DV lottery photo guide for applicants from Russia

A DV lottery entry from Russia requires a JPEG, exactly square at 600 x 600 pixels, no larger than 240 KB, 24-bit colour, taken within the last 6 months, on a plain white or off-white background, with no glasses and no digital alteration, and the head filling 50 to 69 percent of the frame. The local trap is the 35 x 45 mm portrait photo used for Russian passports and internal documents: it is the wrong shape, and Russian studio photos are commonly retouched, which is a separate disqualifier. Take a fresh square photo. Country eligibility is re-announced for each DV cycle, so check Russia's current status in the official instructions before entering.

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

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.

35 x 45 mm is a rectangle, the DV file is a square

The photo you would use for a Russian internal passport or foreign passport is a 35 x 45 mm portrait rectangle. A DV entry needs an exactly square file. Stretching the rectangle distorts the face and padding it adds visible borders, and both are rejected by the automated check. Crop natively square with the head filling 50 to 69 percent of the frame and a little space above the hair.

Retouching is the quiet failure

Russian photo studios routinely retouch: skin smoothing, background replacement, minor reshaping. All of it is prohibited for US photos, and as of 2026 digitally altered photos are rejected. If you do use a studio, ask for the original unprocessed file. If they cannot supply one, take the photo yourself against a plain light wall in daylight.

Be equally wary of apps and paid services promising a guaranteed pass. The usual mechanism is editing, which is exactly what disqualifies the entry.

Every family member on the entry needs their own photo

Your spouse and each unmarried child under 21 must be listed with their own compliant photo taken within the last 6 months, whether or not they intend to travel. A missing or non-compliant dependent photo disqualifies the entry silently. Photograph everyone in one session against the same wall, then verify each file individually before submitting.

Frequently asked questions

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

Not as it is. Russian document photos are a 35 x 45 mm portrait rectangle and the DV entry needs an exactly square 600 x 600 pixel JPEG. A fresh square-cropped photo is the clean solution.

Is Russia eligible for the DV lottery?

The eligible-country list is re-announced each DV cycle, so check Russia's current status in the official instructions at dvprogram.state.gov before you enter.

Will a retouched studio photo pass?

No. Digitally altered photos are rejected by US authorities as of 2026, including skin smoothing and background replacement. Ask the studio for the raw file, or take the photo yourself.

Now check your photo against the official spec

Free, in your browser, in under a minute. You pay $9 only if it passes, accepted or your money back.

Check my photo free

Check your photo free →