We check one selfie against every photo requirement listed on this page.
The DND 9036-E form explicitly allows a colour photo taken on a mobile device and then printed, which is unusual for an identity document.
Use this page only for Canada Veteran's Service Card Photo (mail application). Similar applications can use a different submission method, size or file limit. Why this rule has its own page
A phone photo is fine. Face the camera, use even light and keep your full head and shoulders in frame.
Reading the background…
Some items still do not meet this rule after the automatic checks. AI can rebuild the background and gently correct pose while preserving your identity.
For photos you upload, AI generation starts automatically when this rule cannot be met in the browser; photos taken with the camera here are only sent if you start it yourself. Either way the optimized photo is uploaded for processing — compare the generated face with the original before use. Privacy policy
These values come from the selected rule and are used during generation.
Note: The DND 9036-E form explicitly allows a colour photo taken on a mobile device and then printed, which is unusual for an identity document. It asks for a plain white or light background, a neutral front-facing pose showing the full face and the shoulders, an untilted head, clearly visible eyes, even lighting and natural skin tone; clear prescription glasses may be worn, and head coverings worn for religious or spiritual reasons are an accepted exception. No photo size, DPI, pixel count, file format, and no limit on how recently the photo must have been taken, is published. This rule covers the mail-in application only — the online portal's upload field has not been verified here.
Use this page only for Canada Veteran's Service Card Photo (mail application). Similar applications can use a different submission method, size or file limit.
Furniture or shadows behind you are the top rejection cause. We detect them before you submit.
Many systems only accept JPEG. iPhone photos are HEIC by default — we convert automatically.
Head size must sit in an exact range. We position it precisely, no guessing.