head 50–69 %no glasses
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceU.S. Department of State
Verified
Quick answer: A USA DV lottery photo must be 51 × 51 mm. White or off-white background. Head occupies 50–69% of photo height. Neutral expression, glasses prohibited. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 51 × 51 mmICAO 9303: 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 50–69% of photo heightICAO 9303: 70–80% |
| Background | White or off-white background. Make photo background white — USA DV lottery → |
| 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 | max 240 KB Compress photo to 200 KB — USA DV lottery → |
| Millimetres | 51 × 51 mm |
|---|---|
| Centimetres | 5.1 × 5.1 cm |
| Inches | 2 × 2″ |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | 602 × 602 px |
| Pixels at 600 dpi | 1205 × 1205 px |
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.
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).
Examples and mistakes
A photo that will be accepted, next to the six most common reasons USA DV lottery photos get rejected.
Common reasons a document photo is rejected, checked against the requirements U.S. Department of State publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Digital file over 240KB | Re-encode at lower quality (DV strict limit) |
| Aspect ratio not square | Re-crop to 1:1 square |
| Pixel dimensions not exactly 600×600 | Crop and resize to exactly 600×600 px |
| Auto-scan failure (head position, background, contrast) | Re-shoot and re-submit — auto-scan is unforgiving |
| Photo older than 6 months | Re-shoot |
How to take it
Background: white or off-white
The tool puts in the required background. Stand half a metre from a plain light wall, face a window and shoot without flash — then there are no shadows on your face or on the wall.
Head: 50–69 % of the photo height
Camera at eye level, about a metre away; head and shoulders in the shot. The tool crops it to 51 × 51 mm.
Glasses prohibited
Take them off before the shot.
Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open
Look straight into the lens with your head level; keep hair away from your eyes and eyebrows.
An ordinary selfie will do: we fix the background, light and framing ourselves — to this document's rules. The preview is free.
Head straightHold the phone at eye level and your head straightens by itself.
Face uncoveredMove your hair away so your eyes and eyebrows show.
No glassesTake your glasses off — this document's rules require it.Printing and submission
| 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.
| Authority | U.S. Department of State |
|---|---|
| Source | U.S. Department of State DV photo rules |
| Verified |
Questions
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).
The USA DV lottery photo must be 51 × 51 mm. The head must occupy 50–69% of the photo height. For digital upload, use 600 × 600 px.
White or off-white background. The wall should be evenly lit, with no shadow around the head and no pattern. You don’t need a studio backdrop: the tool sets the right background colour.
Consulates usually ask for a photo taken within the last six months, sometimes within three. Take a new one that looks like you today.
Often yes, but not always: tourist, student, work and transit visas can have different size or background rules. Compare the requirements of each USA visa — if they match, one photo will do.
We refund the payment in full. Email us within 14 days of purchase with your order number and the consulate’s rejection notice.
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.
51 × 51 mm = 5.1 × 5.1 cm = 2 × 2 inches. At 300 dpi that is 602 × 602 pixels; at 600 dpi, 1205 × 1205 pixels.
Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. The face must stay fully visible from chin to forehead and on both sides, with no shadow across it.