ApprovaVisa / Photo essentials

IRCC photo checker

IRCC asks for a commercial photographer, so this checks the file you were given before you upload it. Pick your application: the pixel and size limits differ between a PR card, citizenship and a work permit.

Create a Canada photo (50×70 mm) Or check a photo you already have

Photo review / IRCCOriginal preserved

1Choose your route

2Check the file

3Review the photo

What are you uploading? 01 / Route

IRCC: .jpeg or .jpg, between 715×1000 and 2000×2800 pixels, 4 MB or less. Colour or black and white.

Your file 02 / Input

Local processing · No photo upload

A check, without changing your image

Your file is read on this device and isn’t sent to a server. Nothing is cropped, resized or edited.

File inspection

Your file, in focus

Upload

Choose a file to see
its checks here

Format, dimensions and file size

We’ll measure the file against the limits published for this route.

File checks don’t measure face geometry, lighting or editing history. IRCC makes the acceptance decision.

Now review the photograph

These checks need your eyes. Review each item against the file before you upload it.

0 / 6 reviewed

Taken by a commercial photographerIRCC asks for a commercial photographer or studio for citizenship and PR card photos. A home or self-taken photo does not qualify.Taken in the last 12 monthsPR card photos can be up to 12 months old when you apply.Plain backgroundPR card: plain, untextured white. Citizenship: plain white or light-coloured. No shadows or objects behind you.Neutral face, eyes open, mouth closedLooking straight at the camera. Glasses only if the frames don’t cover your eyes and there’s no glare; no tinted lenses.Head covering only if worn dailyFor religious or medical reasons, with your full face clearly visible.Not altered in any wayNo changes to colour, brightness or cropping, no red-eye or background edits. Ask the studio for a new file instead of editing this one.

Choose your file to begin the manual review.

Create a Canada photo (50×70 mm)

IRCC photo requirements at a glance

PR card, online: JPEG, 715×1000 to 2000×2800 px, 4 MB or less, taken in the last 12 months, plain white background
Citizenship, online: JPG/JPEG, at least 420×540 px, about 240 kB and no more than 4 MB, taken in the last 6 months
Work permit (IEC), online: At least 420×540 px, ideally 240 kB and not less than 60 kB
Citizenship or PR card, by mail: Two identical 50×70 mm prints, face 31–36 mm chin to crown, details on the back

Independent checks before you apply

This is a file pre-check and a guided visual review, not an official checker. IRCC decides acceptance. A file that passes does not prove the photo is recent, unedited or correctly framed.

What are the IRCC photo requirements for a PR card?

Online: one photo from a commercial photographer, .jpeg or .jpg, between 715×1000 and 2000×2800 pixels, 4 MB or less, taken within 12 months, on a plain white background. By mail: two identical 50×70 mm prints.

Why does IRCC reject photos?

For the PR card, IRCC lists a photo that is too dark, a background that is not white, hidden facial features, glare, and a file outside the pixel or size limits.

Can I resize or crop the file myself?

No. IRCC treats any change to colour, brightness or cropping as an altered photo. If the file is outside the limits, ask the studio for a new one.

Is this an official IRCC checker?

No. It measures the file against the limits IRCC publishes and walks you through the visual rules. IRCC decides whether the photo is accepted.

Sources checked October 30, 2026: PR card photos · Citizenship online · IEC work permit.