DV lottery photo guide for applicants from Morocco

For the DV lottery from Morocco the entry photo must be a square JPEG, 600 x 600 pixels, under 240 KB, taken within the last 6 months, with a plain light background, no glasses, and the head filling 50 to 69 percent of the frame. The local trap is the 35 x 45 mm European standard used for Moroccan documents: a portrait-shaped ID photo is the wrong format for a DV entry, which must be square. Studio retouching is a second risk, since edited photos are rejected. Eligibility is re-announced annually, so check Morocco's status in the current official instructions before entering.

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The 35 x 45 problem

Moroccan document photos are 35 x 45 mm portrait format. Stretching or padding one to a square distorts the face or adds borders, both of which fail. Shoot or crop the photo natively square with the head filling 50 to 69 percent of the frame.

Before the window opens

Registration is expected in early autumn at dvprogram.state.gov and is free. Spouse and every unmarried child under 21 each need their own compliant photo taken within 6 months of the entry. Verify each one against the spec now rather than in the deadline rush.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use my Moroccan passport photo for the DV lottery?

Not as-is. Moroccan document photos are 35 x 45 mm portrait format; the DV entry needs a square 600 x 600 pixel digital file. A fresh square-cropped photo is the clean solution.

Do paid photo-fixing services help?

No. Services that promise to make any photo pass usually do it by editing, and edited photos are rejected by US authorities. A free check that honestly tells you to retake is safer.

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