Photo Rules
The U.S. Department of State has strict requirements for DV Lottery photos. Photos that do not meet these rules will result in automatic disqualification.
Your photo must be a perfect square — exactly 600 x 600 pixels. Non-square images or photos with incorrect dimensions will be rejected automatically by the system.
The background must be white or off-white. No patterns, furniture, shadows, or other people may be visible behind you. A solid, light-colored wall works best.
The photo must have been taken within the last 6 months. If your appearance has changed significantly (new glasses, weight change, different hairstyle), you need a new photo.
Digital filters, retouching, beauty mode, or any form of image manipulation is not allowed. The photo must represent your natural, current appearance with no alterations.
Specifications
Your DV Lottery photo must meet these exact technical specifications:
The image must be exactly 600 pixels wide by 600 pixels tall. Lower resolution photos will appear blurry and be rejected. Higher resolution photos must be resized to exactly 600 x 600.
The photo must be in JPEG format. Other formats like PNG, BMP, TIFF, or HEIC will not be accepted. Make sure your file ends in .jpg or .jpeg.
The photo file must not exceed 240 kilobytes. If your file is too large, reduce the quality slightly or resize. Do not compress so much that the image becomes blurry or pixelated.
Common Mistakes
These are the most frequent photo errors that lead to DV Lottery disqualification:
Using a colored, patterned, or busy background instead of plain white or off-white. Even light gray or cream backgrounds may be rejected if they don't meet the standard.
Visible shadows on your face, behind your head, or on the background wall. Use even, front-facing lighting to eliminate shadows completely.
The head must occupy 50-69% of the image height. If your head is cropped at the top or appears too small in the frame, the photo will be rejected.
Any digital alteration — beauty filters, skin smoothing, red-eye correction, or color adjustments — will result in disqualification. Use the original, unedited photo.
Positioning
Follow these positioning and framing rules to ensure your photo meets the official requirements:
Your head must be centered in the frame and facing directly forward. Do not tilt, turn, or angle your head. Both ears should be visible.
Your eyes should be between 56% and 69% of the image height measured from the bottom. This means your eyes should be roughly in the upper half of the photo.
Your head (from chin to top of hair) should occupy between 50% and 69% of the total image height. Not too close, not too far from the camera.
Maintain a natural, neutral expression with your mouth closed. A slight, natural smile is acceptable, but avoid exaggerated expressions, frowns, or open mouth.
Remove glasses (even clear prescription glasses), hats, headphones, and any items that obscure your face. Religious head coverings are the only exception, but your full face must remain visible.
Frequently Asked Questions