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Canada · visa

Canada visa photo, checked against the IRCC specification

For Canadian visitor visas, work permits and study permits, IRCC accepts a digital photo of at least 420×540 pixels, ideally around 240 KB and no smaller than 60 KB, or two 35×45 mm prints for paper applications. The head must measure 31–36 mm from chin to crown, against a plain white or light-coloured background.

Check my photo for free
Size
35×45 mm
Digital file
420×540 px JPEG
Background
white
Head height
—
Price
€5.99 · once

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Popular: · ·

  • Head size62.4% · 50–69%
  • Eye line61.2% · 56–69%
  • Backgroundwhite · σ 6
  • Lightingeven
  • Resolution1832px

MEETS SPEC · ESTIMATED

Checked against the official specification, with the source cited on every document.

Worth knowing: This spec is for temporary residence (visitor/work/study). The Canadian passport photo is a different 50×70 mm format requiring a photographer's stamp, and citizenship applications use their own 50×70 mm / 420×540 px spec, so check the matching page for those.

How our Canada Visitor Visa (TRV) photo tool works

Add a photo you already have and we measure it against the official Canada Visitor Visa (TRV) specification (35×45 mm, 420×540 px, white background), then produce the exact files you need. Checking is free; you pay €5.99 only if you want the files.

  1. Add your photo

    A selfie or any recent photo of yourself, straight from your phone.

  2. See every measurement

    Ten checks run against the official spec and show you the numbers.

  3. Fix what's off

    Drag to reposition and zoom to resize, or retake the photo if something can't be fixed.

  4. Download your files

    Exact digital file, print-ready sheet and compliance report.

What is a Canada Visitor Visa (TRV) photo?

A Canada visa photo, used for visitor visas, work permits and study permits, is either two identical 35×45 mm prints or a digital image of at least 420×540 pixels, ideally around 240 KB, on a plain white or light-coloured background. The head measures 31–36 mm from chin to crown, and both colour and black-and-white are accepted.

IRCC bans any alteration of the photo, including cropping adjustments and red-eye removal. Unlike the Canadian passport photo, no commercial photographer or stamp is required, so a compliant self-made photo is genuinely usable. The temporary-residence spec differs from both the passport (50×70 mm, photographer required) and citizenship (50×70 mm, separate digital route) formats.

IRCC explicitly bans any alteration of the photo, including cropping adjustments after capture and red-eye removal. This tool measures your photo against the head band and framing rules without editing a single pixel, then delivers the digital file at the right size.

Canada Visitor Visa (TRV) photo requirements

Size35×45 mm · 420×540 px @300 DPI
Digital file420×540px JPEG · max 240 KB
Backgroundwhite
Digital uploadaccepted
Background editingpermitted (uniform backgrounds only)
  • Digital upload 420×540 px, 60–240 KB.

Source: official requirements · verified 2026-07

Canada Visitor Visa (TRV) photos that pass the checks

  • Woman with grey hair and thin silver glasses against a plain pale background
    Thin frames, no glare, eyes fully visible
  • Young man in a plain grey t-shirt against a plain pale background
    Even light, plain background, neutral expression
  • Baby photographed from above on a plain sheet, eyes open
    Infant alone in frame, eyes open, plain sheet
  • Man wearing a kippah, full face visible, against a plain pale background
    Religious head covering with the full face visible
  • Woman with braided hair worn back, against a plain pale background
    Hair back, forehead and both ears clear

Canada Visitor Visa (TRV) photos that don't pass

  • Woman with her head tilted and a hard shadow falling across the wall behind her
    Head tilted, hard shadow on the background
  • Man photographed from too far away, head small in the frame
    Taken too far away, head too small in the frame
  • Baby with an adult's hand supporting the head, visible in the frame
    Someone else's hand in the frame
  • Woman photographed in a living room with patterned wallpaper and a framed picture behind her
    Patterned wall and furniture behind

Illustrative examples created for this guide. They are not customer photos, and not decisions by any authority.

What you get for €5.99

  • High-resolution file in the exact spec (420×540px, under 240 KB)
  • Printable compliance report with everything we measured
  • Print-ready 10×15 cm sheet with 4 copies and cut lines
  • Background cleanup to plain white
A 10x15 cm print sheet of four identical photos with cut lines, next to a pair of scissors
Your print sheet: 4 copies with cut lines, ready for any photo kiosk

one-time payment, no subscription

Photos that pass

  • Exact dimensions: 420×540px
  • Plain white background, evenly lit
  • Taken in the last 6 months, neutral expression

Photos that get rejected

  • Edited, filtered or AI-retouched photos
  • Shadows on the face or background
  • Busy walls, gradients or the wrong background colour
  • Head too large, too small, or off-centre
  • Glare on glasses or tinted lenses
  • Old photos, or photos of printed photos

Why use PassportClerk for your Canada Visitor Visa (TRV) photo

Convenience
Make it at home from a photo you already have, without booking a studio or queueing for a booth. You get a file sized for the official upload and a print sheet for the times you need paper.
Built from the official specification
Every measurement on this page comes from the official Canada Visitor Visa (TRV) requirements, and the source is linked, dated and re-checked.
Works from any phone
Nothing to install. A recent phone camera and a plain wall are enough.
You see the numbers
Head height, eye line, background and resolution are all measured and shown to you before you pay.
Private, then deleted
We only receive your photo if you buy, and everything is deleted within 48 hours.

If the files we produce don't match the specification on this page, we'll fix them or refund you. The decision on any application always rests with the issuing authority.

Frequently asked questions

What size is a Canada visa photo?

Digital: minimum 420×540 px (35×45 mm proportions), ideally about 240 KB and at least 60 KB, JPEG. Paper: two identical 35×45 mm prints with your head measuring 31–36 mm chin to crown. Both black-and-white and colour are accepted.

Why is IRCC's file size target so small?

IRCC's systems want efficient files: the guidance asks for around 240 KB, far below what modern phones produce. We compress to the target with a quality search so the file lands in the window without visible artifacts.

Can I wear glasses?

Non-tinted prescription glasses are fine if there's no glare and the frames don't cover your eyes. Sunglasses are banned. Religious head coverings are allowed if your full face is visible.

Is this the same as the Canadian passport photo?

No. The passport uses a larger 50×70 mm print that must be taken by a commercial photographer with a stamp on the back. The visa/permit photo has no photographer requirement, which is why a compliant self-made photo works.

How we handle compliance

  • We check your photo against the official rules. We never retouch your face, and we only normalize the background where the destination country permits it.
  • Every requirement is cited from official government sources, with the verification date shown on the page.
  • What you get is a report of measurements, not a guarantee. Final acceptance always rests with the issuing authority.

official requirements · verified 2026-07

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