There are two separate questions here: “Can I make this image?” and “Will the authority accept it?” Good preparation answers the first without pretending to control the second.
Start with the least invasive fix
If the file size is wrong, compress it; if the crop is wrong, recrop it. Retake the portrait only when the source itself cannot meet the requirement.
Keep a copy of the version that failed
When troubleshooting, do not overwrite the previous file immediately. A simple filename such as passport-original.jpg, passport-size-fixed.jpg and passport-upload-version.jpg makes the workflow auditable and prevents accidental loss of the original.
Do the visual check last
After all numeric settings are correct, look at the portrait without the form around it. A clear face, clean background and natural appearance should still be visible at full size.
Do not treat a third-party summary as a substitute for these primary instructions.
Canada shows why application route matters
Canadian passport and visa guidance use different photo specifications and also distinguish between paper and digital workflows. For passport applications, the authority gives a 50 × 70 mm print size and a 31–36 mm face measurement. For the cited temporary-resident-visa specification, the frame and head-size rules are different. The practical lesson is not to copy “Canada photo size” into every Canadian application; identify the exact document first.
Canada also explicitly discusses unaltered originals and professional photographic printing in the relevant passport workflow. That makes source quality and editing boundaries part of compliance, not just aesthetics.
The part worth saving
Keep the working files separate: original capture, clean master and application-ready copy. Naming those three versions prevents accidental reuse of a compressed or incorrectly sized file.
Canadian Passport Photo Rejection Reasons
Use an existing photograph or capture a new one, then prepare the image around the requirement instead of around a generic preset.