Independent reference to official photo rules

Not affiliated with any government. Always confirm with the issuing authority before you apply.

WorldPhotoSpecsOfficial photo rules for every country

Travel documents

Canada permanent resident travel document (PRTD) photo requirements

The photo rules set by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the Canada permanent resident travel document (PRTD), with the official wording and sources.

Based on 4 official sources · last checked Official sources Page history

Rate this page

Quick answer

What are the Canada permanent resident travel document (PRTD) photo requirements?

IRCC's document checklist (IMM 5644) lists photos only for PR card applications. For a permanent resident travel document it asks for copies of the passports you used in the past 5 years instead, because the PRTD is a counterfoil placed in your passport. The fee is $50 for a single entry.

A permanent resident travel document (PRTD) is a temporary document that proves your PR status to airlines and other commercial carriers when you are outside Canada without a valid PR card. IRCC attaches it to your passport as a counterfoil.

PR card and PRTD applications share a form (IMM 5444) and a checklist (IMM 5644), which is why photos are often assumed to be needed for both. You can apply if you have permanent resident status, are outside Canada without a valid PR card, and are returning by airplane, boat, train or bus.

Canada permanent resident travel document (PRTD) photo size and specifications

The issuing authority has not published a detailed photo specification.

Key requirements

  • No photo listed

    The IMM 5644 checklist lists photos for PR card applications (online: 1 photo, front and back; paper: 2 photos) but not for a PRTD. The PRTD guide (IMM 5529) does not ask for photos either.

  • What is asked instead

    Copies of all pages of the passports or travel documents used in the past 5 years, proof of residency obligation, and the $50 fee receipt.

  • If a photo is requested

    No official instruction asks for photos with a PRTD application. If the Permanent Residence Portal, a visa application centre or an officer asks for one, use the PR photo specifications: plain white background, taken by a commercial photographer within 12 months.

  • Validity

    Normally a single entry. The $50 fee cannot be refunded once processing starts. Apply for a new PR card as soon as you are back in Canada.

  • Next PR card photos

    1 digital photo of 715 x 1000 to 2000 x 2800 pixels and 4 MB or less online, or 2 identical 50 x 70 mm prints on paper, on a plain white background, taken within 12 months by a commercial photographer.

Do's and don'ts

Do

  • Follow the PRTD section of IMM 5644.
  • Send your passport when IRCC emails instructions, so the PRTD can be attached.

No photo is listed for a PRTD application. For the PR card application that follows: 1 digital photo online, or 2 printed photos on paper.

Where to submit the photo

Online: complete IMM 5444 and upload documents in the Permanent Residence Portal. Paper applications are possible if you need accommodations, including for accessibility reasons, or if your nearest visa application centre accepts paper applications. The fee is $50, paid online.

How to get your Canada permanent resident travel document (PRTD) photo

  1. Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Canada permanent resident travel document (PRTD). Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
  2. Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: no photo listed; what is asked instead; if a photo is requested; validity.
  3. Prepare a print or digital file. No photo is listed for a PRTD application. For the PR card application that follows: 1 digital photo online, or 2 printed photos on paper.
  4. Submit the photo with your application. Online: complete IMM 5444 and upload documents in the Permanent Residence Portal. Paper applications are possible if you need accommodations, including for accessibility reasons, or if your nearest visa application centre accepts paper applications.

Canada permanent resident travel document (PRTD) photo FAQ

IRCC's document checklist (IMM 5644) lists photos only under PR card applications. Its PRTD section asks for copies of all pages of the passports or travel documents used in the past 5 years, and the PRTD guide (IMM 5529) does not ask for photos either. If a visa office or the portal asks for one, use the PR photo specifications.

A permanent resident travel document is a temporary document that proves your PR status to airlines and other commercial carriers when you are outside Canada without a valid PR card. IRCC attaches it to your passport as a counterfoil.

$50. It is normally valid for a single entry, and the fee cannot be refunded once processing starts.

Not necessarily. IRCC says that if you return in a private vehicle such as a car you own, borrow or rent, you can use your PR card, a PRTD or other documents accepted by the Canada Border Services Agency.

Apply for a new PR card as soon as you are back. That application does need photos.

Related photo specifications

Other Canada documents

Travel documents nearby

Was this page helpful?

No ratings yet. Be the first to rate this page.

Official sources

  1. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Apply for a permanent resident travel document canada.ca. Checked 29 October 2026.
  2. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Guide 5529 - Applying for a permanent resident travel document canada.ca. Checked 29 October 2026.
  3. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Document checklist IMM 5644 (PDF) canada.ca. Checked 29 October 2026.
  4. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Permanent resident photos canada.ca. Checked 29 October 2026.

Requirements can change, so always confirm with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.

Cite this page

"Canada permanent resident travel document (PRTD) photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/canada/pr-travel-document-photo

Categories: