Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Canada temporary resident visa (TRV) photo requirements
The temporary resident visa (visitor visa) photograph specification is a print specification. IRCC asks for two identical photographs on quality photographic paper, taken within the last six months, with a frame at least 35 mm by 45 mm and the head measuring 31–36 mm from chin to crown, against a plain white or light-coloured background. Black and white or colour are both accepted, and Guide 5256 says to write your name and date of birth on the back of both photos.
The mistake this page exists to prevent is reaching for the Canadian passport numbers. The passport online-renewal spec — 1200 × 1800 to 3000 × 4500 px, 3:2, 200 KB to 5 MB — is a passport rule and nothing else; the TRV specification names a different frame size (35 × 45 mm, against the passport's 50 × 70 mm) and publishes no pixel dimensions, no file size and no file format at all. IRCC does say that if the photographs are digital they must not be altered in any way, and that photographs which do not meet the specifications must be replaced before the application can be processed.
Because there is no official digital specification to check against, this page offers no photo checker. Inventing plausible numbers would be worse than offering nothing. The only published digital limits that touch a TRV photo are the general per-file upload caps for IRCC accounts, listed below; if you are also required to give biometrics, Guide 5256 says paper photos are not required with the application.
Official source: canada.ca — Temporary Resident Visa application photograph specifications
Official source checked on 2026-08-25. This records when we compared our summary to the linked government page — not when the tool was QA-tested. Requirements can change; always confirm the current rules on the official page before you apply.
Reviewed by the ExactPic Editorial Team against the official source above. See how we verify requirements.
Specifications
- Number of photos
- Two identical photographs
- Frame size
- At least 35 mm × 45 mm (1 3/8 × 1 3/4 inches)
- Head height
- 31–36 mm (1 1/4 to 1 7/16 inches) from chin to crown
- Framing
- Full front view of the head, face in the middle, top of the shoulders included
- Age of photos
- Taken within the last six months
- Colour
- Black and white or colour
- Background
- Plain white or light-coloured
- Paper
- Quality photographic paper
- Digital photos
- Must not be altered in any way
- Back of photos
- Your name and date of birth (Guide 5256)
- Pixel dimensions
- Not stated by IRCC
- File size and format
- Not stated for the photo; the account upload cap applies (4 MB in the IRCC secure account, 5 MB in the IRCC Portal)
- If you give biometrics
- Paper photos are not required with the application (Guide 5256)
Every value in this table is summarized from canada.ca — Temporary Resident Visa application photograph specifications (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)), checked 2026-08-25. Confirm the current values on the official page before you apply.
How to get a compliant TRV photo
Order two identical prints on quality photographic paper, at least 35 mm by 45 mm, with the head 31–36 mm from chin to crown, taken within the last six months against a plain white or light-coloured background, and write your name and date of birth on the back of both. If your application requires biometrics, Guide 5256 says you do not need to include paper photos. IRCC publishes no pixel, file-size or file-format specification for a TRV photograph, so there is no checker on this page — only the general per-file upload cap of your IRCC account (4 MB in the IRCC secure account, 5 MB in the IRCC Portal) applies to whatever you attach.
Compliance note. IRCC publishes no digital photograph specification for a temporary resident visa, so ExactPic offers no checker here and cannot tell you whether a file will be accepted. The values above are the printed-photograph specification; confirm the current rules and the upload limits shown in your IRCC account before you apply.
Reviewed by ExactPic editorial against the official source on 2026-08-25. Spotted something out of date or wrong? Report an incorrect requirement.
Step by step
Check whether you need photos at all
Guide 5256 says that if you are required to provide biometric fingerprints and photo, you do not need to include paper photos with your application. Confirm your biometrics requirement first.
Order two identical prints to the specification
At least 35 mm by 45 mm on quality photographic paper, head 31–36 mm from chin to crown, full front view with the top of the shoulders included, plain white or light-coloured background, taken within the last six months. Write your name and date of birth on the back of both.
Attach or send them unaltered
If the photographs are digital they must not be altered in any way. Keep the file within your IRCC account's per-file cap — 4 MB in the IRCC secure account, 5 MB in the IRCC Portal. Photographs that do not meet the specifications have to be replaced before the application can be processed.
Private by design. Any photo you check here is processed entirely in your browser and never uploaded. ExactPic is not affiliated with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and does not guarantee acceptance — always follow the official guidance.
Source change log
- 2026-08-25 — Page created from the IRCC Temporary Resident Visa application photograph specifications: two identical prints, frame at least 35 × 45 mm, head 31–36 mm, six-month recency, plain white or light-coloured background, digital photos not altered in any way. Published as information only because IRCC states no pixel, file-size or file-format rule for a TRV photo; the account upload caps come from the IRCC help centre and the back-of-photo rule from Guide 5256.
Other portals
Frequently asked questions
- What size photo is needed for a Canada visitor visa?
- Two identical photographs with a frame at least 35 mm by 45 mm, the head measuring 31–36 mm from chin to crown, taken within the last six months on a plain white or light-coloured background. Black and white or colour are both accepted, and they must be printed on quality photographic paper.
- What are the pixel dimensions for a Canada TRV photo upload?
- IRCC does not publish any. The temporary resident visa photograph specification gives millimetre sizes only — no pixel dimensions, no file size and no file format. The only published digital limits are the general per-file upload caps for IRCC accounts: 4 MB in the IRCC secure account and 5 MB in the IRCC Portal. Any specific pixel figure you find elsewhere is not from this specification.
- Can I use my Canadian passport photo for a visitor visa application?
- They are different specifications. A Canadian passport photo is 50 mm by 70 mm, and its online-renewal digital rule is 1200 × 1800 to 3000 × 4500 px at 3:2 and 200 KB to 5 MB. The TRV specification asks for a frame of at least 35 mm by 45 mm and states no digital rule. Order the photo to the specification for the application you are actually making.
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Official source checked: 2026-08-25