Canada Visa Photo Maker
Canadian temporary-resident photos — visitor, study and work — are 35×45mm on a plain white or light background, following IRCC's requirements. This maker sizes the head, sets the background and checks compliance, all in your browser. Permanent residence, Express Entry and the printed passport booklet are separate processes with their own instructions; the sections below say what each one does differently rather than assuming one photo covers them all.
Set up for: Visitor visa, Study permit, Work permit. These figures come from a published guide rather than the issuing authority — confirm them on your application before you submit.
Drop a photo, or click to browse
A clear, front-facing photo works best
JPG · PNG · HEIC · processed on your device, never uploaded
Before you upload — Canada photo preparation checklist
- A plain, evenly lit background to start (we apply the selected colour)
- Face the camera straight on, both ears roughly visible
- Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open
- A recent photo, taken within the last 6 months
- Shadows on your face or the wall behind you
- Glare or tint on glasses
- Hair across the eyes, hats or caps
- Filters, beauty smoothing, or a cropped group photo
Get the head size right
For Canada, your face should fill the required band of the photo — the maker does this automatically, but here's what it should look like.
Correct head size
Too small / far away
Too close / cropped
Canada visa photo specification
- Print size
- 50 × 70 mm
- Visa/permit print size
- 35 × 45 mm
- Head height
- 31–36 mm (chin to crown)
- Background
- #FFFFFF
- Digital size
- —
- File size
- varies by portal
- Min DPI
- 300
- Glasses
- allowed if no glare and eyes clearly visible
- Expression
- neutral only
Good to know
This covers Canada's 35×45mm temporary-resident photo — visitor visas, study permits and work permits. Permanent residence and Express Entry are a separate process with their own pixel-based upload requirements, and the printed passport booklet is different again: 50×70mm, needing a commercial photographer's certification and a guarantor signature that a self-serve tool cannot provide. Check what your own application asks for rather than assuming the visitor figure carries across.
Source needs reviewcanada.ca
Report outdated informationThe printed passport booklet is the exception
Everything on this page is the 35×45mm temporary-resident photo — visitor, study and work. Two things it is not. The printed photo for a new Canadian passport booklet is 50×70mm and canada.ca requires a commercial photographer to certify it and write the studio details on the back; no browser tool can produce that certification, so for the booklet you need a photographer and this maker will not pretend otherwise. Permanent residence and Express Entry are their own processes with their own instructions — check what your application asks for rather than assuming the visitor figure carries over.
Canada visa photo specification
IRCC asks for a 35×45mm photo with the face (chin to crown) measuring 31–36mm, on a plain white or light-coloured background with even lighting and no shadows. You'll need a neutral expression with the mouth closed, and the photo has to be recent.
Digital upload vs. printed photo
Some applications take a printed 35×45mm photo, while online IRCC portals accept a digital file with their own size limits. The maker produces both a print-ready file and an image you can compress to the portal's file-size cap with the resize tool.
Same photo for study and work permits
The 35×45mm white-background photo works across Canadian visitor visas, study permits and work permits. Always verify the latest photo and file requirements on the IRCC website, since digital caps can differ by stream.
Meeting the Canada upload file-size limit
If your portal needs a smaller file, compress the finished photo to an exact size. Your image stays in your browser.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a Canada visa photo?
35×45mm with the head 31–36mm from chin to crown, on a plain white or light background.
Does a Canada visa photo need a white background?
A plain white or light-coloured, evenly lit background with no shadows. The tool applies the selected recorded background automatically; inspect the result before upload.
Can I use the same photo for a study or work permit?
Yes. Canadian visitor visas, study permits and work permits all use the same 35×45mm photo specification.
How do I meet the IRCC online file-size limit?
Make the 35×45mm photo here, then use the resize-to-KB tool to compress it to the limit shown on your IRCC application.
What size is a visa photo for Canada?
A visa photo for Canada is 35×45mm. EasyPhoto sets this size automatically.
What background colour does a visa photo for Canada need?
Plain white or light-coloured, uniform, no shadows. The tool applies the recorded default; compare it with the linked current instructions before submitting.
What is the head size in a visa photo for Canada?
Your head should measure 31–36mm from chin to crown. We size it to that band and flag it if it's off.
Can I wear glasses or smile in a visa photo for Canada?
Glasses: allowed if no glare and eyes clearly visible. Expression: neutral only.
Is the Canada visa photo maker free and private?
Yes. It's free, with no watermark, and processed entirely in your browser. Your photo is never uploaded.