United States · DV lottery
DV lottery photo
The entry photo is exactly 600 x 600 pixels, JPEG, no more than 240 kB, taken in the last 6 months — and every person listed on the entry needs their own new photo. Reusing an old entry photo makes you ineligible. Check each one here before you submit.
Requirements verified September 16, 2026 — always confirm with the issuing authorityThe check is free and runs on your device. You pay only if you download the finished file — $4.99, or $6.99 with a 4 × 6 in print sheet.
The exact specification
The same numbers the checker applies — drawn from our United States guide, which lists the official sources it was verified against.
- Printed size
- No print — digital only
- Digital file
- JPEG/JPG · 600 × 600 px exactly · 240 kB max
- Head size
- 50%–69% of the photo height
- Eye line
- 56%–69% up from the bottom
- Background
- Plain white or off-white
- Glasses
- The DV instructions say plainly: do not wear eyeglasses. No medical exception is offered, unlike the US passport rules. Headphones and earbuds are out too.
- Taken within
- the last 6 months
About background editing. A photograph manipulated in any way may make you INELIGIBLE for a Diversity Visa. Background replacement counts. We keep it off for this document and recommend never turning it on.
What the free check covers
We measure
- Head size against the published window
- Eye position, where the authority sets one
- Head tilt and rotation
- Background brightness and evenness
- Sharpness and exposure
Only you can confirm
- Glasses — we can't reliably detect them, so we flag rather than pass
- Expression and mouth position
- Red eye
- Filters, retouching or AI edits made before upload
We are an independent service, not affiliated with any government. The issuing authority always makes the final decision — a pass here means your photo meets the published measurements we can check.
Common questions
The digital image must be a JPEG, 600 x 600 pixels, in a square aspect ratio, and 240 kB or smaller. If you scan an existing print instead, it must be a 2 x 2 inch (51 x 51 mm) photo scanned at 300 pixels per inch.
Keep reading
US Visa and Immigration Photos by Form: 2026 Guide
Which US visa and immigration forms need your photo in 2026: DS-160 uploads, DS-260 prints, DV entries, USCIS forms and biometrics, in one sourced table.
Read the guideRequirementsDV Lottery Family Photos: Who Must Be on the Entry
DV lottery family photos: a separate photo for you, your spouse and every unmarried child under 21, who is exempt, and the omissions that void an entry.
Read the guideRequirementsDV Lottery Photo Rules: Don't Get Disqualified
DV lottery photo rules: a 600x600 JPEG under 240 kB, a separate photo per family member, and the reuse rule that makes an entry ineligible.
Read the guide