US Diversity Visa (DV lottery) entry photo photo requirements

The Diversity Visa entry form rejects more applicants on the photo than on anything else, because the rule is exact: a JPEG of exactly 600 by 600 pixels, no larger than 240 kilobytes, in 24-bit colour, with the head 50–69 per cent of the image height and the eyes 56–69 per cent of the way up from the bottom, on a white or off-white background, taken in the last six months, no glasses. Every family member listed needs their own compliant photo, and a reused or out-of-date photo disqualifies the entry.

Make and check a US DV lottery photo Free checker; files from A$6.99.

Can I take it myself? Yes

Yes. The State Department expects most entrants to take their own photo and provides a photo tool for cropping; it does not require a photographer. What disqualifies entries is reusing a previous year's photo, glasses, a non-white background and files outside the exact 600×600 pixel and 240 KB limits. This tool exports exactly 600×600 and compresses to under 240 KB, and the checker verifies the head and eye bands on the square.

How to take the photo

1. Use a plain white or off-white wall, stand half a metre from it and face a window. No flash, no shadows.
2. Someone else takes the photo from about 1.2 metres at eye level with head and shoulders in frame; the tool crops the square.
3. Remove glasses, hats and headphones. Religious coverings must show the whole face.
4. Neutral expression or a natural closed-mouth smile, eyes open, looking at the camera.
5. Take a new photo this year for every person on the entry, including children and a spouse, even if they do not intend to travel.
6. Export with the DV preset for each person, and keep the originals; you will need the same photos again if selected.

Why US DV lottery photos get rejected

1. Photo reused from a previous entry. Take a new photo within the last six months; the department compares against prior entries.
2. Not exactly 600×600 or over 240 KB. Use the DV preset here; it is exact.
3. Glasses. Remove them.
4. Background not white or off-white. Retake against a white wall; editing is not allowed.
5. Head too small or eyes too low. Head 50–69 per cent of the height, eyes 56–69 per cent from the bottom; the checker shows both.
6. Family member's photo missing or wrong. Every listed person needs a compliant photo, including a spouse and all children.
7. Shadow across the face. Face the light evenly.

Infants and children

Every child listed on the entry needs their own photo. Babies may have eyes closed and mouth open; lay them on a white sheet and shoot from above with nothing else in frame. Export the 600×600 file for each child separately.

Step by step: Electronic Diversity Visa entry form (E-DV)

1. During the entry period (usually October to early November) open the E-DV form and complete the entrant's details.
2. Upload the 600×600 JPEG for the entrant, then for the spouse and each child in the family section. The form validates size and format and rejects non-compliant files.
3. Submit once only; duplicate entries disqualify. Save the confirmation number to check results in May.

Open Electronic Diversity Visa entry form (E-DV)

What it costs

The DV entry is free and no print is needed. Our Single licence is US$4.99 for one person's file for 30 days; a family entry is better served by the US$8.99 Pass, which covers up to six people's photos.

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