Canada Passport Online Renewal Photo: Size and Rules

Only people renewing online. If you apply in person or by mail, you need two printed photos instead, 50 mm wide by 70 mm high with a face of 31 to 36 mm from chin to crown. Canada.ca suggests asking the photographer for both a digital copy and a printed copy, so you can switch to a paper application if renewing online is not an option.

From the Passport photo requirements page on canada.ca, online renewals section (read on 27 October 2026):

• The photo must be in .jpeg or .jpg format.
• It must have a 3:2 aspect ratio with the camera in portrait mode.
• It must be at least 1,800 pixels high by 1,200 pixels wide, and no larger than 4,500 pixels high by 3,000 pixels wide.
• It must be between 200 KB and 5 MB.
• The chin to crown (top of head) measurement must be 45% to 50% of the photo height.
• The file must be saved directly from the original file captured by the camera. Scanned copies of printed photos are not accepted.
• It may be in colour or in black and white, and must be taken no more than 6 months before you apply.

Canada rejects any application whose photo has been altered by any means, including photo editing software, filters and AI tools. The page counts all of these as altering: changing colour, brightness, contrast or sharpness; cropping around the head and shoulders or pasting you onto a white background; editing your features; removing glare, red eye, scars or birthmarks; changing your hair or clothing colour; and changing the background or removing shadows.

So this is one form where you should not use a crop or compress tool on the photo. If the file is the wrong size, ask the photographer for a new export from the original camera file.

• Your face and shoulders centred and squared to the camera.
• A neutral expression, eyes open and clearly visible, mouth closed, not smiling or frowning.
• Uniform lighting with no shadows, glare or flash reflections, sharp focus and natural skin tones.
• A plain white or light coloured background with a clear difference from your face. Avoid light coloured clothing.
• Glasses only if your eyes are clearly visible with no glare; no sunglasses or tinted lenses, even prescription ones.
• Hats and head coverings only if worn daily for religious beliefs or medical reasons, with your full face visible.

1. 1

   Give the photographer the specifications

   Share the list above when you book, and say it is for an online renewal. Many studios have a passport preset, but the digital rules differ from the printed ones.

2. 2

   Read the pixel size

   Open the file in Resize Image. It shows the original width and height as soon as the photo loads. Close the tab without downloading, so your file stays untouched. The width must be 1,200 to 3,000 and the height 1,800 to 4,500, in a 2 to 3 shape (for example 1200 x 1800 or 2000 x 3000).

3. 3

   Check the file size

   Look at the file properties on your computer or phone. It must be between 200 KB and 5 MB. A file sent through a messaging app may have been shrunk; ask for the original instead.

4. 4

   Note the studio details

   When you upload the photo you must give the studio or photographer name and address and the date the photo was taken, so keep the receipt or email.

Immigration applications have different rules from passports. For IRCC portal uploads such as the PR card, see the Canada IRCC upload guide, and for other countries the photo and signature size chart.