DV Lottery photo requirements, explained

The photo is the part of a Diversity Visa entry that most often goes wrong. The rules themselves are short; the trouble is that the entry form only checks the file, not the picture, so a non-compliant photo can be accepted at upload and disqualify the entry later. This page lists the official rules in plain words, the mistakes that most often cause rejection, and a simple way to take an acceptable photo at home.

The official rules

1. File: JPEG (.jpg), 240 kB or smaller, in color.
2. Shape and size: perfectly square, at least 600×600 and at most 1200×1200 pixels.
3. Head height: from the bottom of the chin to the top of the hair, 50–69% of the image height.
4. Eye position: the eyes sit 56–69% of the way up from the bottom edge.
5. Taken within the last 6 months, showing how you look now.
6. Plain white or off-white background, no shadows, patterns or objects.
7. Facing the camera directly, head upright, eyes open, neutral expression, mouth closed.
8. No glasses (since 2016), no hats or head coverings except religious ones that leave the whole face visible, no uniforms.
9. One photo per person: you, your spouse and each unmarried child under 21, each one separate.

Mistakes that get entries rejected

• A rectangular phone photo uploaded without cropping to a square.
• Head too small (a full-body or waist-up photo) or too large (face filling the frame).
• A wall that is cream, grey or blue instead of white, or a white wall with a visible shadow behind the head.
• Smiling, raised eyebrows, tilted head or looking slightly to one side.
• Glasses, even clear ones.
• A photo scanned from an old passport or taken more than 6 months ago.
• Heavy filters, beauty mode, retouching or a removed background. Only cropping and resizing are allowed.
• A file over 240 kB, or a PNG/HEIC instead of JPEG.

How to take it at home with a phone

1. Stand about 1.5 m from a plain white wall, in daylight coming from in front of you (face a window). Avoid lamps from one side; they cast shadows.
2. Ask someone to hold the phone at your eye level, 1.5–2 m away. Do not use the selfie camera and do not zoom.
3. Leave space: shoulders in the frame and empty wall above your head. The tool crops it afterwards; it cannot add space that is not there.
4. Take off glasses and hats, keep hair off the face, look straight into the lens, relax your face, close your mouth.
5. Take several shots. Pick the sharpest one and run it through the checker below; it crops to the exact head and eye proportions and compresses to under 240 kB without changing anything else.

Frequently asked questions

Can I take the photo myself with a phone?

Yes. The State Department does not require a studio photo. The requirements are about the result: size, framing, background and expression. A phone photo taken in good light against a white wall is acceptable once it is cropped correctly.

Does the photo have to be exactly 600×600?

The official pages state both "600×600 pixels" and "between 600×600 and 1200×1200". A 600×600 JPEG satisfies both statements, which is why this tool outputs 600×600.

Can I use a photo from my passport or a previous entry?

Only if it was taken within the last 6 months and still looks like you. Reusing an old photo is a stated reason for disqualification.

Are glasses allowed?

No. Since November 2016 glasses are not allowed in U.S. visa photos, including DV entries.

My child will not keep a neutral face. What now?

Children must meet the same rules, with some tolerance for infants. Try a well-lit white wall, several quick shots, and pick the calmest one. Nobody else may appear in the frame, not even a hand.

Does this tool send my photo anywhere?

No. Everything runs in your browser; the photo never leaves your device.

Check your photo now

This page is an independent guide and is not affiliated with the U.S. government. The official entry is made only at dvprogram.state.gov, free of charge, and the official photo rules are at travel.state.gov.