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Canada PR card photo requirements

Canada PR card photo: size and rules

As of November 3, 2026, a Canada PR card photo comes from a commercial studio: one 715 x 1000 to 2000 x 2800 px JPEG online, or two 50 x 70 mm prints on paper, under 12 months old (per canada.ca, checked on Nov 3, 2026).

IRCC sends permanent residents to a commercial photographer or photo studio for the PR card picture.

IRCC turns down a PR card photo that has been edited or changed in any way, whatever the method.

Updated Rules checked against canada.caHow we check

Measured drawing: Canada PR card photo50 mm70 mm36 mm31 mmchin
Canada PR card photo. Printed size 50 x 70 mm. Head 31 to 36 mm, measured from the chin to the top of the head.

Canada PR card photo at a glance

Printed size
50 x 70 mmcanada.ca
Head height
31–36 mmcanada.ca
Digital size
715 x 1000 to 2000 x 2800 pxcanada.ca
File size
Up to 4 MBcanada.ca
Background
Plain, untextured whitecanada.ca
Glasses
Allowed; eyes visible, no glarecanada.ca
Taken within
The last 12 monthscanada.ca
Prints needed
2 identical photoscanada.ca

Questions people ask

What digital photo does the PR card application take?

One JPEG from a commercial photographer, uploaded in the Permanent Residence Portal: between 715 x 1000 and 2000 x 2800 pixels and no more than 4 MB. A professional scan of a printed studio photo also works; a phone picture of a print does not.

The studio’s name and address, the date taken and a receipt or similar confirmation go in a separate upload for the back of the photo. Once uploaded, the picture shows in black and white, which IRCC says is not a fault.

Source: canada.ca

What prints does a paper PR card application need?

Two identical prints, 50 by 70 mm, with 31 to 36 mm from chin to crown, made professionally on plain photo paper; heavyweight home prints are refused. One print carries your name, date of birth, the studio’s full address and the date taken, stamped or handwritten, never on a label.

Source: canada.ca

Can a PR card photo be edited or cropped?

No. IRCC treats any change as alteration: color, brightness, contrast or sharpness fixes, cropping around the head and shoulders, pasting onto a white background, removing glare, red-eye or blemishes. Take it against a plain white wall instead, at least 1 to 2 meters back to avoid shadows.

Source: canada.ca

Common reasons a photo is turned down

  1. A phone or camera snapshot of a paper photo is not accepted for the PR card; a professional scan is. canada.ca

Every rule, with its source

Size and head position

  • A printed PR card photo, for paper applications, is 50 mm wide and 70 mm high. canada.ca
  • On the PR card print, chin to crown (hair not counted) spans 31 to 36 mm. canada.ca

Background

  • Permanent resident photos use a plain, untextured white background. canada.ca
  • White clothes and white religious head coverings are discouraged in a PR card photo, since they can merge with the background and create shadows. canada.ca

Glasses, head coverings and clothing

  • Glasses can stay on for the PR card photo when the eyes show clearly through them and the lenses carry no glare. canada.ca
  • A head covering worn every day for religious or medical reasons is allowed in the PR card photo if the face, ears and shoulders stay visible and nothing casts a shadow. canada.ca

How recent

  • IRCC accepts a PR card photo taken up to 12 months before the application. canada.ca

Editing and filters

  • IRCC turns down a PR card photo that has been edited or changed in any way, whatever the method. canada.ca

Digital file

  • The digital PR card photo measures from 715 x 1000 up to 2000 x 2800 pixels. canada.ca
  • An uploaded PR card photo can weigh 4 MB at most. canada.ca
  • The Permanent Residence Portal expects the photo as a .jpeg or .jpg file. canada.ca

Printed photo

  • Paper applications for a PR card include 2 identical photos. canada.ca
  • IRCC refuses PR card photos printed at home on heavyweight paper. canada.ca
  • The studio details on the back of a PR card print may be stamped or handwritten by the photographer, but not added with a sticker. canada.ca

Babies and children

  • A newborn’s PR card photo may be taken in a car seat, with a white blanket draped behind the baby’s head. canada.ca

Where photos come from

  • IRCC sends permanent residents to a commercial photographer or photo studio for the PR card picture. canada.ca
  • A first PR card arrives without an application when the new permanent resident gives IRCC a Canadian mailing address and a photo within 180 days. canada.ca
  • Applying online for the card means uploading a single digital photo in the Permanent Residence Portal. canada.ca

Who reviews the photo

  • A warning from the portal’s photo checker does not block the PR card application: an IRCC officer reviews the photo and asks for another if needed. canada.ca

FAQ

How old can my PR card photo be?

Up to 12 months. IRCC wants it taken no more than 12 months before you apply and showing how you look now. Source: official page "Permanent resident photos", checked on Nov 3, 2026.

Do I need to apply for my first PR card with a photo?

Usually not. IRCC mails the first card automatically if you give it your Canadian mailing address and a photo within 180 days of becoming a permanent resident. Source: official page "Get a permanent resident card: Get, renew or replace a permanent resident card", checked on Nov 3, 2026.

Is SelfieToPassport Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada?

No. SelfieToPassport is not affiliated with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada or any other government agency. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada publishes the photo rules for free at canada.ca; this page links to each one.

Can SelfieToPassport make a Canada PR card photo?

IRCC wants permanent resident photos taken by a commercial photographer or studio, with the studio’s details on the back, and it refuses edited photos, cropping around the head and shoulders included. SelfieToPassport does not make this photo. Use this page to check the one you get.

Where this information comes from

Every rule on this page comes from a page published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, read on the date shown. We rewrite each rule in plain words and link to the page it came from. Each rule has a review deadline; one that passes it without a new check comes off the page.

Something here out of date? Tell us and we will check it against the official page.