 mm
Top of the Photo to Top of the Hair: 3 mm
Need more info on passport photos? Read these FAQs
Your Ultimate Guide to Canadian Visa Photos
Looking to get photos for your Canadian visa but feeling a bit lost about the requirements? Don't worry, we've got you covered.
At PhotoAiDⓇ, we've gathered everything you need to know about Canadian visa photos—from the official requirements and the exact sizing details to how to get them locally and online. Read on!
Canada visa photo guidelines
Canadian visa photo requirements vary from those mandated for US visa pictures. So, before you snap a photo for your official document, familiarize yourself with all specifications.
We’ve done all the legwork and compiled the guidelines stated by the Government of Canada—find them in the following sections.
Unpacking Canadian visa photo guidelines
- Color: Must be in full color or black and white
- Recency: The photo should have been taken within the past six months
- Image clarity: The applicant’s face must be sharp and clear, without blur or shadows. Uneven lighting is unacceptable
- Filters: Any type of social media filter is strictly prohibited
- Background: Choose a plain, solid white background or a light-colored background
- Dimensions: The photo should measure 35x45 mm (equivalent to 1.3x1.78 inches), with the head filling out 70-80% of the image
- Print Quality: The photo must be printed on high-quality matte or glossy paper
- Resolution: The minimum resolution should be 300 DPI
- Digital Alterations: Strictly prohibited
Important: Digital visa photos for online applications must have the minimum size of 420x540 pixels.
The finer details of photos for a Canadian visa
Don't let your photo get turned down due to minor issues like incorrect size or inappropriate background. Check out these detailed guidelines to ensure your picture ticks all the boxes for Canadian visa photo requirements.
|
Attribute |
Description |
|
Smile |
Smiling or frowning isn’t allowed. Keep a neutral facial expression with your mouth closed. |
|
Eyes |
Eyes should be fully open. |
|
Glasses |
You can wear prescription glasses but ensure your eyes clearly show through the lenses and no reflections are visible. If you need your glasses for medical reasons, you may need to provide a medical statement signed by a doctor. |
|
Headgear |
Only head coverings for religious reasons are allowed, but your facial features must be clearly visible. You can wear hairpins or other cosmetic accessories if they don’t disguise your natural appearance. |
|
Clothing |
Avoid wearing attire that matches the background; darker shades are recommended. |
|
Facial hair |
Allowed if worn on a daily basis. |
|
Head position |
Keep your head centered and look directly at the camera. Profile or angled shots are not allowed. |
|
White space |
There should be a gap of 3mm–5mm (0.12”–0.2”) of clear white space between the top of your head and the upper edge of the photo. |
Canadian visa photo—size specifications
All Canadian visa photos must be 35x45 mm or 1.37x1.77 inches. However, there are additional guidelines you need to keep in mind.
As shown in the above examples, the measurement from your chin's base to the top of your head should be between 31–36 mm or 1.25–1.43 inches. And make sure your head is smack dab in the center with equal space on both sides.
Now, if you're going the online route, there are a few extra details to keep in mind:
Your digital photo should have a frame size of at least 420x540 pixels. The measurement from the base of your chin to the top of your head should be between 372–432 pixels. The photo should be a JPG or JPEG file, and its size needs to be somewhere between 60kb and 240kb.
Just a heads up, if your photo doesn't meet these requirements, it won't be accepted. Pay close attention to dimension guidelines when taking your photos in the US, as the required measurements differ from those commonly used for ID documents in America.
Digital providers of Canadian visa photos
While you might be thinking about heading to big-name drugstores such as Walgreens or CVS for your Canadian visa photos, keep in mind that their staff might not be fully familiar with the specific size requirements.
Why waste time and money to potentially get non-compliant pictures? Here’s your alternative—
Passport photo apps are the most convenient and cost-effective way to obtain Canadian visa photos. A few clicks on the screen from the comfort of your home—that’s all it takes!
Just look at the comparison table below to see what 5 popular online providers offer.
|
Tool |
PhotoAiDⓇ |
PersoFoto |
Pic4Pass |
Passport Photo—ID Photo |
Passport Photo & ID Maker |
|
User-friendliness |
5/5 ⭐ |
3/5⭐ |
4/5⭐ |
3.5/5⭐ |
4/5⭐ |
|
Essential features (cropping, resizing, background removal) |
✅ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
|
Compliance check |
✅ |
❌ |
✅ |
❌ |
❌ |
|
Printing service |
✅ |
✅ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
|
Premium plan |
$13.95 |
$9.75 |
❌ |
$6.99 |
$6.99 |
Give PhotoAiDⓇ a go and get government-approved photos for your Canadian visa. For $13.95, you’ll get a digital image (ideal for an online application); for $16.95, we’ll send your photos printed on high-quality photo paper.
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