Get Canadian Visa Photos Online [In 3 Mins From Home]

Need to get Canadian visa photos, but you’re not sure what the requirements are? Look no further—

Here at Passport Photo Online, we’ve compiled all the necessary information you need to know about pictures for Canadian visas, including official requirements, sizing details, and more—all with image examples.

Read on to get a grasp of what picture you should submit with your visa application and how to get your photos.

Understanding Canadian visa photo requirements

If you plan on staying in the Great White North for longer than 90 days, you’ll most likely need to obtain a visa. Aside from a number of documents you’ll need to collect, you also need to attach 2 identical photos meeting all requirements.

What are those requirements?

We went through the information stated by the Government of Canada and compiled all guidelines in the handy sections below.

Note: If you’re unsure whether you need a visa to enter Canada, check it on the IRCC website under this link.

Canadian Visa Photo Requirements List

Important: For digital visa photos, the size must be 420x540 pixels at minimum. 

The fine details: Canadian visa photo specifications

Your photo may be rejected for various reasons, not only its size or unacceptable background. Have a look at these specific guidelines to ensure your picture meets even the finest Canadian visa photo requirements.

• Facial expression: Don’t smile or frown. Keep a neutral facial expression
• Head position: Keep your eyes open and mouth closed, looking straight at the camera. The top of your shoulders should be visible
• Clothing: Avoid uniforms and colors blending with the background. Plain dark-colored clothes are recommended
• Facial hair: Allowed
• Head covering: 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
• Glasses: You can wear prescription glasses but only if 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

Hair: Your whole face (including eyebrows) must be clearly visible. Consider tucking your hair behind the ears and tying longer bangs with hairpins

Canadian visa photo sizing details

The Canadian visa photo size is 35x45 mm (1.37x1.77 inches). Additionally, the image you submit must comply with the following specifications:

• The size of your head (from the bottom of the chin to the top of the crown) must be 31–36 mm (or 1.25–1.43 inches)
• Your head must be centered, with equal spaces on both sides

Are you planning to apply online? Ensure your digital photo meets these specs:

• The frame size of the image is at least 420x540 pixels
• The applicant’s head (from the bottom of the chin to the top of the crown) must be between 372–432 pixels
• You must submit your photo in a JPG or JPEG format
• The size of the file should be between 60kb and 240kb

Remember that submitting an unacceptable photo will result in its rejection. You have to provide compliant photographs for the application process to go through.

Online services for Canadian visa pictures

Local providers such as CVS or Walmart are known for their passport photo services, so you may try to get your Canadian visa photos there. But can you be sure they’ll get the country’s requirements right?

Don’t risk wasting time and money to find out—there’s a better solution.

You can take your own photo for a Canadian visa with online tools (browser-based & mobile apps). Check out the table below comparing the essential features of 5 popular providers. And to get detailed reviews on these 2x2 passport photo apps, check out this article!

In a few clicks, Passport Photo Online will provide you with a perfectly compliant Canadian visa photo straight into your inbox—it’ll take as little as 3 minutes.

The best part? Our biometric photo experts verify all photos, and we provide an acceptance guarantee. So, you can rest assured your visa photo will be accepted—or we’ll refund 200% of your purchase cost.

Join over 6,000 Trustpilot customers who trusted us with pictures for their official documents—like this Canadian citizen living in the US!

Last update: 9/24/23