Canada passport photo guide

Canada baby passport photo in 2026: what IRCC requires and why it's more involved than most countries

Getting a passport photo for a baby or toddler is hard in any country. In Canada it is harder than most, for reasons that have nothing to do with the baby and everything to do with the documentation requirements that apply to every Canadian passport photo regardless of the applicant's age. The 50×70mm format that no other major country uses. The photographer's name, studio address, and photo date that must be on the back of every print. The guarantor who must sign the back of one photo confirming it's a true likeness of the child. None of these requirements go away because the subject is three months old and can barely hold their head up. The good news is that IRCC does acknowledge reality when it comes to infant expressions: the official guidance says directly that it can be difficult to get a neutral expression from a newborn, and it allows some range for that. Everything else — the size, the background, the documentation, the studio print requirement — applies fully.

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KeywordCanada baby passport photo

UpdatedJul 6, 2026

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The practical answer

A Canadian passport photo for a baby must be 50mm wide by 70mm high — the same format required for all Canadian passport photos, regardless of age. The face from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head (crown, not the top of the hair) must measure between 31 and 36mm. The background must be plain white or light-coloured. The baby must be the only subject in the photo — no parent's hands, arms, or body, no toys, no dummies. The photo must have been taken within the last six months of the application submission date. For expressions and eye direction, IRCC explicitly acknowledges the difficulty of infant photos and allows some range. The official Canada.ca language states: "We know that it's difficult to get a neutral expression from your newborn. We do allow some range for infant facial expressions." Eyes being closed or partially closed are more acceptable for very young infants than for older children. As a practical matter, the closer the baby's face is to the standard (eyes open, facing forward, neutral expression), the less friction there is during review — but genuinely open, forward-facing neutrality is not required for newborns the way it would be for a six-year-old. The studio documentation requirement applies fully regardless of the child's age. For printed applications submitted by mail or in person, both photos must be printed by a commercial photographer or photo studio. On the back of one photo, the photographer must write or stamp their full name, complete studio address, and the date the photo was taken. Stick-on labels are not accepted — it must be written or stamped directly. The guarantor must also sign the back of one photo, writing that it is a true likeness of the child (or the child's parent or guardian, who the guarantor has known for at least two years). IRCC explicitly states that it does not accept photos printed at home or on heavyweight paper. This is a non-negotiable aspect of Canadian passport photo requirements for all applicants, including infants.

Where people get surprised

The studio documentation requirement is the biggest surprise for parents preparing a baby passport photo in Canada, particularly those who have applied for passports in other countries before. In the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand, the photo is evaluated on its visual merits alone — there is no requirement for a photographer's name and address on the back. In Canada, a perfectly composed, correctly sized photo without the studio information printed on the back is automatically rejected, regardless of how good the image is. This requirement exists for all Canadian passport photos and does not have any infant exception. The second thing that catches parents is the home-printing prohibition. Canada.ca states directly that IRCC does not accept photos printed at home or on heavyweight paper. The print must come from a commercial photographer or photo lab with appropriate printing equipment. A well-composed photo taken at home, exported to a correct-size file, and printed on a home inkjet printer on glossy paper will still be rejected on the basis of the home printing rule. The correct workflow is to prepare the photo composition at home with PassSnap if you prefer, then take the file to a photo lab (Shoppers Drug Mart, London Drugs, Walmart Photo Centre, or a dedicated photo studio) for professional printing and back-stamping. The third issue is the 50×70mm format itself. Parents who have prepared passport photos for other countries — or who walk into a pharmacy assuming they stock the right Canadian format — sometimes end up with the wrong size. The US 2×2 inch (51×51mm) square format is wrong. The UK or Australia 35×45mm format is wrong. Canadian pharmacies that offer passport photo services will know the correct format, but if you're having photos taken at a lab that primarily serves US-format customers, confirming the format explicitly before they start is worth the ten seconds it takes. The fourth thing, specific to the guarantor requirement, is that for a child's first passport, the guarantor must have known the parent or guardian for at least two years, hold a valid Canadian passport, be a Canadian citizen, and not be a family member of the applicant. The guarantor requirement for children's first passports applies regardless of whether it applies to the specific parent's adult renewal (some adult renewals no longer require a guarantor). Confirming the guarantor details and having the signed photo ready before you show up at a passport office saves a wasted trip. The fifth thing worth knowing is that a baby's passport is valid for only five years, not ten, and it cannot be renewed — when the child turns sixteen, they apply for an adult passport, but a child's 5-year passport must be replaced with a new child passport when it expires if the child is still under sixteen. This doesn't affect the photo requirements, but parents sometimes assume a baby passport will last until the child is old enough to hold a neutral expression, only to find out the passport needs replacing sooner than expected.

How PassSnap fits

PassSnap's Canada Passport photo type applies the correct 50×70mm crop and 31–36mm face-height guidance to the baby's photo, which is the same size and face-proportion requirement as an adult Canadian passport photo. The guided capture shows whether the baby's face fills the correct proportion of the 70mm frame in real time. The exported JPEG is sized correctly for the 50×70mm format and can be taken to a commercial photo lab for professional printing and back-stamping. PassSnap does not apply AI enhancement or retouching to the official export. No photo data is uploaded to a server during the capture and export process, consistent with IRCC's requirement that the photo be an "original photo that isn't altered in any way."

Setting up the Canada baby passport photo

Use the lay-flat method for newborns and babies under roughly six months who cannot sit up independently. Lay a plain white or light-coloured sheet flat on a clean, flat surface — the floor, a bed with the duvet removed, or a table with a soft covering. Lay the baby face-up on the sheet, positioning the baby's head centrally on the sheet with clear space around them. Position yourself directly above, with the camera parallel to the floor and the baby's face centred in the viewfinder. A hand can gently support the head from below the sheet if needed — the key is that no part of the hand appears in the frame, so keep it below the sheet level or use the underside of the baby's head for support that stays hidden. Shoot in burst mode and review the frames afterward for a shot where the face is clearly visible and the background is clean white.

For babies who can sit in a car seat or bouncer, a white blanket draped behind the baby's head is the approach IRCC's own guidance describes specifically. Drape the white blanket so that the car seat frame, straps, and any coloured upholstery are completely covered. Position the camera at the baby's face level — not looking down — and have a second person positioned just behind the camera to attract the baby's gaze toward the lens.

For older babies and toddlers who can sit independently, a plain white or light-coloured wall works if the child can be positioned against it without the session turning into a battle. A high chair pushed against the wall can help contain a mobile toddler. Have someone holding something interesting just above the camera lens — a favourite snack, a small toy, or just making an unexpected sound — to get the child to look toward it. Shoot in burst mode and expect to take twenty to thirty frames to find one where the face is clearly visible, the gaze is roughly forward, and the expression is calm.

The session window matters as much as the physical setup. Babies and toddlers have narrow cooperative windows, typically following a nap and a feed. A session attempted when the child is overtired or hungry will produce more frustration than usable frames. A calm, alert, recently fed baby in a five-minute session will produce more than enough material to find a good frame.

Once you have a usable photo, take the digital file to a commercial photo lab for 50×70mm printing on professional photo paper. The photographer or lab assistant will print their studio name, complete address, and the photo date on the back of each print. Bring the printed photos to your guarantor for signing before you include them with the application.

FAQ

Does IRCC require a baby's eyes to be open in a Canadian passport photo?

IRCC's own guidance states directly that it knows getting a neutral expression from a newborn is difficult and allows some range for infant facial expressions. Eyes being closed or partially closed is more acceptable for very young infants than it would be for older children or adults. Open eyes are preferred, and a frame where the baby's eyes are open and facing forward is the stronger photo, but the requirement is more flexible for newborns than the standard adult rule suggests.

Can I print my baby's Canadian passport photo at home?

No. IRCC explicitly states that it does not accept photos printed at home or on heavyweight paper. The print must come from a commercial photographer or photo studio, and the photographer's name, complete studio address, and photo date must be written or stamped on the back of each photo. A correctly composed and sized photo file taken at home needs to be taken to a commercial lab for the printing and documentation step before it can be submitted with the application.

Does a baby's passport photo need a guarantor signature?

Yes. For a child's first passport application, one of the two printed photos must be signed on the back by a guarantor who has known the child's parent or guardian for at least two years, holds a valid Canadian passport, is a Canadian citizen, and is not a family member. The guarantor also signs the relevant section of the application form. This requirement applies to child applications specifically and is separate from the photographer documentation that goes on the back of both photos.