For a Diversity Visa entry, the Department of State DV photo upload is a digital-image requirement: JPG format, no more than 240 KB, square, and 600 x 600 pixels. Use a recent real photo and do not alter your appearance.
For a Diversity Visa / DV lottery entry, prepare a recent color photo as a JPG file no larger than 240 KB, in a square 600 x 600 pixel image. The photo should follow Department of State composition rules: white or off-white background, full-face view, neutral expression, both eyes open, and no digital changes that alter appearance.
A DV photo upload needs a square 600 x 600 JPG file no larger than 240 KB; this checklist is illustrative and not an official Department of State document.
For a Diversity Visa / DV lottery online entry, the Department of State lists a specific digital-photo requirement. The image should be JPG/JPEG, equal to or less than 240 KB, square, and 600 x 600 pixels.
That file rule is only one part of the photo check. The source photo should be recent, in color, taken in front of a plain white or off-white background, and should show the full face directly facing the camera with a neutral expression and both eyes open.
This guide covers photo-format preparation only. It does not give immigration advice, explain DV eligibility, predict selection odds, or guarantee that any photo or entry will pass the official process.
| Requirement | Department of State rule | Practical check |
|---|---|---|
| Entry context | DV entrants upload a digital image as part of the online entry | Prepare the file before starting the entry so you can verify it calmly |
| File format | JPEG / .jpg |
Save the final image as JPG, not PNG, HEIC, PDF, or a screenshot |
| File size | Equal to or less than 240 KB | Check the actual file size after export or compression |
| Pixel dimensions | 600 x 600 pixels for the DV upload | Do not submit a rectangular crop or a larger image and hope the upload fixes it |
| Aspect ratio | Square, with height equal to width | Use a true 1:1 crop |
| Recency | Taken within the last 6 months | Use a current photo that still looks like you |
| Background | Plain white or off-white | Avoid colored walls, patterns, furniture, and strong shadows |
| Face and expression | Full-face view, directly facing camera, neutral expression, both eyes open | Keep the head upright and the face clearly visible |
| Clothing/accessories | Normal daily clothing; no eyeglasses except rare medical circumstances | Remove glasses and avoid anything that hides the face |
| Editing | Must not be digitally enhanced or altered to change appearance | Do not use AI generation, retouching, face replacement, filters, or skin smoothing |
YapaPhoto's US flow is designed around a real uploaded photo. For a DV photo, that is the right starting point: the official guidance is about preparing a current real image, not inventing a new official portrait.
YapaPhoto can help you prepare a measured square crop and check basic photo feasibility. For this DV use case, keep one extra boundary in mind: the final file still needs to match the official DV upload limits, especially JPG format, 600 x 600 pixels, and no more than 240 KB.
If the current checkout or export screen does not explicitly label a dedicated DV lottery product, treat YapaPhoto as a preparation and precheck step. Before submitting anything, verify the final file against the official Department of State instructions.
Most DV photo risk comes from simple file and composition mistakes:
A precheck can catch measurable issues, but it cannot replace the official entry system or any human review.
The easiest DV path is usually to start from a suitable digital source photo. If you scan an existing printed photo, Department of State guidance adds extra constraints.
The existing photo should be 2 x 2 inches, and the scan should be at 300 pixels per inch. After scanning, the final digital file still needs to satisfy the DV upload requirements: JPG format, square aspect ratio, 600 x 600 pixels, and no more than 240 KB.
Do not scan a photo that is old, damaged, retouched, shadowed, or not compliant in the first place. Scanning a bad source photo does not make it compliant.
DV lottery photos are related to other US passport-style photos, but the submission context matters.
For a US passport photo, the key question may be passport renewal or print/crop rules. For the US passport and visa AI rules, the key warning is not to create an official photo with AI or appearance-changing edits. For a green card photo, USCIS Form I-485 has a two-printed-photo packet context.
For the DV lottery, the most important distinction is the online digital upload: 600 x 600 pixels, JPG, and <=240 KB. Keep the DV checklist separate even if the original source photo looks like a normal passport-style photo.
Use this final checklist before submitting the photo file in the DV entry flow:
If one of these checks fails, remake the photo from a better source image before you upload.
For the online Diversity Visa entry, Department of State guidance lists a square 600 x 600 pixel digital image.
The DV entry photo should be JPEG/JPG and no larger than 240 KB.
Possibly, but do not assume it is ready. The composition rules are closely related, but the DV upload has its own digital constraints: JPG format, exactly 600 x 600 pixels, and <=240 KB file size.
No. YapaPhoto can help prepare and check a real-photo crop, but the official entry system and reviewing authority make the final decision.
No. Department of State guidance says photos must not be digitally enhanced or altered to change your appearance. Use a clean real source photo instead.
Use a color source photo from the last 6 months that still matches your current appearance.
Prepare a square 600 x 600 pixel image with the face centered and clearly visible.
Export as JPG/JPEG and verify the file is no more than 240 KB before uploading.
Do not use AI generation, retouching, filters, or edits that change appearance.
YapaPhoto can help prepare and precheck a real-photo crop; the official DV process decides whether the image is usable.
Upload a real photo, verify that one face is detected, and prepare a measured US passport or visa crop without AI generation.
Continue with the closest guides to verify the remaining practical points.
