Quick answer: A USA green card lottery (DV) photo must be 51 × 51 mm with white or off-white background. Head occupies 50–69% of photo height. Neutral expression, see glasses rule. Last verified .
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| Format | 51 × 51 mmICAO 9303: 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 50–69% of photo heightICAO 9303: 70–80% |
| Background | White or off-white background. |
| Pose | Strictly full face, face centred, no tilt. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | USCIS does not accept glasses, apart from rare medical cases confirmed by documents; under the 2016 rule a photo the applicant submits in glasses is rejected. See full rules → |
| Lighting | Shadows and reflections not permitted. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| Attire | Neutral everyday clothing. |
| Digital resolution | 600 × 600 px |
| File format | JPEG · sRGB / 24-bit |
| File size | Check the authority portal before upload |
| 10 × 15 cm · 4×6″ | 4 (2 × 2) |
|---|---|
| A4 · 21 × 29.7 cm | 20 (4 × 5) |
Print at 100% scale, borderless, and turn off fit-to-page so each photo keeps its exact size.
US Diversity Visa Lottery (DV / Green Card Lottery) photos are administered by the US Department of State via dvprogram.state.gov. The format is 2×2 inches (51×51mm SQUARE) with the head filling 50-69% of the image height.
Digital file: JPEG, SQUARE aspect ratio mandatory, 600×600 pixels, file size ≤240KB (very strict). Background plain white or off-white. No glasses, no hats (except religious), neutral expression, taken within 6 months.
BEWARE THE SILENT DISQUALIFICATION: the entry form accepting your file does not mean the photo passed — problems surface only at review, and per the official instructions a manipulated photo may make you ineligible, while re-using the photo from a prior year's entry WILL make you ineligible. The State Department also tells applicants not to change photos using computer software, phone apps or filters, or artificial intelligence — that covers beauty filters, skin smoothing and AI background replacement — so switch off your camera's auto-enhancement.
PROGRAM STATUS: DV visa issuance has been paused since December 23, 2025 pending a vetting review, and registration for the next cycle (DV-2027) has not opened — the Department says it will announce the start date, and the DV-2027 visa application period remains October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027. New rules effective April 10, 2026: a $1 registration fee (no waivers), a scan of the passport biographic page uploaded with the entry (JPEG only, max 5 MB, no PDF), and immigrant-visa interviews scheduled in the applicant's country of residence (or nationality on request).
| Authority | U.S. Department of State |
|---|---|
| Source | U.S. Department of State DV photo rules |
| Verified | |
| Confidence | Official — exact |
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for USA green card lottery (DV) applications. The final decision always belongs to U.S. Department of State, but these are the differences that most often determine whether a document photo is accepted.
Upload a portrait — the tool crops, removes the background and checks compliance against the 51 × 51 mm rule automatically.
Stand 1–2 metres from a plain, light-coloured wall — match White or off-white background. The gap eliminates shadow on the wall behind you. Consular automated pre-screening rejects photos with patterned wallpaper or any background colour gradient.
Face a large window during daylight hours. Even frontal light prevents shadow under the brow ridge and beside the nose — two of the most common rejection triggers for consular visa applications.
Look straight at the camera. Keep your head level and centred in the frame. Even a 3–5° tilt is flagged by the consular ICAO alignment check before a human reviewer sees the application.
Both shoulders square to the camera. Visa photos are biometrically checked against the same reference standard as passports — turned shoulders shift the perceived face centre.
USCIS does not accept glasses, apart from rare medical cases confirmed by documents; under the 2016 rule a photo the applicant submits in glasses is rejected For visa photos, consular pre-screening is particularly strict on glasses glare. If you must wear glasses for medical reasons, document this in your application.
Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes fully open and looking directly at the lens. No smile, no raised eyebrows, no parted lips. Match the expression of someone sitting for an official photograph, not a friendly portrait.
Deep solid colours photograph cleanest against a light background. Avoid white tops (they merge with the background), uniforms, religious headwear except where permanent and documented, and any large jewellery near the face or neck.
Verify the photo dimensions match 51 × 51 mm, the head occupies 50–69% of the height, both eyes are clearly visible, and the background matches the rule above. The tool catches most issues automatically but a manual check prevents surprises.
U.S. Department of State publishes the following rejection codes. Knowing the exact code on your notice tells you precisely what to fix in the reshoot.
| Code | Reason | Fix |
|---|---|---|
US-DV-01 |
Digital file over 240KB | Re-encode at lower quality (DV strict limit) |
US-DV-02 |
Aspect ratio not square | Re-crop to 1:1 square |
US-DV-03 |
Pixel dimensions not exactly 600×600 | Crop and resize to exactly 600×600 px |
US-DV-04 |
Auto-scan failure (head position, background, contrast) | Re-shoot and re-submit — auto-scan is unforgiving |
US-DV-05 |
Photo older than 6 months | Re-shoot |
White or off-white background is required. Consular pre-screening systems are strict on background — even minor texture, gradient or off-white tone is grounds for immediate rejection before a human reviewer sees the application.
Visa authorities typically require photos taken within the last three to six months. Reused passport photos are a frequent rejection cause, especially for first-time visa applications.
Each visa type has specific dimensions. Submitting a passport-sized photo for a visa that requires different proportions is grounds for rejection. Verify the spec table above matches the visa category you are applying for.
The face must be centred horizontally and vertically with the head straight. Consular automated systems flag head tilt above 3–5 degrees before manual review.
Glasses glare, hair across the eye, head covering that obscures the facial outline (except for documented religious exception), or any accessory near the face is rejected by automated pre-screening.
Smile, raised eyebrows, parted lips or visible teeth all cause rejection. Consular photos use the same biometric standard as passports — neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open.
If submitting a physical photo, low-quality home printing, glossy paper instead of matte, ink streaks or finger smudges around the edges all cause manual rejection at the consular submission stage.
Not with the Philippines as your country of eligibility. The Philippines is on the official ineligible list (DV-2026) because more than 50,000 natives immigrated to the United States in the previous five years. Two exceptions exist: you may claim your spouse's country of birth if it is eligible (you must both be named on the entry and enter the US together), or a parent's country of birth if neither of your parents was born in or legally resident in the Philippines at the time of your birth. If neither applies, the DV route is closed — for other US visa types you would follow the standard US visa photo requirements instead.
No date has been announced. The State Department deferred the DV-2027 registration period and says it will announce the start date as soon as practicable; the DV-2027 visa application period itself remains October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027. Separately, DV visa issuance has been paused since December 23, 2025 while vetting procedures are reviewed. When registration opens, expect the rules in force since April 10, 2026: a $1 registration fee and a mandatory scan of your passport's biographic page (JPEG only, maximum 5 MB).
No. The State Department tells applicants not to change photos using computer software, phone apps or filters, or artificial intelligence, and visa photos must not be digitally enhanced or altered to change your appearance in any way. That covers beauty filters, skin smoothing and AI background replacement. Turn off your phone camera's automatic enhancement before shooting, and stand in front of a real plain background rather than replacing it digitally. A manipulated photo may make your entry ineligible.
The USA green card lottery (DV) photo must be 51 × 51 mm. The head must occupy 50–69% of the photo height. Many consulates also require a specific digital file size — see the spec table above for full details.
White or off-white background. The background must be evenly lit with no shadow gradients, especially around the head. Consular automated pre-screening rejects photos with any wall texture or off-white shade before the human reviewer ever sees the application.
Visa authorities typically require the photo to be taken within the last three to six months. Submitting an older photo, even one that looks similar to your current appearance, is a frequent cause of immediate consular rejection.
Not always. Tourist, work, student and transit visa categories sometimes specify different dimensions or background rules. Use the exact profile for your specific visa type rather than assuming one photo fits all USA visa applications.
Anfas.Pro provides a 14-day full refund if the photo is the cause of rejection and you supply the consular rejection notice. We recommend keeping the consular receipt with rejection reason as proof.
USCIS does not accept glasses, apart from rare medical cases confirmed by documents; under the 2016 rule a photo the applicant submits in glasses is rejected. Consular automated checks flag glasses glare even when it is invisible to the human eye. Removing glasses entirely is the safest choice unless a medical exception is documented in your visa application.
Anfas.Pro is an independent tool and is not affiliated with any government authority. The final decision to accept or reject a document photo rests solely with the issuing authority. Requirements change — always verify on the official authority portal before submitting.