If you want to live in Canada forever, you need to apply for a permanent resident card (PR card), the most common identity document for permanent residents in Canada. With this PR card, a non-citizen stays here to work and enjoys almost all the rights that Canadian citizens have. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) , which issues the PR Card, your application must contain two printed photographs that meet Canada PR card photo requirements. Otherwise, the PR Card processing will be delayed if a rejection of the application is caused by an incorrect Permanent Resident Card photo. So follow the guidelines below and make sure you can get a compliant PR card quickly.
What are Canada PR Card Photo Requirements?
You will find that the photo requirements for a PR card vary according to the different regions you are applying to live in. Here we will provide the photo specifications of the PR card in Canada.
image source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/new-immigrants/pr-card/apply-renew-replace/photo.html
The photo size must be 50 mm wide X 70 mm high.
● The height of the face measures between 31 mm and 36 mm from chin to crown of head.
● The photo taken is within 12 months.
● Photographs should be identical, original and unaltered in any way.
● The photo should be in colour or black and white.
● The photo must be clear, sharp and focused.
● Your photo should be taken in front of a plain white background.
● Photos must reflect/represent natural skin tones.
● Shadows, glare or flash reflections are not acceptable.
● Your eyes must be visible. (Avoid sunglasses or glasses)
● Head coverings for religious reasons may be worn.
What is the information on the back of the PR photo card?
Unlike other ID photos, you should know that one of your printed permanent resident card photos should include some information on its back to be accepted by a Canadian government office. Here is what will be included:
● The subject’s name and date of birth.
● Name and address of the photography studio.
● The date the photo was taken.
● The photographer may use a stamp or handwrite this information. Stick-on labels are unacceptable.
After this information is added at the back, the photos are eligible to be sent to a Canadian office for evaluation. If you want to check more details, go to: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/pdf/5445EB-e.pdf
Where to Get PR Card Photo Near Me in Canada？
If you want to easily and quickly get 2 printed photos for your emergency application, you can get a PR card photo near you by searching on Google and seeing the option that comes up. Here are some of the common places it shows:
Shoppers Drug Mart
Store Hours: open from 9 am–9 pm, 7 days a week.(vary from place to place)
Shoppers Drug Mart, one of the best options, helps get printed passports or other ID photos in the blink of an eye. The retailer charges an average of $19.99 CAD for 2 Canadian ID photos and a digital copy. As each pharmacy is independently owned, you can’t find any universal pricing information on the official website. At a high cost, it provides a printable compliant photo in minutes.
Passport Photo Calgary
Store Hours: 10:00 am – 7:pm
Fortunately, you can get 2 printed passport ID photos and high resolution digital photos in 5 minutes and there is no need to wait that long. You don’t make an appointment before you go. Walk in anytime you want during the opening hours. This photo shop can offer ID photos for children and babies who have neck control and can sit upright with parental support. The price taken and printed will cost you $14.97 CAD. They will 100% guarantee their work. If the photo doesn’t work, you can get your money back.
Walmart
Store Hours: 8:00 am – 10:00 pm (be sure to check your local Walmart opening hours before traveling.)
If you want to go to a reliable and well-known photo store, Walmart will be your best choice. You can get a pair of Canadian PR card Photos to take and print at your local photo center for $15.99 CAD. You can go to the photo center website to order or walk directly to the local store. Alternatively, Walmart Pickup allows you to order items on Walmart.ca. You can upload your own photos to websites and pick them up at the nearest Walmart for $0.12 CAD. You should ensure that the photos taken are appropriate for the Canadian IRCC PR card requirements.
London Drugs
Store Hours: 9:00 am – 10:00 pm (Approximate).
Known for the high quality, convenience and low prices of its passport photo services, London Drugs’ PR picture price is $12 CAD, including two printed compliant PR card photos. The advantage is that you do not need to book an appointment with the photo counter. Just pop into your nearest London Drugs during regular opening hours. From start to finish, the photo process takes about 10 minutes. Or you can choose to pay $0.49 CAD to print a single 4 x 6 glossy photo, if you have a digitally compliant PR card photo.
How to Get A Canada PR Card Photo Online?
If you find it so expensive to take Canadian PR card photos from local photo shops, we have another way to help you save money. You can take a passport photo yourself, make it meet the requirements online and print it in the shop.
Tips for Taking Canada PR Photos Yourself
If you decide to take a photo at home, here are some tips you can follow:
● Choose a white background wall at home.
● Face the camera directly when taking your picture.
● Wear formal and decent clothes. (Avoid wearing white, because you need to make a difference between you and the background.)
● Make sure you take a photo with natural light. You can use an LED to make up the light or face a window.
● No smiling in your PR photo. Try to keep a neutral expression when taking a photo. Take a deep breath and feel relaxed.
● It’s OK to wear natural makeup while taking your photo. No glitter or shine makeup on your face.
Get a Compliant Canada PR Card Photo Online
Once you have taken the passport photo, the next step is to turn the photo into a compliant one, which meets the stands of Canada PR card photos. And we don’t want to be rejected for unqualified photos. So we need AiPassportPhotos, a fully functional photo tool, to help us generate digital biometric photos online. Let’s follow the steps below and get your digitally qualified photos in seconds.
● Launch AiPassportPhotos on your devices.
● Select country-Canada and Permanent Resident Card Photo.
● Upload the photo you just took from your photo library. The process takes a few seconds.
● AiPassportPhotos can scale automatically and intelligently, turning your photo into a compliant ID photo.
● Once done, save printable templates on your devices.
● Get printed in local stores that offer photo services at a better price.
With AiPassportPhotos, you will find it easy to get your professional passport photos at home. Simply upload your photo, wait for our AI photo processing technology to generate PR card photos in seconds. You will never be disappointed with the powerful photo tool again, because AiPassportPhotos can guarantee 100% acceptance of your photos. It not only provides various types of photos for visa, driver licence, and passport, but also supports different countries’ passport photo processing.
How Can I Take My PR Photo If I’m in A Wheelchair?
If you are in a wheelchair, it will be inconvenient for you to take a PR photo outside. Taking a photo at home would do the trick. Choose a plain white background and follow the DIY photo steps above. Then upload to AiPassportPhotos online passport photo editor and get your digital compliant photos done at home. And go to an online printing service to place the photo printing order and let your family choose the nearest location to pick up the printed photo for you.
How to Get Baby’s Permanent Resident Card Photo
According to the photo requirements, Children’s and baby’s PR photos should follow the same rules mentioned above, showing only the face and shoulders. However, it can be a bit difficult to take your baby in a standard PR photo because they are too young to follow any rules. For newborn babies, they are allowed to take photos in a car seat. Don’t forget to put a white blanket behind their head and try to avoid shadows around the baby or on the baby’s face.
Conclusion
Keep in mind that your application will be rejected if your photos do not meet these requirements. So you need to find a reliable and quick photo tool based on your needs. If you have enough time and want to save money, it’s good for you to ask your friends or family members to help you take a photo at home and make it a compliant ID photo with AiPassportPhotos.
Erin Lo