verifiedCompliance validator

DV Lottery Photo Checker

The US Diversity Visa (DV) Green Card Lottery rejects thousands of applications every year due to non-compliant photos. Your photo must be exactly 600x600 pixels, under 240KB, in JPEG format, with a plain white background and your head occupying 50-69% of the frame. Upload your photo to instantly verify all requirements before submitting your DV Lottery entry.

Dimensions

600 x 600 px

Max file size

240 KB

Format

JPEG

Background

White

cloud_upload

Drop your photo here

Files are processed entirely in your browser for maximum privacy. No uploads.

Select File

target

600x600 + 240KB preset

Pre-filled with DV Lottery dimensions and file size limit.

crop

Photo cropper

Crop a portrait or selfie to a perfect 1:1 square frame.

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Green Card resizer

Full USCIS Green Card photo tool for I-485 and DS-260.

Official DV Lottery photo requirements (US Dept. of State)

Dimensions

600 x 600 px (2 x 2 inches at 300 DPI)

Aspect ratio

1:1 (perfect square - mandatory)

Max file size

240 KB

Format

JPEG (.jpg or .jpeg only)

Color depth

24-bit sRGB color

Background

Plain white or off-white (no patterns, no shadows)

Head height

50% to 69% of total image height

Eye position

Eyes between 56% and 69% from bottom of photo

Glasses

Not allowed (must remove before photo)

Recency

Must be taken within the last 6 months

How it works

Take a compliant photo

Stand against a plain white wall. Remove glasses. Face the camera directly with a neutral expression. Use natural lighting - no harsh flash. Your head should fill 50-69% of the frame height.

Upload and auto-validate

The tool checks your photo's pixel dimensions (must be 600x600), file format (must be JPEG), file size (must be under 240KB), and flags any issues.

Fix issues and re-export

If your photo fails any check, use the compressor to resize to 600x600 px and compress under 240KB. Download the corrected file and use it for your DV Lottery submission at dvprogram.state.gov.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if my DV Lottery photo does not meet the requirements?

Your entire DV Lottery entry will be disqualified. The US Department of State uses automated photo validation software that instantly rejects entries with incorrect dimensions, oversized files, or non-JPEG formats. There is no appeal process - you must submit a new entry with a compliant photo.

Can I use the same photo for the DV Lottery and a US visa application?

Yes, both use identical specifications: 600x600 px, JPEG, under 240KB, white background. A photo that passes DV Lottery validation will also work for DS-160 and DS-260 applications.

Can I smile in my DV Lottery photo?

A neutral facial expression is strongly recommended. The automated validation software checks for open eyes and forward-facing head position. While a natural smile is technically allowed, an exaggerated smile may cause the software to reject the photo.

What is the DV Lottery registration period?

The DV Lottery (also called the Green Card Lottery) registration typically opens in early October and closes in early November each year. The exact dates are announced by the US Department of State at dvprogram.state.gov.

Can I wear religious head coverings?

Yes. Religious head coverings are permitted if they do not cover or cast a shadow on any part of your face from forehead to chin and from ear to ear.

Bharat Kumar G.verified

Technical SEO & Document Processing Expert

Bharat is the founder of ReadyToSubmit. With years of experience in technical web development, he builds privacy-first, client-side tools to help Indian government exam aspirants format their applications accurately and securely without server uploads.

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