US DV Lottery (Green Card) photo 2026: requirements, 2×2 inch size

To apply for the DV Lottery (US Green Card) on the dvprogram.state.gov website, you need a square 2×2 inch (51×51 mm) photo in JPEG format, sized 600×600–1200×1200 pixels and a file up to 240 KB. The background must be white or off-white, the facial expression neutral, with no glasses, and the shot taken no earlier than the last 6 months. If the photo does not meet these parameters, the automatic validator on the site will reject the upload and the application will not be registered.

Photo requirements

Where to apply

The photo is uploaded directly into the DV electronic application form on the official dvprogram.state.gov website. The same photo in terms of quality and composition is also used for US visa photos (for example, for the DS-160 form). A printed photo is also accepted in the 2×2 inch (51×51 mm) size.

Why photos are rejected

The system automatically checks the upload and does not accept a photo if:

• the size is not square or not 600×600–1200×1200 px;
• the file is larger than 240 KB or not in JPEG format;
• the background is dark, coloured, with shadows or a pattern;
• you are wearing glasses, smiling or have turned your head away;
• the head is too large or too small in the frame;
• the photo is older than 6 months, scanned from a document, or altered with an editor/AI.

How to prepare your photo

1. Take a front-on shot in even lighting against a light wall.
2. Remove your glasses, keep a neutral expression, and look straight into the camera.
3. Crop the photo to a 2×2 inch square so that the head takes up 50%–69% of the height.
4. Save it as a JPEG up to 240 KB at a resolution of at least 600×600 px.
5. Upload it into the form at dvprogram.state.gov and check that the validator has accepted the file.