Why CropPass can't make this photo
CropPass works on a photo you took yourself, inside your browser. Canada accepts passport photos only when a commercial photographer or photo studio takes them in person, prints them, and leaves them unedited; for an online renewal you upload the photographer's own digital file and enter the studio's name and address. A photo made with CropPass can't meet that rule, so CropPass does not offer this document.
What to do instead
- Go to a commercial photographer or photo studio. Photo studios, pharmacies and photo shops that take Canadian passport photos know the 50×70 mm format. Ask for 2 identical prints, with the date and the studio's name and complete address written or stamped on the back.
- Renewing online? Ask for the digital file as well. Online renewal takes the digital photo straight from the photographer, not a scan of a print. canada.ca suggests asking for both, so you can still apply by mail or in person if online renewal turns out not to be an option for you.
- Applying for an IEC work permit? International Experience Canada work permit applications ask for a digital photo of yourself and name no photographer, so CropPass can make that one. Canada IEC work permit photo →
- Permanent residence or citizenship? IRCC also asks for photos from a commercial photographer or studio for permanent residence, PR cards and citizenship, so CropPass does not make those either.
What the photo must look like
The photographer or the office takes care of this, but these are the rules it follows:
| Size | 50×70 mm |
|---|---|
| Format | Printed or digital, taken in person by a commercial photographer or photo studio |
| Head height | 44–51% of the photo height (31–36 mm), chin to crown |
| Background | Plain white or light-coloured |
| Digital editing | Not allowed |
Last verified 14 October 2026 against the source: canada.ca ↗
Questions and answers
Can I take my own Canadian passport photo?
No. canada.ca says passport photos must be taken in person by a commercial photographer or photo studio. Photos printed at home are refused, and so are photos changed with editing software, filters or AI tools.
What does the online renewal photo have to be?
The photographer's original digital file, not a scan of a printed photo: a .jpeg or .jpg in a 3:2 portrait shape, from 1,200×1,800 to 3,000×4,500 pixels and 200 KB to 5 MB, with the head 45–50% of the height, taken within 6 months. When you upload it, you enter the studio's name and address and the date it was taken.
What goes on the back of the printed photos?
For a first adult passport and for a child's passport, the photographer writes or stamps the date the photo was taken and the studio's name and complete address, and your guarantor certifies one photo as a true likeness and signs it. Adults renewing do not need a guarantor.
Can CropPass help with anything for Canada?
Yes: the photo upload for an International Experience Canada (IEC) work permit, which has no photographer rule. Visitor visa and study permit photos use the same 35×45 mm frame and 31–36 mm head, but IRCC gives no upload limits for them, so check your application first.