Canada Passport Digital Photo Requirements
If you renew a Canadian passport online, you upload a digital photo file — and its rules are different from the printed ones. Where the paper photo is measured in millimetres, the digital photo is measured in pixels, file size and a chin-to-crown proportion, and it must not be a scan of a printed photo. Verified against the Government of Canada passport photo guidance, September 2026.
Digital or paper? Two different sets of rules
Canada states plainly that the specifications for a digital photo differ from those for a physical photo. A digital photo is what you need to renew online; a printed photo is what a paper application uses. Because the two get mixed up constantly, the table below puts them side by side. (The printed format is covered in more detail on the Canada passport photo page.)
| Digital (online renewal) | Printed copy | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | .jpeg or .jpg, saved directly from the camera's original file | 50 mm × 70 mm print, 2 identical copies |
| Size | 3:2 aspect ratio, portrait; 1800–4500 px high, 1200–3000 px wide | Face 31–36 mm chin to crown |
| File size | 200 KB – 5 MB | — |
| Head proportion | Chin to crown = 45–50% of the photo height | Face 31–36 mm |
| Scans | Scanned copies of a printed photo are not accepted | Do not print at home or on heavy-weight paper |
The three digital thresholds
A Canadian digital passport photo has to satisfy all of these at once:
- Pixels: at least 1800 px high by 1200 px wide, and no larger than 4500 px high by 3000 px wide, in a 3:2 portrait frame.
- File size: between 200 KB and 5 MB — both a floor and a ceiling.
- Proportion: the chin-to-crown measurement must be 45–50% of the photo's height.
It must not be a scan, and it must come from a photographer
Two rules catch people out. First, the file must be saved directly from the original file captured by the camera, and scanned copies of a printed photo are not accepted — so photographing or scanning your old print will not work. Second, you must supply the studio or photographer's name, their address, and the date the photo was taken when you upload. If you resize or compress the file, keep the camera-original dimensions and quality inside the allowed range — the image compressor re-encodes locally for the size window, and the image resizer handles the 3:2 portrait dimensions.
What the photo must show — and must not
- Accepted: glasses if your eyes are clearly visible and there is no glare on the lenses; hats and head coverings worn daily for religious beliefs or medical reasons, provided your full face is clearly visible with no shadows on it.
- Not accepted: sunglasses or tinted glasses, even when the eyes are visible; a red-eye effect or red-eye alterations; hats and head coverings not worn daily for religious or medical reasons.
- Expression: eyes open and clearly visible, looking straight at the camera, mouth closed, not smiling or frowning.
- Background: plain white or light-coloured, with a clear difference between your face and the background.
- Recency: taken no more than 6 months before you submit.
One more rule that is easy to break by accident: an altered photo is any photo edited or changed in any way, by any means. That rules out editing the file yourself — including swapping the background — so a clean, straight-from-camera image is the safe route. See the rejection reasons guide for the general failure patterns.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a Canadian digital passport photo?
A .jpeg or .jpg in a 3:2 portrait frame, at least 1800 px high by 1200 px wide and no larger than 4500 px high by 3000 px wide, between 200 KB and 5 MB.
How much of the photo should my head fill?
The chin-to-crown measurement must be 45–50% of the photo's height.
Can I scan my printed passport photo and upload that?
No. The file must be saved directly from the original file captured by the camera, and scanned copies of a printed photo are not accepted.
Do I need to give the photographer's details?
Yes. When you upload you must provide the studio or photographer's name, their address, and the date the photo was taken.
Can I wear glasses or a head covering in the digital photo?
Glasses are accepted if your eyes are clearly visible with no glare on the lenses. Hats and head coverings worn daily for religious beliefs or medical reasons are accepted if your full face is clearly visible with no shadows on it. Sunglasses and tinted glasses are not accepted.
Is the digital photo the same as the printed one?
No. Canada states the specifications for a digital photo are different from a physical one. The digital photo is for online renewal; the printed 50 × 70 mm version is for paper applications.
Both Canadian sources we verified were reachable only as archived snapshots, so confirm the current wording on canada.ca before you submit. Check dimensions against the full size chart, confirm the file with the passport photo checker, and see the printed counterpart on the Canada passport photo page.