Photo guide
DV lottery photo: 600 × 600 pixels, under 240 KB
The Diversity Visa lottery entry needs a digital photo that meets the State Department’s rules. This page covers the photo only; the State Department’s DV instructions page has the entry dates.
The official rules
- A JPEG file of 240 kB or less.
- Square, exactly 600 × 600 pixels.
- Your head from chin to top between 50% and 69% of the image height.
- A plain white or off-white background.
- A neutral expression with both eyes open.
- No glasses, except in rare medical cases. No digital editing or alteration of your appearance.
Official numbers checked: October 2026 ·Official source
How to do it with Complyshot
- Open Complyshot and choose “US visa / DV lottery photo” from the document list.
- Take the photo in even light, facing the camera. Where the rules ask for it, have someone else hold the phone.
- Read the result. Each rule is checked, and a failed one comes with what to change.
- Save the finished photo and use it as the official page describes.
Common questions
What size and file size does the DV lottery photo need to be?
A square JPEG of exactly 600 × 600 pixels and 240 kB or less. Complyshot crops your photo to 600 × 600 without altering it and saves it under the limit.
Can I wear glasses in a DV lottery photo?
Not in new photos, except in rare cases where glasses cannot be removed for medical reasons. Complyshot cannot detect glasses, so it asks you to confirm in its short checklist.
When can I enter the lottery?
The State Department sets the entry dates each year on its DV instructions page. This page does not track them, so check the official page before you enter.
Check your photo in Complyshot
Complyshot checks your photo against these rules on your iPhone. The photo is not uploaded.
Download on the App StoreComplyshot is made by YOTEZIC LTD and is not affiliated with any government. It checks what a phone can measure and cannot promise that your photo will be accepted; the issuing office decides.