OFFICIAL CONSULAR SPECIFICATION● PHOTO REQUIREMENTS GUIDEDiversity Visa (DV) Lottery 2026 Photo Requirements & Checker (600×600px)
Essential photo requirements for the US Diversity Visa (Green Card) Lottery. Avoid automatic digital disqualification by the Electronic Diversity Visa (E-DV) system.
Try the assessment first. Paid downloads include a clean JPEG and print-ready sheet; review the package price before checkout. Follow the receiving authority’s photography instructions.
Organize Diversity Visa images as a set, with one clearly identified original and export for each person. The most avoidable mistake is selecting the wrong file after several similar portraits have been saved. Treat file selection as carefully as taking the photograph.
Who this guide is for
This checklist is for readers preparing images for an entry and keeping them distinct from passport or visa-photo projects. Read the instructions for the relevant entry period before choosing any numeric settings.
Key Biometric Specifications
Preparing the photo
Practical preparation tips; use the linked application instructions for requirements.
- Create a separate folder for each person and record the capture date. Do not rely on a thumbnail to identify family members’ files. Open the full image immediately before selecting it for the application.
- Read the current entry instructions and note the upload format and dimensions. Keep the source beside the export settings. A preset named DV is not evidence that it matches the current form, so compare its output properties yourself.
- Capture with space above the head and around the shoulders. Keep the camera level and use steady, even light. If a crop becomes too tight, return to the original frame rather than stretching a square export to make more space.
- Inspect accessories and anything near the face against the source instructions. Remove objects that are merely there for entertainment during the setup before capture. Check the finished image for a headphone wire or another person at the edge.
- Export once from the original, then inspect the saved result. If the file is too large, change the relevant export setting and make a new copy. Keep the previous attempt labelled so it cannot accidentally be selected as the final upload.
Mandatory Consular Rules
- Image must be square: exactly 600×600 pixels to 1200×1200 pixels at 300 DPI.
- File size must not exceed 240 KB in JPEG/JFIF format.
- Photo must be taken within the last 6 months reflecting current physical appearance.
- Eye height must measure between 56% and 69% (336 to 414 pixels) from the bottom edge.
- No digital retouching, smoothing, background cutout artifacts, or beauty filters allowed.
Troubleshooting the photo
The wrong family member’s image is selected
Generic names and similar thumbnails make it easy to choose an adjacent file in the picker.
Use distinct folders and open the selected image before continuing. Check the preview against the person named on the current application screen.
Top Rejection Pitfalls to Avoid
- Submitting an image larger than 240 KB or non-square dimensions.
- Re-using a photo from a previous year's DV lottery entry (detected automatically by facial recognition).
- Wearing eyeglasses, smart glasses, or headphones.
- Off-center eye line or head size ratio below 50% or above 69%.
Checking a photo for a new DV entry?
This guide describes the historical DV-2026 cycle. Check the applicable current instructions before preparing a new entry.
For a DV online-entry file, check JPEG format, 600×600 dimensions and file size with the free DV photo checker. Use the composition examples to review framing and lighting separately.
United States photo requirements and document options
Digital and printed copies
A photographed print or tiled sheet introduces extra borders and framing. Work from the camera file for a digital-image task, and compare the exported single portrait with the current entry instructions.
Questions about this guide
How can I avoid uploading last year’s image by mistake?
Separate old entry folders from the current work area. Record the new capture date and inspect the actual selected file, rather than trusting the most recently modified timestamp.
Why is a square file still showing the wrong amount of head?
The outer aspect ratio does not determine where the face sits inside it. Recheck the crop against the source’s framing instructions and return to the wider original if necessary.
About this guide
ApprovaVisa editorial team
Requirements come from the linked authority source. Where our summary and the authority differ, follow the authority.
Prepare Your United States Photo
Check the receiving authority’s instructions before preparing a photo. Use professional photography where required, and retain the original image when digital alterations are prohibited.
Try the assessment first. Paid downloads include a clean JPEG and print-ready sheet; review the package price before checkout. Follow the receiving authority’s photography instructions.