DV lottery photo guide for applicants from Kenya

For the DV lottery from Kenya the entry photo must be a square JPEG, 600 x 600 pixels, under 240 KB, taken within the last 6 months, on a plain white or off-white background, with no glasses and the head filling 50 to 69 percent of the frame. The most common Kenyan failure is shape: local ID and passport photos are not square, so a reused document photo is the wrong format. DV eligibility is announced fresh each year, so confirm Kenya's status in the current official instructions at dvprogram.state.gov before you enter.

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

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

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Click anywhere here, or drag and drop your 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.

Shoot square, not a reused document photo

A photo taken for a Kenyan ID or passport is not the square US format the DV entry needs. Take a fresh photo against a plain wall in daylight and crop it square to 600 x 600 pixels, then check the head fills 50 to 69 percent of the frame.

Do not let a studio edit it

Skin smoothing and background swaps are a disqualification risk: US authorities reject digitally altered photos. Ask for the unedited file, or shoot at home. A free check that tells you honestly to retake beats a paid edit that gets flagged.

Frequently asked questions

Can Kenyans enter the DV green card lottery?

In recent years natives of Kenya have been eligible, but the eligible-country list is re-announced every year. Confirm Kenya's current status in the official instructions before entering, and note that eligibility through a spouse's or parent's country of birth is also possible.

Does everyone in my family need their own photo?

Yes. Your spouse and every unmarried child under 21 each need their own compliant photo taken within 6 months. One noncompliant photo disqualifies the entire entry.