Prepare a photo for your Canadian temporary resident visa application: a printed frame of at least 35 x 45 mm, head height 31-36mm, on a white or light background, taken within the last 6 months. This is IRCC's visa-specific specification — it is not the same as the Canadian passport photo requirement.
Official requirements
Verified — last checked 2026-08-11
These figures were directly confirmed against the official source below.
Digital photo requirements
No official digital pixel specification was found for this document — see printed requirements below.
Printed photo requirements
Photo size
At least 35 × 45 mm (minimum accepted frame size, not an exact requirement)
Head height (chin to crown)
31–36 mm
Paper / printing
The official specification states a MINIMUM frame size of at least 35x45mm, not an exact required size like the Canadian passport photo. The photo must be an original, unaltered image, taken within the last 6 months.
Other requirements
Background
Plain white or light-coloured background
Expression
Neutral expression, mouth closed, facing the camera directly.
Glasses
Glasses are not recommended; if worn, eyes must be clearly visible with no glare, reflections, or tinted lenses.
Head coverings
Head coverings are not permitted except for religious reasons, and the full face from chin to forehead must be visible.
Maximum photo age
6 months
Source: IRCC — Temporary Resident Visa application photograph specifications, last verified 2026-08-11.
Common mistakes
✕Frame smaller than the minimum 35x45mm accepted size
✕Background with shadows or colour that is not plain/light
✕Photo more than 6 months old
✕Head height outside the 31-36mm range
✕Editing, filtering, or retouching the photo — only an original, unaltered image is accepted
How to take a good photo
✓Use a plain white or light-coloured background with even lighting
✓Keep a neutral expression, mouth closed, facing the camera directly
✓Make sure the printed frame is at least 35mm wide by 45mm high
✓Submit an unaltered, unedited original photo taken within the last 6 months
How Vekyo works for a Canada visa / eta
Upload a recent photo, and Vekyo detects your face, then checks it against the Canada visa / eta specification above — including its plain white or light-coloured background background requirement — before letting you crop and position it to match, entirely in your browser. Vekyo only crops, rotates for straightening, and resizes your photo; it never changes your facial features, skin tone, or facial structure, and never generates or beautifies a face. Backgrounds are never automatically replaced — if yours doesn't look plain and evenly lit enough for this document, you'll see a warning instead of a silent pass.
Frequently asked questions
Vekyo prepares your Canada visa / eta photo at ≥35×45mm, based on the published specification linked on this page — you don't need to measure or crop it yourself.
Plain white or light-coloured background Vekyo's compliance check flags a background that looks patterned, shadowed, or uneven before you pay, so you can retake the photo if needed.
Yes. A recent phone photo works well as long as it is a clear, front-facing shot in good, even lighting against a plain background. Vekyo crops and resizes it to the required dimensions in your browser.
Yes. Vekyo lets you prepare a photo that matches the Canada visa / eta photo specification from an existing picture, without visiting a photo studio. You still need to check your final photo, and print it, according to your application's instructions.
No. Vekyo only crops, resizes, and repositions your existing photo to match the required dimensions. It never alters your facial features, skin tone, or facial structure, and never generates or beautifies a face.
No. Face detection, cropping, resizing, and file generation all happen locally in your browser. Your photo is not uploaded to our servers for image processing. See our Privacy Policy for full details.
No. You get a free preview of your finished photo — including its compliance score and checklist — before paying anything. Payment only unlocks the full-resolution, watermark-free download and the printable sheet.
Your compliance checklist shows exactly which checks passed, which need attention, and which failed, with a plain-language explanation for each. From there you can use Auto-Fix to automatically correct issues like cropping, brightness, or sharpness, adjust the crop yourself, or upload or retake a different photo — you can keep adjusting until it looks right, all before you pay. A mistake we see often for a Canada visa / eta: frame smaller than the minimum 35x45mm accepted size.
Yes. Vekyo generates a printable PDF sized for a Canada visa / eta — ≥35×45mm — with multiple copies laid out on a 4x6 inch or A4 sheet, so you can print it at home or at a photo lab without distortion.
Vekyo prepares your photo according to the published Canada visa / eta photo specification linked on this page. You are responsible for confirming your final photo meets your specific application's requirements before submitting it.
We cannot guarantee acceptance. Vekyo prepares your photo according to the published photo specifications, but final acceptance is always decided by the receiving government authority. Always verify the latest requirements on the official source before submitting your application.
Prepared according to the published requirements — not a guarantee of acceptance and not government approved. Always verify the latest requirements with the official authority before submitting your photo.