DV lottery photo tool

Diversity Visa (DV lottery) photo requirements

Diversity Visa (DV lottery) photo requirements

Head height (chin to top of head)	50–69% of the photo height
Eyes from the bottom edge	56–69% of the photo height
Background	Plain white or off-white
Expression	Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open
Glasses	Not allowed
Head covering	Only for religious reasons
How recent	Taken in the last 6 months
Digital photo	600 x 600 px, JPEG, up to 240 KB

• A new photo for every entry: the photo from a previous year's entry makes you ineligible
• A manipulated photo can make you ineligible
• A separate photo of each person on the entry (spouse and children too), no group photos
• Color and in focus; no uniform (daily religious clothing is fine), no headphones

Official source: U.S. Department of State — Instructions for the 2026 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV-2026)

The DV photo rules in short

The Diversity Visa program (often called the green card lottery) asks for a digital photo of every person on the entry. The State Department says DV entry photos must meet the same standards as US visa photos, and a photo that does not fully meet them, has been manipulated in any way, or was used in a previous year’s entry can make you ineligible. The file itself must be:

• a JPEG (.jpg) file;
• 240 KB or smaller;
• square, exactly 600 x 600 pixels.

The tool above gives you exactly that file, with your head scaled into the 50–69% window and your eyes in the 56–69% window of the photo composition template. There is no print sheet: DV entries take only the digital photo.

How to take the photo

1. Stand in front of a plain white or off-white wall, a few feet away from it.
2. Face a window or other soft light so both sides of your face are evenly lit.
3. Take off glasses and any hat you do not wear daily for religious reasons, and remove headphones.
4. Ask a helper to hold the phone at your eye level, about 4 feet (1.2 m) away, using the normal camera without filters or portrait mode.
5. Look straight at the camera with a neutral face, eyes open and mouth closed.
6. Upload the photo here, read the check results, and download the JPEG.
7. Repeat for your spouse and each child on the entry.

For a baby or toddler, lay the child on their back on a plain white sheet, or cover a car seat with one, with no other person in the photo and the child’s eyes open.

Why DV photos get entries disqualified

• A reused photo from a previous year’s entry.
• Editing: filters, retouching, or a background changed by software. The tool keeps your real background for this reason and checks that it is plain white or off-white.
• Wrong file: not 600 x 600 pixels, not square, not JPEG, or over 240 KB.
• Head too small or too large, or not centered.
• Glasses, a smile, closed eyes, or a head covering that hides the face.
• Poor quality: blurry, dark, grainy or unevenly lit photos, or a background with shadows or objects.
• Group photos instead of one photo per person.

Entering safely

Only enter on the State Department’s own website, dvprogram.state.gov, during the dates in that year’s official instructions. Up to DV-2026 the entry form was free; the State Department has announced changes to the entry process for DV-2027, so read the new instructions when they are published. Keep your confirmation number: you need it to check whether you were selected. If you are selected, you will need two printed 2 x 2 inch photos for the visa interview; the US visa photo page makes those.

Frequently asked questions

What size is the DV lottery photo?

The entry photo is a digital file, exactly 600 x 600 pixels, square, in JPEG format and no larger than 240 KB. Your head, from the chin to the top of the hair, must fill 50% to 69% of the height, which is 300 to 414 pixels, and your eyes should be 56% to 69% of the height above the bottom edge.

When is the DV-2027 or DV-2028 entry period?

Not announced yet. On November 5, 2025, the State Department said it was changing the entry process and would announce the DV-2027 registration dates as soon as practicable; as of September 30, 2026, no dates are published. The last entry period, for DV-2026, ran from October 2 to November 7, 2024. Only the official instructions set the dates.

Can I use the same photo as last year?

No. Submitting the same photo you used in a previous year's entry makes you ineligible for a Diversity Visa, and so does a photo that has been manipulated or does not meet the rules. Take a new photo for every entry period, and make sure it was taken within the last 6 months.

Do my spouse and children need photos?

Yes. The entry needs a recent photo of you, your spouse and each child included on the entry, one separate photo per person; group or family photos are not accepted. You do not need a photo for a spouse or child who is already a US citizen or permanent resident. Make each photo here, one after another.

Can I scan an old printed photo?

You can scan a photo taken within the last 6 months if it meets every rule. The printed photo must be 2 x 2 inches and scanned at 300 pixels per inch, which gives 600 x 600 pixels. Photos copied from a driver's license or another document are not accepted, so a new phone photo is usually the easier route.

Can I wear glasses or smile?

No glasses. DV photos follow the US visa photo rules, which do not allow eyeglasses, and they ask for a neutral facial expression with both eyes open, so do not smile. A head covering is allowed only if you wear it every day for religious reasons, and it must not hide your face or cast shadows on it.

Is this tool the official DV entry website?

No. The only place to enter is the State Department's Electronic Diversity Visa website, dvprogram.state.gov, during the official entry period. This tool only makes and checks the photo on your own device; it does not submit anything. Nobody can raise your chances of being selected, whatever they charge.

Sources

1. U.S. Department of State — Instructions for the 2026 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV-2026) (opened September 30, 2026)
2. U.S. Department of State — Visa Photo Requirements (Diversity Visa section) (opened September 30, 2026)
3. U.S. Department of State — Photo Composition Template (opened September 30, 2026)
4. U.S. Department of State — Changes to Entry Period for 2027 Diversity Visa (DV) Program (opened September 30, 2026)
5. U.S. Embassy in Argentina — Diversity Visa Program (equal chance with or without a paid intermediary) (opened September 30, 2026)

Last checked: September 30, 2026

passportvisapic.com is not affiliated with any government. The issuing authority makes the final decision on every photo.