DV Lottery Photo Requirements: Size, Head, Eyes and File Size

The DV Lottery photo is not a portrait. It is a technical file that must satisfy a short list of measurements before the entry is even considered. A good-looking photo with the wrong head size, a grey background or a 300 KB file can be rejected before anyone reads the application.

The rules are published by the U.S. Department of State. They are strict because the photo is used for identity checks and facial recognition. This guide explains the current requirements, how to measure them, and the mistakes that cause the most rejections.

The file requirements

The digital image submitted with the entry must be:

• JPEG (.jpg);
• square, with equal width and height;
• 600 × 600 pixels minimum;
• 1200 × 1200 pixels maximum;
• 240 KB maximum;
• in colour, not grayscale;
• recent, taken within the last six months.

A 600 × 600 image is the safest default. It is the minimum size, it keeps the file small, and it is accepted by the entry system. A larger image up to 1200 × 1200 is allowed, but it must still be square and under 240 KB.

Do not rename a PNG to .jpg. The extension is not the format. Use a real JPEG export.

The composition requirements

The photo must show the full face, from the top of the head to the chin, facing the camera directly. The expression should be neutral, with the mouth closed and both eyes open.

The measurements are the part people miss:

• Head height: 50–69 % of the total image height, measured from the top of the head (including hair) to the bottom of the chin.
• Eye height: 56–69 % of the image height, measured from the bottom of the image to the level of the eyes.

On a 600 × 600 image, the head should be roughly 300–414 pixels tall. The eyes should sit about 336–414 pixels above the bottom edge. That is a narrow band; a close-up portrait or a distant full-body shot will fail.

The head should be centred. There should be some space above the hair and below the chin, but not so much that the head becomes too small.

Background, light and expression

The background must be plain white or off-white. A cream wall, a grey door, a bookshelf or a street scene is not acceptable. Shadows on the background are a common reason for rejection.

The light should be even across the face. A window behind the person creates a silhouette; a ceiling light directly above creates shadows under the eyes and nose. Stand facing a window or use a soft light in front of you.

The expression should be neutral. Do not smile, frown, tilt your head or look away. Keep your eyes open and your mouth closed. Remove glasses; the official rules do not allow them except for a documented medical exception.

Head coverings are allowed for religious or medical reasons if the face is fully visible. Uniforms are not allowed, except religious dress. Remove headphones, large earrings and anything that distracts from the face.

What not to do

Do not use a selfie. The photo must be taken by someone else. A selfie often has a distorted arm angle, a tilted head or a phone in the frame.

Do not use filters, beauty modes, red-eye correction or heavy retouching. Do not change the shape of the face, remove a mole or alter the skin. The photo must match you at the interview.

Do not scan a printed photo if you can use a digital original. A scan adds noise, colour shifts and a border. If you must scan, use 300 DPI and check the result carefully.

Do not crop a group photo. The resolution around one face will be too low, and other people or objects may remain in the frame.

How to measure the head and eyes

The easiest way is to use a photo tool that overlays the DV ranges on a square canvas. Align the top of the head, the chin and the eye line with the guides, then export at 600 × 600.

If you measure manually, open the image in an editor that shows pixel coordinates. Note the top of the hair, the bottom of the chin and the eye line. Divide the head height by the image height; it should be between 0.50 and 0.69. Divide the eye height from the bottom by the image height; it should be between 0.56 and 0.69.

Do not trust the thumbnail. A face that looks centred in a small preview can be outside the range at full size. Check the numbers, not the impression.

How to take the photo with a phone

Use the rear camera, not the front camera. Ask someone to take the photo, or use a tripod and a timer. Stand about an arm’s length from a plain white wall.

Put the light in front of you, not behind. Avoid direct flash; it creates a hard shadow and red eye. A cloudy day near a window often gives the most even light.

Hold the phone at eye level. A photo from below distorts the chin; a photo from above enlarges the forehead. Keep your head straight and your shoulders relaxed.

Take several photos and choose the one where the face is sharp, the background is clean and the expression is neutral. Do not choose the most flattering photo if it breaks the rules.

Digital versus print

The DV entry uses a digital image. If you are selected, the consulate will ask for printed photos for the interview, usually two 2 × 2 inch (51 × 51 mm) photos on photo paper. The print must match the digital image and meet the embassy’s instructions.

A print sheet with four 2 × 2 inch photos is useful for the interview. Print at 100 % on photo paper, not “fit to page”. Cut carefully and keep the sheet clean.

The most common rejections

• File is a PNG or a screenshot renamed to JPG.
• Image is not square.
• File is over 240 KB.
• Head is too large or too small.
• Eyes are outside the 56–69 % band.
• Background is grey, cream or patterned.
• Shadow behind the head.
• Glasses, smile or open mouth.
• Photo is a selfie or has a phone in the frame.
• Photo is old or heavily retouched.
• Border, staple or handwriting on the image.

Most of these are fixable before submission. The expensive ones are the old photo and the wrong proportions, because they may only be discovered after selection.

Check before you submit

Open the file and check the format, dimensions and size. Look at the head and eye ratios. Check the background at 100 %, not in a thumbnail. Confirm that the photo is recent and looks like you.

Use the DV Lottery Photo tool to set the 600 × 600 frame and the visual guides, then verify the measurements. The tool checks the background lightness and exports a JPEG under 240 KB, but the final decision belongs to the official entry system and the consulate.

Read the official instructions on travel.state.gov and submit only through dvprogram.state.gov. The entry is free. Be careful with sites that charge for a “guaranteed” DV photo or entry.

What the entry system checks

The entry system validates the file format and size before accepting the upload. It may also reject an image that does not meet the pixel range or the square ratio. It is not a full aesthetic judge; a photo can pass the upload and still be refused later if the composition is wrong.

That is why the measurements matter. The upload validation catches an obvious file problem, but it does not know whether the head is 45 % of the height or whether the background is a grey wall. You have to check those yourself.

If you are selected

Selection is not a visa. You will be asked to complete a visa application, pay the fee, attend an interview and provide documents. The photo is part of the identity check.

For the interview, follow the embassy’s instructions for printed photos. Take two 2 × 2 inch photos on photo paper, with the same image as the entry. Do not print them on ordinary paper, do not laminate them and do not staple them to the form.

If the consulate says the photo does not match or does not meet the rules, ask what they require. Do not submit a second DV entry to “fix” the photo; duplicate entries can disqualify you. The entry period is closed after submission, and the official system does not allow you to edit the photo.

A practical checklist

• Format: JPEG, not PNG or a renamed file.
• Shape: square.
• Size: 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 px.
• Weight: 240 KB or less.
• Background: plain white or off-white.
• Head: 50–69 % of the height.
• Eyes: 56–69 % from the bottom.
• Face: front, neutral, mouth closed, eyes open.
• Glasses: removed, unless documented medical exception.
• Head covering: only religious or medical, face visible.
• Photo: recent, sharp, no filter, no border.
• Photographer: someone else, not a selfie.
• Official instructions: checked on travel.state.gov.

If one line fails, fix it before submitting. A few minutes of checking is cheaper than an entry that is thrown out.

Tools mentioned

• DV Lottery Photo
• Passport Photo
• Resize Image
• OpenToola Guides