Secure Certificate of Indian Status Photo in the US

50 × 70 mm · white background · Indigenous Services Canada

$8.99 digital file

Take my Secure Certificate of Indian Status photo

Wrong size, background or crop? We fix it free or refund you in full. Refund policy

Rules last checked against Indigenous Services Canada on 25 October 2026.

About this photo

For a Secure Certificate of Indian Status photo, the Indigenous Services Canada sets the print size at 50 x 70 mm. The background must be plain white, evenly lit and free of shadows. Applications are made with printed photos, so you need a physical copy rather than an upload. Taken within the last 12 months. You can take it at home on a phone: have someone stand a couple of metres away at eye level rather than holding the phone yourself. Your head, chin to crown, should measure 31 to 36 mm on the print. We crop your picture to the Secure Certificate of Indian Status format, set the background and check the head size before you pay.

Photo requirements

Secure Certificate of Indian Status photo requirements
Photo size	50 × 70 mm
Background	white
Head size	44–51% of the photo height (31–36 mm, chin to crown, top of head, including hair)
Expression	Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open
Glasses	Allowed. No tinted lenses or sunglasses. No glare on the lenses. Frames must not cover any part of the eyes.
Head coverings	Allowed for religious or medical reasons. The whole face from chin to forehead must be visible.
Head position	Facing the camera, tilted no more than 10°
Other rules	Taken within the last 12 months; Neutral expression, eyes open, mouth closed, looking straight at the camera

Do

Illustration of an accepted photo: neutral expression, eyes open, facing the camera on a plain background — Neutral expression, eyes open, facing the camera

Don't

Illustration of a rejected photo: the person is smiling with teeth showing — No smiling with teeth showing

Illustration of a rejected photo: light reflects off the glasses and hides the eyes — No glare on glasses

Illustration of a rejected photo: a shadow falls across the face and background — No shadows on the face or background

Illustration of a rejected photo: the head is tilted to one side — Do not tilt your head

How it works

1. Take or upload a photo
Use your phone camera against a plain wall, or pick a photo you already have.
2. We size and check it
We crop to the right size, replace the background and check it against the rules above.
3. Download and use it
Pay once, then download the digital file and the print sheet straight away.

If our processing gets the size, background or crop wrong for this document, we fix it free or refund you in full. Final acceptance is always decided by the issuing authority.

Questions about Secure Certificate of Indian Status photos

What size is a Secure Certificate of Indian Status photo?

Secure Certificate of Indian Status photos are 50 × 70 mm. The head should fill 44–51% of the photo height (31–36 mm, chin to crown, top of head, including hair).

What background does a Secure Certificate of Indian Status photo need?

A plain white background, with no shadows, patterns or objects. We replace the background for you, but a plain wall gives the cleanest edges around your hair.

Can I wear glasses in a Secure Certificate of Indian Status photo?

Yes. No tinted lenses or sunglasses. No glare on the lenses. Frames must not cover any part of the eyes.

Can I smile in a Secure Certificate of Indian Status photo?

No. Keep a neutral expression with your mouth closed and your eyes open.

Can I wear a head covering?

Allowed for religious or medical reasons. The whole face from chin to forehead must be visible.

Can I take a Secure Certificate of Indian Status photo at home?

Usually, yes, as long as it meets the rules above. Check the instructions for your application route, because final acceptance is always decided by Indigenous Services Canada. PhotoPass ID sizes your photo and checks it against these rules before you pay.

How much does a Secure Certificate of Indian Status photo cost in the US?

$8.99 for the digital file, paid once. It includes a print-at-home sheet you can print at any photo shop.

What if something is wrong with my photo?

If our processing gets the size, background or crop wrong for this document, we fix it free or refund you in full. Final acceptance is always decided by the issuing authority.

Official source: Indigenous Services Canada

Read the rules on the authority's website: Indigenous Services Canada (sac-isc.gc.ca).