Where to Print a Canadian Passport Photo (2026)
Every Canadian passport photo must be printed at a commercial photo lab that stamps the back with the photographer's name, studio address, and date. Costco is the cheapest at CAD $5–8, Walmart is the no-membership default at $10–14, and Shoppers Drug Mart is the drugstore all-in-one at $19. All stamp the back.
Cheapest Path
Use our tool to produce a 50×70mm IRCC-compliant file ($1), then take it to a Canadian photo lab to print + stamp. Costco is cheapest at CAD $5–8 (membership required), Walmart at $10–14 works without membership. Confirm at the counter that they'll stamp the back before you pay.
Every Canadian passport photo must be printed at a commercial photo lab. The lab stamps the back of each photo with their name, studio address, and the date — IRCC requires this and home-printed photos without it are rejected. This guide covers which Canadian retailers do this, current pricing, and how to use a digital file you generated elsewhere.
The photographer-stamp requirement is passport-specific. For visa, PR card, citizenship, and provincial ID photos, the rules are simpler: digital uploads or unsigned prints are typically accepted. The retailers and prices below work for all document types — only the stamp step differs. If you’re printing for a non-passport document, you can skip the “stamp on back” step at the counter (and pay the same price for a faster, simpler print).
Why home printing doesn't work
You can capture the photo at home. You can even print on photo paper at home and the colour will look fine. But IRCC requires the photographer or printing studio to attest to the photo on the back — name, studio address, date stamped or handwritten. Home printers can’t legitimately produce that attribution. The cheapest legitimate path is to capture at home, generate a compliant file with our tool, and print at a lab that stamps the back.
Price Comparison
| Store | Total cost (CAD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Costco Photo Centre | $5–8 | Cheapest. Membership required. |
| Walmart Photo Centre | $10–14 | No membership. Most accessible. |
| Staples Print & Marketing | $15–17 | Office-supply chain, also stamps. |
| Shoppers Drug Mart | $19 | Drugstore convenience, all-in-one. |
| London Drugs (Western Canada) | $19 | BC, AB, SK, MB. Stamps the back. |
| Camera stores (Henry's, etc.) | $15–25 | Quality varies. |
| Photo studio | $25–40 | Most expensive, professional capture. |
Prices are typical 2026 pricing for 2 identical 50×70mm prints. Some stores include taking the photo (their photographer captures it for you); the prices above are for printing a digital file you bring in. Capture-included pricing is usually CAD $5–10 higher.
Walmart Photo Centre — Step by Step
The default choice if you’re not a Costco member.
Generate or have your photo file ready
Use /ca/passport/ to produce a 50×70mm IRCC-compliant JPEG. Save it to a USB drive, your phone, or upload via the Walmart Photo app.
Go to any Walmart Photo Centre
Most Walmarts have a photo counter near electronics. Some smaller stores route through customer service.
Tell the associate: 'I need a Canadian passport photo print, two copies, with your stamp on the back'
Be explicit about the stamp. They handle this regularly but always confirm to avoid a follow-up trip.
Provide the file
USB, SD card, email transfer to the kiosk, or via the Walmart Photo app on your phone.
Wait 30 minutes to 1 hour
Most Walmart locations have on-site printing. The associate stamps the back before handing them over.
Verify the stamp before you leave
Check that each photo has the studio name, address, and date written or stamped on the back. Stick-on labels are not acceptable.
Costco Photo Centre — Step by Step
Cheapest legitimate option if you have a membership.
Confirm your local Costco still has a photo centre
Costco closed all in-store photo centres in the US in 2021. Canadian locations remained open as of 2026 but always confirm — the chain has been gradually reducing photo services.
Bring your file or upload via Costco Photo Centre online
Online uploads at costcophotocenter.ca route to your local store. In-person USB or SD card also works.
Request 'Canadian passport photo, two copies, with stamp on back'
Costco staff are familiar with passport photo requirements and routinely stamp the back.
Pay and pick up — usually 1 hour
Some locations can print in under 30 minutes. The stamp is added before pickup.
Shoppers Drug Mart — All-in-One
If you don’t want to deal with capturing the photo yourself, Shoppers Drug Mart staff will take the photo, print, and stamp the back — all in one visit. The price is higher (CAD $19) but the convenience is real.
Walk into any Shoppers Drug Mart with a photo counter
Most urban locations. Some smaller suburban stores don't have one — call ahead.
Tell the staff: 'Canadian passport photos, please'
They handle hundreds of these. They know the format, the rules, and what to stamp on the back.
They take the photo on-site
Staff position you against a white backdrop, take the shot, and pre-screen for compliance issues (glasses, smile, head size).
Pay and wait ~10 minutes
On-site printing. Total visit usually 15–20 minutes.
London Drugs (Western Canada Only)
Identical service to Shoppers Drug Mart, available in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Same CAD $19 price point. London Drugs photo centres are well-regarded for Canadian passport photo quality.
Staples Print & Marketing
Office-supply chain, available in most cities. Staples photo counters print 50×70mm passport photos for CAD $15–17 and stamp the back. Less common as a default choice but useful if there’s a Staples nearby and no Walmart or drugstore.
Print Quality Tips
Paper size: Most Canadian labs print passport photos on 4×6 inch (10×15cm) photo paper, with the actual 50×70mm photo cropped from a larger sheet. Some stores produce 2 copies on one 4×6 sheet — that’s fine. Our tool generates a 4×6 print sheet by default, designed to match this format.
Glossy or matte? Glossy is standard for Canadian passport photos. Most labs default to glossy. Matte is technically accepted by IRCC but uncommon — when in doubt, use glossy.
DPI / resolution: All retail labs print at 300dpi minimum, which is more than enough for a passport photo. The compliance test is the photo itself (50×70mm, white background, head height 31–36mm) not the resolution.
Don’t trim manually. Let the lab cut the photo to size. Hand-cutting introduces uneven edges that some passport offices flag.
For a side-by-side comparison of all Canadian options including online services and per-store details, see the Canada photo price comparison.
What to Avoid
Self-Serve Kiosks Without Staff
Some pharmacies and big-box stores have unstaffed self-serve photo kiosks (Kodak Apex, Fujifilm). These print the photo but have no mechanism to stamp the back with studio attribution. The output won’t be IRCC-compliant.
Online Mail-Order Photo Services
Most online passport photo services that mail prints don’t include the IRCC-required stamp. Even if they do, the turnaround time (3–7 business days) is much slower than a 1-hour print at a local store.
Home Printing
Even with high-quality photo paper and a good printer, home prints can’t legitimately carry a commercial photographer’s attribution. IRCC has rejected home prints as a category.
What If You’re Outside Canada?
Canadian citizens applying from outside Canada follow the same photo rules — 50×70mm, white background, photographer stamp on the back. The challenge is finding a local photo lab that can produce the 50×70mm format (which is unusual outside Canada) and stamp with their name and address.
In the US: Walmart and Costco US can produce 50×70mm prints on request — most associates can override the default size when you specify the dimensions. Independent photographers and CPAA-certified studios are also viable.
In Europe and Asia: Use a professional photo studio rather than a chain. Most chain photo printers default to local sizes (35×45mm, 4×6 inch) and can’t easily switch. A studio photographer can capture, print, and stamp.
In all cases, the photographer or studio must include their name, complete address, and the date on the back of each photo. Stick-on labels are not accepted.
Source
Photo and print requirements: canada.ca passport photos. All retailer pricing is typical 2026 pricing — confirm with your local store.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the cheapest place to print a Canadian passport photo?
Costco at CAD $5–8 if you're already a member. Without a Costco membership, Walmart at CAD $10–14 is the next cheapest. Both stamp the back with the required photographer information.
Can I print a Canadian passport photo at home?
Your home printer can produce the right size, but IRCC requires the photographer's name, studio address, and date stamped on the back of each photo. Home prints don't have this and are rejected. The print must come from a commercial lab.
Do all Canadian photo labs stamp the back?
Most do, but always confirm before paying. Walmart, Costco, Staples, Shoppers Drug Mart, London Drugs, and most camera stores stamp the back as standard. Self-serve kiosks (the kind where you insert a USB and print without staff interaction) don't — they produce prints with no studio attribution.
Can I bring a digital file to the photo counter?
Yes. Most stores accept JPG files via USB drive, SD card, email, or their app. Some stores' photo apps let you upload directly from your phone. Our tool's output (50×70mm, 300dpi JPEG) prints correctly at any of these stores.
What about CVS or Walgreens — are they OK for Canadians?
Those are US chains and don't operate in Canada. If you're a Canadian applying from the US, you can use Walmart US (which has Canada-format printing on request), Costco US, or any commercial photographer who can produce 50×70mm prints with their stamp on the back. The format is the constraint, not the country.
How long do prints take?
Typically 30 minutes to 1 hour at most stores. Costco and Walmart usually have 1-hour photo service. Some Staples locations offer same-day. If you submit through an app, the store calls or emails when prints are ready.
Why do online photo services that mail prints get rejected?
Even if the photo itself is compliant, mail-order prints arrive without the back-of-photo stamp because the printer (a fulfillment centre) isn't licensed as the photographer of record. IRCC requires the stamp from the entity that physically produced the print. Online services that explicitly include the IRCC stamp are rare and usually expensive.
Generate a 50×70mm File First
Skip to the lab with a ready-to-print file. Our tool produces a compliant Canadian passport photo with white background and the right face height — they just need to print and stamp.
Create My Photo File — $1~CAD $1.40 (~$1 USD). Total cost with print: $6–15 depending on store.