Canada Visa Photo Requirements

Last updated: July 21, 2026

This spec applies to Canada's Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) photo requirement. Its head-ratio range is close to, but not identical to, the Schengen visa's 71–80% band.

Photo Size

Requirement
Physical (print)35 × 45 mm
Digital (upload)413 × 531 px

IRCC's own photo specification covers the 35×45 mm print size and head-ratio only — it does not publish a separate digital pixel spec. 413×531 px is our own conversion of the print size at 300 DPI, not an IRCC-published number. Treat it as a safe derived equivalent, not an official figure.

Head Size

Chin to crown must be about 69–80% of the photo's height — 31–36 mm on a 45 mm-tall print, per IRCC's own photo specification. This is a slightly wider range than the Schengen visa's 71–80%, so don't assume the two are interchangeable at the low end.

Background Color

Canada requires a plain white or light-coloured background, per IRCC's own photo specification.

Why do print and digital sizes look different? They're the same physical spec expressed in two units — see our Physical vs. Digital Photo Size guide for how the conversion works.

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Always verify current requirements against your destination country's official government or embassy website before submitting, as specifications can change.