DV-2027 planning guide · Sources checked October 17, 2026
DV Lottery 2027: registration dates and photo requirements
Already have a portrait? Check its file format, dimensions and size below without uploading it. If you need a new crop or prepared file, continue to the DV photo studio after checking the instructions for your application.
File checking is free. Studio downloads are paid; review the assessment and price before checkout. Buying a photo does not register you for the lottery.
When does DV-2027 registration open?
On October 14, 2026, a federal court in Red Eagle Law, L.C. v. Rubio (S.D. Cal., No. 3:26-cv-04738) ordered the State Department to:
- publish the DV-2027 registration details by midnight ET on October 29, 2026;
- open registration by midnight ET on November 1, 2026, for a period of 30 days;
- notify selected applicants by midnight ET on December 3, 2026.
These are court deadlines, not the State Department’s announced dates. At our October 17, 2026 check, the official entry instructions had not yet been published. Confirm the exact dates in the official notice before you enter. Reports say the new instructions may add a valid-passport requirement and a $1 entry fee; neither was confirmed in official instructions at our check.
The visa application period for selected DV-2027 applicants remains October 1, 2026–September 30, 2027. That is a separate stage, not the registration window.
Official DV-2027 entry-period notice · Summary of the court order (Fragomen) · State Department issuance guidance
Free file check · No account needed
Check your existing DV photo file
See its actual dimensions, file size and JPEG format before you submit. This check runs in your browser: your selected photo is not uploaded or edited.
Also review the photo itself
File checks do not assess head position, lighting, background, color profile, glasses, recency or digital alteration. Passing these checks is not a government acceptance decision.
- Use a photo taken within the last six months, showing your current appearance.
- Face the camera with both eyes open, a neutral expression and no eyeglasses.
- Use a plain white or off-white background and even lighting without shadows.
- Check head height and eye position against the official composition instructions; do not digitally change your appearance.
This checks the online entry file, not the printed interview photos. The size check uses 1 kB = 1,000 bytes.
State Department DV photo requirements · Current program instructions
Published DV photo rules to use as a preparation baseline
The State Department’s general DV photo page specifies a square 600×600-pixel JPEG, no larger than 240 kB. Those are the file checks this tool performs. They are not confirmation of new DV-2027-specific entry instructions; review the applicable instructions when they are published.
- Use a recent photo reflecting your current appearance; the general instructions specify the last six months.
- Face the camera directly with open eyes and a neutral expression. Review the official rules on glasses and head coverings.
- Use even lighting and a plain white or off-white background without shadows.
- Review head size and positioning manually. A file-size pass cannot establish that your face is framed correctly.
- Do not digitally alter your appearance. Retake a poor original rather than treating a formatted file as proof of acceptance.
Not sure about framing or shadows? Review the DV photo composition examples alongside your original photo.
Registration is expected to run for only 30 days, and the State Department has warned in past years that heavy demand slows the entry website near the deadline. Prepare and check your photo before the window opens.
Published photo requirements · Official program instructions
Photo check, photo preparation and lottery entry are different steps
Does a passing file check mean my entry will be accepted?
No. It establishes only the measured format, dimensions and file size. It cannot verify recency, authenticity, the full composition requirements or applicant eligibility. The receiving authority decides acceptance.
Can this site check whether I won DV-2027?
No. This is a photo tool. Use the official DV entry and Entrant Status Check website for registration and selection results when those services are available. Do not enter your lottery confirmation number into a photo checker.
Why does a DV-2026 guide still appear?
DV-2026 is a previous program cycle: registration took place in 2024, and its ordinary eligibility period ended September 30, 2026. The program year is not the calendar year in which entry opens. Our older DV-2026 guide remains available for historical reference.
For the general photo workflow, use the DV Lottery Photo Checker. Prepare printed interview photos separately from an online entry file.