Canada PR card photo requirements
Permanent resident card photos must come from a commercial photographer, so this page explains what to ask the studio for and checks its digital file or print against the IRCC rules before you apply.
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Canada PR card photo requirements
| Print size | 50 x 70 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height (chin to top of head) | 31–36 mm |
| Background | Plain, untextured and white, with a clear difference between your face and the background; stand 1 to 2 meters in front of it |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open |
| Glasses | Allowed if there is no glare and your eyes are fully visible |
| Head covering | Only for religious or medical reasons |
| How recent | Taken no more than 12 months before you apply |
| Who takes the photo | A commercial photographer or photo studio, unaltered; photos taken or printed at home are not accepted |
| Digital photo | Online (Permanent Residence Portal): JPEG file from the photographer, 715 x 1000 to 2000 x 2800 px, 4 MB or less |
- Taken by a commercial photographer or studio; no selfies, no photos printed at home or on heavyweight paper, and no photo of a paper photo
- Original and unaltered: no changes to color, brightness, contrast or sharpness, no cropping around the head and shoulders (including pasting onto a white background), no background changes or shadow removal, no glare or red-eye removal
- Online: 1 digital photo; keep proof from the studio (for example a receipt) with the name and date of birth of the person, the date taken and the studio's name and complete address
- Paper: 2 identical photos, professionally printed on plain, high-quality photo paper; the back of one shows your name and date of birth, the studio's name and complete address and the date taken, stamped or handwritten (no stick-on labels); no guarantor signature
- Color or black and white; avoid white clothing, which can blend into the background
Official source: Government of Canada (IRCC) — Permanent resident photos
Why a PR card photo must come from a studio
IRCC asks every permanent resident card applicant to go to a commercial photographer or studio. That applies to the digital photo for the Permanent Residence Portal and to the printed photos for a paper application. The photo must also be unaltered: no cropping around the head and shoulders, no pasting onto a white background, no brightness or color fixes and no shadow removal.
What an at-home photo can and cannot do for a PR card:
- It cannot be submitted. A selfie, a phone photo taken by a friend, a home print or a photo of a paper photo is refused, even with perfect measurements.
- It can help you prepare: see how your glasses, hair and clothes look against a white wall.
- The checker above can check the studio’s photo as it is, without changing it, so you can ask for a retake before you submit.
Online or paper: which photo do you need?
- Online (Permanent Residence Portal): 1 digital photo, a JPEG of 715 x 1000 to 2000 x 2800 pixels and 4 MB or less, in color or black and white. Keep the studio’s confirmation, such as a receipt, showing the name and date of birth of the person in the photo, the date it was taken and the studio’s name and complete address.
- Paper application: 2 identical photos, 50 x 70 mm, professionally printed on plain, high-quality photo paper. The back of one shows your name and date of birth, the studio’s name and complete address and the date taken, stamped or handwritten, never on a stick-on label. You do not need a guarantor or a signature.
The photo can be up to 12 months old, but it must look like you do now.
How to get a PR card photo right
- Tell the studio it is for a Canadian PR card and whether you need the digital file for the portal, the prints for a paper form, or both.
- Wear clothes that are not white, so you do not blend into the white background.
- Keep your hair off your face so the edges of your face show, and leave hair accessories off for children.
- Wear glasses only without glare, with your eyes clearly visible behind them.
- Keep a neutral expression, mouth closed and eyes open, looking straight at the camera, with your face and shoulders centered and square.
- Stand 1 to 2 meters in front of the background so there are no shadows behind you.
- Check the file before you upload it: open the checker above and choose the studio’s file.
What the checker measures for a PR card
For the portal file it checks the pixel size against 715 x 1000 to 2000 x 2800 pixels, the 4 MB limit, the JPEG format and the 50 x 70 mm shape. On every photo it measures your head from chin to crown against 31–36 mm of 70 mm, and checks that one face is centered and straight, that your eyes are open and mouth closed, that the background is plain and white, and that the photo is sharp, evenly lit and well exposed. It never changes the photo: if a check fails, the fix is a retake at the studio.
Common reasons PR card photos are refused
- Too dark, or shadows on the face, around the ears or behind you.
- Background not white, textured, or too close to your clothing color.
- Glare on glasses or skin from the flash.
- Facial features hidden by hair, a head covering or tinted glasses.
- Wrong file: outside 715 x 1000 to 2000 x 2800 pixels or over 4 MB.
- Altered photos: cropped, pasted on white, brightened or retouched.
- Selfies, home prints or a photo of a paper photo.
- Missing back-of-photo details, or details on a stick-on label.
Where to get it and what it costs
Look for a photo studio or pharmacy that takes Canadian immigration photos and can give you the digital file for the portal. Prices vary by store; our Canadian passport photo price comparison lists the published prices for Canadian passport photos, the closest guide to what a PR card photo costs.
Photos of babies and children
A child’s photo shows the head and shoulders only, with no hands of the parent or the child and no hair accessories. A newborn may sit in a car seat with a white blanket over the seat behind the head, and there must be no shadows on the face, shoulders, around the ears or in the background. Newborns may have a range of facial expressions.
Medical devices and wheelchairs
If you use a wheelchair, a plain white blanket over the wheelchair behind your head keeps the edges of your face visible. If you wear medical headwear or a nasal cannula, your eyes must stay clearly visible; IRCC recommends including a signed explanation and may ask for a letter from your doctor.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a PR card photo?
A printed PR card photo is 50 mm wide and 70 mm high (2 x 2¾ inches), with the head measuring 31 to 36 mm from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head, not counting hair. A digital photo for the Permanent Residence Portal must be a JPEG of 715 x 1000 to 2000 x 2800 pixels and 4 MB or less.
Can I take my own PR card photo with my phone?
No. IRCC asks you to go to a commercial photographer or studio. Selfies are not accepted, photos printed at home or on heavyweight paper are not accepted, and neither is a photo of a paper photo taken with a phone or camera. You can use this site to check the studio's photo before you submit it.
How recent must a PR card photo be?
It must show how you look now and be taken no more than 12 months before you apply. That is longer than the 6 months allowed for a Canadian passport or citizenship photo, but a new photo is still safest if your appearance has changed.
What goes on the back of a PR card photo?
For a paper application, the back of one of the 2 photos shows your name and date of birth, the name and complete address of the studio, and the date the photo was taken. The studio can stamp it or write it by hand, but stick-on labels are not accepted. No guarantor signature is needed.
What background does a PR card photo need?
A plain, untextured white background with a clear difference between your face and the background. Standing 1 to 2 meters in front of it helps avoid shadows. White clothing is best avoided, as it can blend into the background.
Why did the portal warn me about my photo?
The portal flags photos that are too dark, have a background that is not white, hide facial features, show too much glare, or are outside 715 x 1000 to 2000 x 2800 pixels or above 4 MB. You can still submit, and an officer reviews the photo and asks for a new one if needed.
Can the studio fix shadows or remove red eye?
No. IRCC refuses altered photos, including color, brightness, contrast or sharpness changes, cropping around the head and shoulders, pasting you on a white background, removing shadows from the background, and removing glare or red eye. Ask for a retake instead.
Sources
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