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Transcript: “Tips for taking passport photos of babies”

Video length: 1:52 minutes

An animated blue sky background appears with a few clouds and a small depiction of a Canadian passport.

Narrator: It can be challenging to take a good passport photo of a baby.

Two photos of the same baby displays, one has a green checkmark and the other has a red X in the upper right hand corner.

Here are some important tips:

Photos disappear and are replaced by a light bulb. The background changes to a simple two colour pattern. “The position” appears as text along with an animated stool.

Narrator: You may sit the baby on a plain white sheet in a baby chair

Background changes to white and a man places a baby into a baby chair.

Narrator: OR Place a plain white sheet on the floor and lay the baby down on top of it.

A woman then places another baby onto a white sheet on the floor.

Simple two colour background with the text “The Face” and an illustrated face silhouette appears.

Narrator: The baby’s entire face must be visible and square to the camera, not tilted.

Background changes to white with a baby seated in a baby chair. A rectangular frame is drawn around the baby’s face and upper body with a quartered circle framing the face.

Narrator: The baby’s eyes must be open.

The baby’s eyes are brought to the forefront and the eyes are highlighted with green circles.

Narrator: The mouth should be closed. However, with newborns, there is some flexibility.

The baby’s mouth is then brought to the forefront and the mouth is highlighted with green circles.

Narrator: If necessary, place your hand on the baby’s back under the clothing, and hold the head with three fingers.

A woman then puts her hand under the back of the baby’s shirt and is holding the head with three fingers.

Narrator: Make sure the hand is not visible in the photo.

A photo of the baby’s upper body and face is brought to the foreground. A red circle shows the woman’s hand behind and to the right of the baby’s head.

Narrator: Make sure there are no shadows on the baby’s face, shoulders, ears or in the background.

Background changes to a blue sky with a few clouds. A photo of a baby appears. The photo shows various shadows.

Narrator: Photos are valid for six months from the date they were taken.

A diagram depicting a person’s head neck and shoulder is shown. Two face types are represented: round and oval. There is a dotted line under the chin and a dotted line at the top of each face type’s head.

There is an arrow on the left connecting the dotted lines of the round face type, and an arrow on the right connecting the dotted lines of the oval face type.

The text “Valid for 6 months” appears on the screen.

Narrator: We recommend that you call ahead of time to make sure that the photographer has experience taking passport photos of babies. If you do not think that the photo meets all of the requirements, ask the photographer to take another photo.

The photo disappears and an animation of a cell phone takes its place. A depiction of a photographer appears in the phone’s display screen. A photo of a baby replaces the phone and is surrounded by question marks.

Narrator: For more information on photos for Canadian passports, please visit our website.

The text “Canada.ca/passport” appears.

Background fades to black, the copyright message “Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, 2015.” is displayed followed by the Canada wordmark.