DV lottery photo guide for applicants from Ethiopia

Ethiopia is consistently among the highest-volume DV lottery countries, and photo compliance decides entries here like everywhere: a square JPEG, 600 x 600 pixels, under 240 KB, taken within the last 6 months, plain light background, no glasses, head filling 50 to 69 percent of the frame. The common failure is studio retouching, applied by default in many photo shops, which is a disqualification risk since edited photos are rejected. Local document photos are also not square, so a reused ID photo is the wrong shape. Eligibility is announced fresh each year, so confirm Ethiopia's status in the current official instructions.

Check your United States visa photo against the official spec → Free check, accepted-or-money-back.

Check your photo right here, free

Measured against the official United States visa spec: head size, eye line, background, brightness and file limits. We never edit your photo.

Upload a photo

Use a clear, front-facing photo against a plain white wall in even light. We measure and crop it. We never edit the pixels you submit.

Ask the studio for the raw file

Skin smoothing and background cleanup are standard service in many studios. For a DV photo they are a liability: reviewers flag edited images, and US authorities reject digitally altered photos. Ask for the unedited digital file, or shoot at home against a plain wall in daylight.

Family entries

Spouse and every unmarried child under 21 need their own compliant photo, including infants. One noncompliant photo voids the whole entry. Registration is expected in early autumn at dvprogram.state.gov and is free.

Frequently asked questions

Does the entry photo still matter after I am selected?

Yes. Photos are re-checked during processing and at the consular interview, and a noncompliant or edited entry photo can void a selection.

Can I take the photo on my phone?

Yes, and it is often safer than a retouched studio shot. Plain wall, even daylight, no filters, cropped square to 600 x 600 pixels under 240 KB.