Canada Visa Photo — IRCC-Compliant Online Generator
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) publishes one of the stricter photo specifications among major destinations: a 50 × 70 mm portrait-oriented photo with the head occupying exactly 31 to 36 mm from chin to crown. SnapPhoto measures head height with face-landmark detection, crops to IRCC spec, and checks for the common rejection causes — tilt, open mouth, shadows, and oversized head — in one pass.
Canada Visa Photo requirements
- Dimensions
- 50 × 70 mm (2 × 2¾ in), portrait
- Head height
- 31–36 mm, chin to crown
- Background
- Plain white or light-colored, uniform lighting
- Eyeglasses
- Allowed if no reflections or tinted lenses
- Expression
- Neutral, mouth closed
- Recency
- Taken within the last 6 months
- Paper applications
- Back of photo must show studio name, address, and date taken
Common rejection reasons
- Head height outside the tight 31–36 mm range — the single most common IRCC rejection reason.
- Tinted or reflective eyewear — remove glasses if you are unsure.
- Light but non-uniform background (visible shadow on one side).
- Smiling or open mouth.
- Using an old photo — IRCC requires it to have been taken in the last six months.
How to make your Canada visa photo online
- 1
Pick your destination
Select the country you are applying to — the tool auto-loads that embassy’s photo specification.
- 2
Upload a recent photo
Upload any clear, recent photo of yourself from your phone or laptop. HEIC files from iPhone are converted automatically.
- 3
Let the biometric check run
Face alignment, eye openness, head tilt, expression, and shoulder level are validated against ICAO rules. You see errors before you pay.
- 4
Background is normalized and the photo is framed
The background is replaced with the country’s required color and the image is auto-cropped to the exact required size and head position.
- 5
Download your compliant photo
Download a single digital photo sized to embassy spec, or a 4×6″ print sheet with cutting guides for any photo kiosk or printer.
Canada Visa Photo — FAQ
IRCC allows glasses if there are no reflections on the lenses and the lenses are not tinted. Because reflections are the top rejection cause for photos with glasses, we recommend removing them when possible.
That requirement applies only to printed photos submitted with paper applications. For online applications (IRCC portal, PR submissions) the digital file from SnapPhoto is accepted as-is.
Yes. The SnapPhoto output meets the IRCC digital upload requirements for eTA applications, PR renewals, and other IRCC online portals.
IRCC allows some flexibility for infants and children under five, but eyes should still be open when possible and no other person should be visible in the frame. The tool validates adult biometric rules; parents should double-check infant photos manually.
A single digital photo is $3.99 and a 4×6″ print sheet (multiple photos per sheet, ready for home or kiosk printing) is $4.99. You only pay after the biometric validation passes.
Every photo is validated against the destination country’s official ICAO biometric specification — head size, eye openness, expression, shoulder level, and background — before you pay. If it fails validation we tell you exactly why and you can retry for free.