A Canadian passport photo is 50 x 70 mm, taller and narrower in proportion than the 35 x 45 mm rectangle used across Europe, and not a size most photo booths abroad produce by default. The head must measure 31 to 36 mm from chin to crown. Confirm the current specification with the Government of Canada before printing.
Canada uses a photo size almost nobody else does, which is the single most useful thing to know before you visit a print shop.
| Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| Photo size | 50 x 70 mm |
| Head height | 31-36 mm (chin to crown) |
| Background | Plain white or light-coloured |
| Minimum resolution | 300 DPI for a printed photo |
At 50 x 70 mm, a Canadian passport photo is both wider and taller than the 35 x 45 mm rectangle used across Europe and most of Asia. A photo shop outside Canada will often print the European size by default unless you say otherwise.
The proportions differ too, so this is not a matter of trimming a European photo down. The head occupies a smaller share of the frame — 31 to 36 mm within a 70 mm height — which means more space above the head than most other formats want.
This tool helps you crop and prepare a photo. It does not guarantee acceptance by any government, embassy, consulate, airline or application service, and it cannot check the things that get photos rejected in practice — lighting, expression, glare on glasses, or whether the image has been retouched.
Photo rules change, and they can differ by document type, application method and applicant age. Check the Government of Canada before you submit: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports/photos.html
Last reviewed: August 2026. Requirements can change after that date — the official page above is the authority, not this one.
50 x 70 mm. It is one of the few countries using this format, so a print shop outside Canada may default to 35 x 45 mm unless you specify otherwise.
Between 31 and 36 mm from chin to crown. Relative to the 70 mm height that is a smaller proportion of the frame than the European standard, so a crop that looks right for a Schengen photo will usually be too tight here.
Not without re-cropping. The formats differ in both shape and head proportion, 50 x 70 mm against a 2 x 2 inch square, so one print cannot satisfy both.
A plain white or light-coloured background with a clear outline of the head and no shadows.
Printed and digital routes can have different requirements, and they change. Check the current guidance for the application type you are using rather than assuming the printed specification applies.