Canada PR photo requirements — IRCC rules and photographer signature

IRCC official spec at a glance

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) enforces a single photo standard across permanent residency applications, citizenship, visitor visas, study permits and work permits. The same physical 35×45 mm photo is used at every Visa Application Centre (VAC) and biometric enrolment site worldwide.

Submissions through the PR Portal upload a JPEG matching the same dimensions. The Portal runs an automated check on file size, head position and background uniformity before accepting the upload.

Background, lighting and clothing

Background must be plain white or off-white, uniform across the entire frame. No textures, gradients, props or visible furniture. Lighting on the background must be even — shadows behind the head are the most common rejection reason.

Wear normal everyday clothing — uniforms are not permitted except for religious garments worn daily. Hats and headphones are banned. Hearing aids and small jewellery are accepted as long as they don't reflect or obscure facial features.

Expression, glasses and head position

Expression must be neutral with the mouth closed. A faint closed-mouth smile is tolerated; visible teeth, big smiles and exaggerated expressions cause auto-rejection.

Glasses of any type are banned — IRCC removed the medical-exception clause in 2016. Clear prescription, sunglasses, tinted and reading glasses are all rejected. Contact lenses are accepted unless they change iris colour.

Head must be straight, with eyes open and looking directly at the lens. The face must be centered horizontally in the frame.

Photographer signature on the back (printed photos)

For paper photo submission at a VAC, the photographer (or photo studio) must write or stamp on the reverse: the studio name and address, the date the photo was taken, and the dimensions of the photo. This is a unique IRCC requirement, intended to prove the photo was professionally captured and not a home selfie.

Photos submitted via the PR Portal upload do not require this annotation — the digital JPEG carries no back side. complypic users who plan to use printed copies at a VAC should add the studio annotation manually or have a local pharmacy stamp the back when printing.

Children, infants and head coverings

For minors, expression rules are eased — infants may have eyes partly closed and mouths open. The child must be alone in the frame with no parent's hand visible. Babies may lie on a plain white sheet for the photo.

Religious head coverings — hijab, turban, dastar, sheitel — are accepted provided the face is fully visible from chin to forehead and not shadowed. IRCC does not require a supporting letter for daily religious use.

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