Canada and US passport photos are not interchangeable

People applying on both sides of the border often assume one photo will do for both. It will not. The two specifications differ in shape, head height, glasses policy and file rules.

Shape and size

Canada uses a 50 mm by 70 mm rectangle, a 5:7 ratio. The United States uses a 2 inch by 2 inch square, roughly 51 mm by 51 mm. A Canadian photo cannot be cropped into a US photo without losing the top or bottom of the composition, and a US photo cropped to Canadian proportions will have the wrong head height.

Head height

Canada requires 31-36 mm from chin to crown, which is 44-51% of the photo height. The United States requires 1 inch to 1 3/8 inches, about 25-35 mm, which is 50-69% of the photo height. The US frame is noticeably tighter on the face.

The US also adds a rule Canada does not: the eyes must sit between 1 1/8 and 1 3/8 inches from the bottom edge.

Glasses

This is the sharpest difference. The United States does not accept glasses at all, other than for a documented medical reason accompanied by a signed statement. Canada permits glasses as long as the eyes are clearly visible with no glare or tint.

If you need one photo to work for both, take it without glasses.

Background and expression

Both accept white or off-white, so the background is the one place the two agree. Expression differs slightly: Canada requires a strictly neutral expression with the mouth closed, while the United States permits a natural, closed-mouth smile.

Digital rules

US online submissions must be square, between 600 by 600 and 1200 by 1200 pixels, and under 240 KB. IRCC digital submissions must be at least 420 by 540 pixels and under 4 MB. The US limit is far more restrictive and is the reason so many US uploads fail on file size.

The practical answer

Take one good, well-lit, glasses-free photo from two metres away, then export it twice using the correct preset for each country. The source photo can be shared; the exported file cannot.