How your photos should look for a secure status card
How to submit acceptable photos when applying for a secure status card.
SCIS Photo App
You can now take your own photo when applying for a secure status card and submit it straight from your smart phone free of charge using the SCIS Photo App.
On this page
Acceptable photos
Photos can be in colour or black and white and be taken by anyone.
Photos must be:
- clear, sharp and in focus
- taken with a neutral facial expression, that is, eyes open and clearly visible, mouth closed
- taken with uniform lighting, without shadows, glare or flash reflections
- taken straight on, with face and shoulders centered and squared to the camera
- taken in front of a plain white or light-coloured background, with a clear difference between the face and the background
- must represent natural skin tones
- must be originals and not taken from an existing photo
- taken within no more than 12 months before the date you submit the application and reflect applicant's current appearance
Attention
- prescription eyeglasses may be worn as long as the eyes are clearly visible and there is no reflection or glare on the eyeglasses
- sunglasses and tinted eyeglasses are unacceptable
- photos with the red-eye effect or red-eye alterations are unacceptable
- head coverings are not acceptable, unless worn for religious, cultural or medical purposes:
- the full face must be clearly visible and the head covering must not cast any shadows on the face
- hair can be worn down
Child photos
For child photos, the same requirements apply.
In addition:
- photos must show the child's head and shoulders only
- parent's or child's hands must not appear in the photo
For newborns, the photo may be taken while the child is sitting in a car seat, as long as a white blanket is placed over the seat behind the child's head.
- There must be no shadows across the face or shoulders, around the ears or in the background.
- Minor variations in a neutral expression of a newborn are recognized.
Ways to get your photos taken
You can take your photo:
- Using the SCIS Photo App
or
- in person at:
- any regional office
- any First Nation office, if applicable
- the Secure Certificate of Indian Status Application Centre
- any trusted source organization
- a service provider that takes Canadian passport-style photos
How to submit your photos
If submitting printed photos with your application
You must provide 2 identical and unaltered Canadian passport-style photos that meet these specifications:
- 50 mm wide x 70 mm high (2 inches wide x 2 3/4 inches high) in size
- length of the face must be between 31 mm (1 1/4 inches) and 36 mm (1 7/16 inches) from chin to natural top of head
- printed on plain, high-quality photographic paper
You must provide on the back of one of the photos:
- the full name of the person in the photo
- the date the photo was taken, not the date the photo was printed
- guarantor's signature and date signed, if applicable
Learn more about guarantors.
If submitting a photo using the SCIS Photo App
Please note
The SCIS Photo App can only be used to submit photos when applying for a Secure Certificate of Indian Status. It cannot be used to submit photos to apply for a Certificate of Indian Status.
A guarantor must be present when taking your own photo when applying for a secure status card, and submit it with your guarantor's name, email address and signature straight from your smartphone using the SCIS Photo App:
- Visit Google Play or the App Store to download the app free of charge
- Follow on-screen instructions
- No personal information is stored in the SCIS Photo App
- Collection, use and disclosure of personal information are in accordance with the Privacy Act