DV lottery photo requirements: the full 2026 checklist

A DV lottery (green card lottery) photo must be a square JPEG, exactly 600 x 600 pixels, under 240 KB, in color, taken within the last 6 months, head between 50 and 69 percent of the frame, plain light background, neutral expression or natural smile, and no glasses. Every person on the entry needs their own compliant photo, and a noncompliant photo is grounds for disqualification, which the State Department cites as the most common reason entries fail.

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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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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.

Why the photo is where entries die

The entry form is simple; the photo is the technical hurdle. Reused photos from a previous year's entry, wrong dimensions, glasses, shadows, and edited or AI-generated images are the classic failures. Disqualification is silent: you find out when you were never selected, or worse, at the interview after winning.

Do not digitally alter the photo. Background replacement and beautify filters are exactly what reviewers are trained to flag, and as of 2026 US authorities reject edited photos across passport and visa processes.

When to enter, and from where

Registration for DV-2028 is expected in early autumn 2026 and runs for about a month. The only official entry site is dvprogram.state.gov and entry is free; anyone charging to submit your entry is a middleman at best. Prepare the photos before the window opens so the deadline pressure never touches the technical part.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use my phone for a DV lottery photo?

Yes. A phone photo against a plain light wall in even daylight is fine. The hard part is the digital spec: exactly 600 x 600 pixels, JPEG, under 240 KB, which usually requires cropping square and compressing.

Can I reuse last year's DV photo?

No. The photo must have been taken within the last 6 months, and submitting the same photo as a prior entry is a known disqualification trigger.

Do glasses disqualify a DV photo?

Yes. Since 2016 eyeglasses are not allowed in DV lottery photos except for rare documented medical reasons.