Photos

Quantity

TWO identical photos are required for each travel document.

Date of photo

Your photo must have been taken within the past 12 months.

Specifications for photos for Canadian travel documents

Important: The photo specifications for travel documents are different from those for Permanent Resident Cards.

Front

Back

Image information

• Eyes must be open and clearly visible.
• Glasses, including tinted prescription glasses, may be worn as long as the eyes are clearly visible. Sunglasses are unacceptable.
• Facial expression must be neutral (not frowning nor smiling) with the mouth closed.
• Photos must show both edges of the face clearly.
• Photos must show a full front view of face and shoulders squared to the camera.
• The face and shoulders image must be centred in the photo.
• Photos must reflect/represent natural skin tones.
• The length from chin to crown of head (natural top of head) must be 31 mm to 36 mm.
• The image must be clear, sharp and in focus.
• Photos with shadows on the face or background are unacceptable.
• Photos must be taken with uniform lighting and not show shadows or flash reflection on the face and head.
• Photos must be taken against a plain, uniform, white or light-coloured background.
• Hats or head coverings are not permitted except when worn for religious reasons and only if the full facial features are clearly visible.
• Black and white or colour photos are acceptable.
• Only the head and shoulders of young children may appear in the photo (e.g. no hands holding the child).

Quantity

• The applicant must provide two identical unaltered photos produced from the same film or from the same electronic file capturing the digital image.

Size and paper

• Photos must be no more than 2 inches wide X 2 3/4 inches long (50 mm X 70 mm) in size.
• Heavy weight paper is unacceptable.
• Photos must be printed on high quality photographic paper.
• Photographic paper must have a backing that accepts and retains the photographer's stamp and date, and the guarantor's statement and signature, without smearing.

Photographer

• Photos must be taken by a commercial photographer.
• The name of the photographer or studio, the address and the date the photo was taken (not the date the photo was printed) must be provided directly on the back of one photo (see illustration). Stick-on labels are unacceptable. Sufficient space must be allowed for the name of the applicant, the signature of a guarantor and the guarantor's declaration.
• Photos must be originals, not taken from an existing photo.

Guarantor

• One photo must be signed by a guarantor as a true likeness of the applicant.
• Notarial seals must not be imprinted on photos.