CANADA TEMPORARY RESIDENT VISA PHOTO

Canada visitor visa photo: check the 35 × 45 mm frame

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For a Canada temporary resident visa paper application, each photo frame must be at least 35 × 45 mm, with a head height from chin to crown between 31 and 36 mm. The paper-photo step can be waived when IRCC requires your biometrics, including a photograph.

Paper-photo measurements

The IRCC temporary resident visa photo specification gives these dimensions:

• Frame: at least 35 × 45 mm
• Head height, chin to crown: 31 to 36 mm
• Full front view, face centered, tops of shoulders visible
• Plain white or light-colored background

The photo must be clear and well defined. Keep a neutral expression and closed mouth. Non-tinted prescription glasses are allowed when the eyes remain clear and the frames do not cover them; sunglasses are not accepted. Digital photos must not be altered.

Do you need to include prints?

IRCC’s paper visitor-visa application guide asks for two photos that meet the specification. It says to write your name and date of birth on the back. If you must provide biometric fingerprints and a photo, IRCC says paper photos are not required with that application.

Do not infer a digital upload size from the paper dimensions. Use the upload instructions shown for your application account if you are applying online.

Prepare and verify the print

1. Start with a recent, unaltered portrait against a plain light background.
2. Crop to a 35:45 frame while keeping the full head and top of shoulders visible.
3. Check chin-to-crown height against the 31 to 36 mm range.
4. Print at actual size, with auto-fit and borderless enlargement off.
5. Measure the frame and head height on the physical print.

A correct 35 × 45 mm crop is only one requirement. Blur, glare, shadows or a covered eye can still make the photo unsuitable. The IRCC page says new photos are needed if the submitted prints fail its specifications.

IRCC pages checked September 23, 2026. Follow the document checklist shown for your own application.