Green card lottery (e-DV) entry

DV Lottery Photo

The 600 x 600 photo for your green card lottery entry

Every person on the entry needs a new 600 x 600 photo, 240 KB or less, on white with no glasses. One bad photo can disqualify the entry, so we check yours before you pay.

  • Every requirementverified before you pay
  • Exactly 600 x 600JPEG under 240 KB
  • Free retakesuntil every check passes

Your photo is deleted 30 days after delivery and never used to train AI.

A smiling woman holding up her printed DV lottery entry confirmation with her photo on it, beside a before and after of her photo and a US flag
A finished DV lottery photo of a man on a plain white background, with its measurements marked 600 pxsquare 600 pxsquare 50 to 69%of the photoHead heightchin to top of head
Head height is measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head.

Photo requirements

DV Lottery Photo Size and Requirements

The entry form needs one exact file: square, exactly 600 x 600 pixels, JPEG, 240 KB or less.

SizeExactly 600 x 600 px, square
FileJPEG, 240 KB or less, in color
Head height50 to 69% of the photo, chin to top of head
Eye height56 to 69% of the photo, measured from the bottom
BackgroundPlain white or off white
Taken withinThe last 6 months
GlassesNone
New every entryA photo from an earlier entry makes you ineligible
FamilyOne photo for each person on the entry

Sources: Diversity Visa instructions, travel.state.gov and Photo Requirements, travel.state.gov. Enter only on dvprogram.state.gov.

How it works

Your DV lottery photo in 3 steps

Guided by the camera, measured by the software, checked before you pay.

  1. Take or upload a photo

    The camera guides you on distance, tilt and light while you line it up. Or upload a recent photo.

  2. We crop it and check it

    The AI makes the exact 600 x 600 file, sizes your head, sets a plain white background and checks every requirement.

  3. Upload it

    The file is in your inbox within minutes, as soon as the final automated check passes. Upload it in the e-DV entry form, and make one photo for each person on your entry.

Get your DV lottery photo
The same woman before and after: half in her living room, half on a plain white photo background
  • Exactly 600 x 600 px
  • Under 240 KB
  • Head height in range
  • Plain white background
  • No glasses, eyes open
  • Ready to upload

Three tips before you take the photo

Get these three right and the software handles the rest.

  • A man holding a phone at arm's length, with the distance to his face marked 16 to 20 inches

    Distance From The Camera

    Take the photo 16 to 20 inches, or 40 to 50 cm, from your face.

  • Two photos of a man side by side, one facing the camera squarely and one turned away 16 to 20 inches

    Face The Camera

    Hold the camera at face height. Keep your head straight and your expression neutral.

  • Two photos of a man side by side, one lit evenly by a window and one with a hard shadow 16 to 20 inches

    Ensure Even Lighting

    Stand facing a light source, such as a window. Don't worry about the background.

Why customers choose PassportPhotos

Fast, guided, and backed by our acceptance guarantee.

  • Three minutes of your time

    Take the photo, watch the initial check pass, pay once. No account, no appointment, no line at a counter.

    A woman taking a selfie at home in front of a pale teal shape
  • Guided, then checked

    The camera guides you while you take it. Software does the crop, the background and the measurements, then verifies the result against the official requirements before you pay.

    A hand holding a phone showing the photo passing every check
  • Retake free until it passes

    If a check fails, take it again at no cost. You pay only once your photo has passed.

    A man giving a thumbs up beside his finished photo
    A finished passport photo beside a shield, with a man giving a thumbs up
Photo requirements

What the DV lottery photo needs, in plain words

The DV photo uses the US visa standard, with an exact file size and one extra point: it has to be new.

  • Size

    Exactly 600 x 600 pixels, square, in color, head 50 to 69% of the photo.

  • Background

    Plain white or off white, no shadows or pattern.

  • A New Photo

    Taken in the last 6 months, and never one you used in an earlier year's entry.

  • Pose And Expression

    Face the camera, neutral expression, both eyes open, mouth closed.

  • Glasses And Coverings

    No glasses. No hat or head covering unless worn daily for religious reasons, with the full face visible.

  • Everyone On The Entry

    Your spouse and every unmarried child under 21 need their own photo, one person per photo, unless they are already a US citizen or green card holder.

The software measures the size, the background, the pose, the expression, glasses and the light before you pay. It cannot see when the photo was taken, so take a new one for your application.

Before you enter

What to know before you enter

The entry is short and strict. Have every photo ready before the entry period opens.

  • The Entry Form

    The e-DV entry on dvprogram.state.gov, during the entry period the State Department announces.

  • A Short Window

    The State Department has not announced the DV-2027 dates yet. Have your photos ready before it opens.

  • Your Family

    One photo for you, your spouse and each unmarried child under 21, unless they are already a US citizen or green card holder.

  • Official Site Only

    Enter only on dvprogram.state.gov. We make the photo; we do not file entries.

  • If You Are Selected

    Selected entrants later need two printed 2 x 2 photos for the visa interview. Your 4x6 sheet has two.

  • One Person Per Photo

    No group or family photos. Each photo shows one person only.

What it costs

DV lottery photo prices
Digital photoThe 600 x 600 entry file plus a 4x6 print sheet$9.99
DeliveryBy email, within minutes of the final checkIncluded
RetakesUntil every check passesIncluded

Prices show in your currency where we can, and taxes, where they apply, show at checkout. You pay once, after the initial check has passed, and never before.

Why DV photos get entries disqualified, and how we catch it

A photo that misses a requirement can disqualify the entry. The common problems:

  • the wrong size, or a file over 240 KB
  • head too small or too large
  • glasses, shadows or a colored background
  • a photo reused from an earlier year

The software builds the exact 600 x 600 file and checks the rest before you pay.

What we do not do to your photo

We crop it, size it, place your head correctly and set the background your document asks for. We do not change your face, your features, your eyes or your expression. Altered photos get rejected, and a photo that looks like you is the whole point.

FAQ

Your questions, answered

  • What size is the DV lottery photo?
    Exactly 600 x 600 pixels, a JPEG of 240 KB or less, on a plain white or off white background.
  • Can I use last year's photo?
    No. A photo used in an earlier entry makes you ineligible. Take a new one each year.
  • Does my family need photos?
    Yes. Your spouse and each unmarried child under 21 need their own photo, one person per photo, unless they are already a US citizen or green card holder.
  • When does the entry open?
    The State Department announces the dates on dvprogram.state.gov. No DV-2027 dates are posted yet, so have your photos ready.
  • Do you submit the entry for me?
    No. We make the photo. You enter on dvprogram.state.gov yourself, and only there.
  • Can I wear glasses?
    No. Glasses are not allowed in the DV photo.
  • What if a check fails?
    Take it again at no cost until every check passes. You pay only once your photo has passed.
  • What happens to my photo afterward?
    Used to make your photo and for nothing else. Deleted 30 days after delivery, never used to train AI.