Get Your Canadian Citizenship Photo Done Right [In 3 Mins]

Here’s your guide to the Canadian citizenship photo—learn about the requirements, discover places where you can take your picture, and find out some useful tips to help you get through the application process smoothly.

Understanding Canadian citizenship photo requirements

You can apply for Canadian citizenship with a printed or digital photograph. Either way, your photo must meet specific requirements laid out by IRCC Canada.

Inspect the following table for a brief overview of official Canadian citizenship photo requirements.

📝 Note: Your printed photograph for Canadian citizenship must include the following information:

• The applicant’s first and last name
• The photography studio’s name and address
• The date your citizenship photo was taken

For online submission, your digital citizenship photo must also follow these specifications:

• Dimensions: 420 x 540 pixels
• File size: 240 kB–4 MB
• File format: JPG or JPEG

And regardless of the picture type you submit, all photos must also abide by the following rules related to pose, facial expression, and attire.

The fine details: citizenship photo specifications

Identity photographs, including Canadian citizenship photos, follow the same characteristics that help biometric technology recognise the person in the picture. See what to pay attention to while preparing for your citizenship photo.

• Expression: Keep a neutral facial expression. Avoid smiling or frowning
• Pose: Keep your head straight and centred and your shoulders relaxed. You should be looking directly at the camera with your mouth closed
• Hair: You can keep your hair however you want, but ensure it doesn’t cover your face
• Head coverings: Generally they’re unacceptable unless worn for medical or religious reasons
• Glasses: You can wear eyeglasses as long as they don’t cover your eyes, the frames are not too thick, and the glasses are not tinted

💡 Pro tip: If you’re a person in a wheelchair, take your Canadian citizenship photo with a white blanket spread behind you.

Where to take a photo for a citizenship application

You can take your Canadian citizenship photo at popular brick-and-mortar chains nationwide, such as Walmart or Shoppers Drug Mart. 

Even though these retailers offer photo-taking services at most of their locations, you may want to explore other options for compliant biometric photos—all done without leaving your home.

Currently, there are plenty of online services that let you get your ID photos from home. However, not all of them guarantee a 100% compliance with the official requirements, fully automated functions, or the biometric photography expert support. Why not skip the searching and choose the most reliable option available?