Canada PR card photo, 50x70 mm
Permanent resident card applications and renewals use the 50 mm by 70 mm immigration format with a 31 mm to 36 mm face height. The photo must have been taken within the last six months, which is stricter than the citizenship rule.
Photo format
Head height 31-36 mm
Background: Plain white
Glasses: allowed if eyes are clear
Background
Compliance
Upload a photo and every requirement is checked here in real time.
Private by design
Your photo is processed entirely inside this browser tab. It is never uploaded to a server, so there is nothing for us to store, share or leak.
Read the full requirement checklistCanada PR card photo requirements
The published rules for a 50 x 70 mm Canada residence card photo.
- Permanent resident card photos follow the 50 mm x 70 mm immigration format.
- Photos must be taken within the last six months for a PR card application or renewal.
- The neutral expression rule is strict: mouth closed, no smile.
The six-month rule catches renewals
PR card renewals are usually filed years apart, and the natural instinct is to reuse the photo from a previous application. IRCC requires a photo taken within the last six months so it reflects your current appearance. Because the date is written on the back of printed photos, an older photo is straightforward for a reviewer to spot.
Neutral means neutral
The expression rule is applied strictly for immigration documents: mouth closed, no smile, eyes open and looking directly at the lens, head level and square to the camera. If your natural resting face includes a slight upturn at the mouth, consciously relax it before the photo is taken.
Getting the background right
A plain white or light backdrop with no shadow is required. Rented apartments rarely have a suitable wall, which is why background replacement is on by default here. What replacement cannot fix is a hard shadow cast onto the wall behind you, so stand at least half a metre clear of it and face a window rather than a ceiling light.
What a reviewer is looking for
One compliant photo, five of the faults that cause most rejections.
Accepted
Neutral expression, even lighting, plain background, head correctly sized and centred.
Shadow on the face
A side light or overhead lamp leaves one side of the face dark. Face a window instead.
Background not plain
A textured, coloured or shadowed wall. Turn on background replacement to fix this.
Glasses causing glare
Reflections hide the eyes. Most countries want glasses removed entirely.
Head tilted
The head must be square to the camera. Use the straighten slider to correct small tilts.
Head too large
The crown is cut off and the head exceeds the allowed millimetre range.
Canada PR card photo questions
The photo is the easy part. We handle the other 40 documents.
GetNorthPath prepares every IRCC form from your documents, flags mismatches before you submit, and has an experienced consultant review the whole file. One flat price of $299 CAD instead of the $2,000 to $5,000 a traditional firm charges.
Free 30-minute call. No credit card. Photo tool stays free either way.