What are the DV Lottery photo requirements?

The photo must be 600 × 600 pixels, JPEG, no more than 240 kB, in sRGB, in color, recent, with a plain white or off-white background and a neutral expression.

What are the rules for Green Card lottery photos of babies and children?

The same general requirements apply; the child should face the camera with eyes open and no other person may appear in the photo.

DV Lottery Photo Online

Going to try your luck and get a Green Card in the Diversity Visa Program?

Hundreds of thousands of winners from around the world already live in the United States. Many hope to go the same way.

One of the components of the DV Lottery process is the submission of a digital photo, which must adhere to strict guidelines. Our online Green Card Lottery Editor can help prepare the required size and format, but a photo cannot improve your chances in the random drawing. As of 28 September 2026, the Department of State has not announced the DV-2027 registration or results dates.

Table of contents

Do I need a photo to take part in the Green card lottery?
The main problem with DV lottery photo
Get your DV lottery photo online in a few seconds
How to create your DV lottery photo with a phone
DV lottery photo requirements
DV lottery photo dress code
Can I wear a hijab in a DV lottery photo?
Can I wear glasses in a DV lottery photo?
Green Card lottery photos of babies and children
How many photos do I need?
Can I resubmit photos that I used for the Green Card lottery last year?
Will I see if my photo was accepted by the DV lottery website (like on the USA visa form)?
DV lottery photo checker
Is it allowed to edit a DV Lottery pic in photo editors?
Links

Do I need a photo to take part in the Green Card lottery?

DV Program entry requires you to fill out an online form in English. It is mandatory to upload a compliant passport-type photo of the applicant and their family members (spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21). There are a number of requirements that must be met for the form to be eligible.

It does not matter if the DV Lottery picture was taken at home or in a photo studio. Below we list the main points that are important when taking and processing a Green Card lottery pic.

The main problem with DV Lottery photo

When you fill in the application at the DV program website, a file that uploads successfully is not necessarily an acceptable photo. The image must meet both the technical upload limits and the photo requirements.

The photo can still fail the rules on head size, eye position, glasses, lighting, clothing or background. Do not assume that the website has confirmed all these details when it accepts a file.

The Department of State's photo tool can crop a picture, but it does not check image quality or guarantee acceptance.

Therefore, check the photo carefully against the official requirements before submitting your DV program application.

Get the DV lottery photo online in a few seconds!

“Where can I take the Green Card lottery photo near me?” Professional photo studios are a common option. For best results, however, it is advisable to leave this task to a specialized DV lottery photo maker.

Take an image with a smartphone against any background, upload it here and instantly get a professional photo for your visa, passport or ID. No registration required. You will see results in seconds.

Upload photo & Continue

Source

Result

All you need to do is to upload your full-face portrait taken against any background. Visafoto will instantly adjust the size, background, and format up to the smallest detail, such as head size or eye position. You will get a ready-to-submit digital DV Lottery photo matching all the requirements with guaranteed success. A printable template will allow you to print out the picture and to use it in the future as a US visa photo or Green Card application photo.

Before uploading a picture make sure that it meets the following criteria:

The photo is taken in full-face with a neutral facial expression and eyes looking forward;
There are no strong shadows on your face;
Your appearance corresponds to DV Lottery photo clothing requirements listed below;
The picture is of decent quality, with no blurring or visible pixels.

Here is a sample of your original photo (selfie):

Here is a green card lottery photo example that you get:

Example of a Diversity Visa lottery photo

Use Visafoto as a DV lottery picture editor.

How to create your DV Lottery photo with a phone?

The 7ID App, developed by Visafoto, allows you to edit and store photos for the DV Lottery, US visas, and other documents directly on your phone. Simply upload a picture taken with your phone or capture a new one using 7ID. The app will instantly adjust the format, size, and background to meet the required specifications.

The processed photo will be saved on your phone, ready to be reused for various document applications.

Additionally, 7ID offers a free DV Lottery photo check. Just upload the photo you want to inspect for compliance with Diversity Visa rules into the relevant section of the app, and the tool will instantly verify the photo against all the required criteria.

Other convenient features offered by 7ID include generating and storing QR codes, storing the DV Lottery Confirmation code, creating electronic signatures, and more.

DV Lottery photo requirements

The DV program follows the same photo standards as U.S. visa applications.

Meeting the file specifications alone does not mean the photo meets every composition and quality requirement. Check the picture against the Department of State photo requirements before submitting it.

Among the main DV lottery picture requirements are the following:

The DV Lottery photo measurements must be square in shape, with dimensions of 600 x 600 pixels;
The DV Lottery photo format must be JPEG with a maximum file size of 240 kB. The required colour space is sRGB;
The head (from top to chin) should occupy from 50 to 69% of the total height of the picture;
Eyes should be positioned in the interval from 56 to 69% of the image, counting from the bottom edge;
The photo must be in colour;
The photo for the DV Lottery application must be no older than 6 months, ideally as recent as possible;
The photo must clearly reflect your current appearance;
The Green Card Lottery background must be plain white or off-white, with no shadows, patterns, extraneous objects or highlights;
You must look straight into the camera. The facial expression must be natural and neutral with eyes open;
Glasses are not allowed;
Eyes must be fully visible and not covered by hair or headgear.

Here is an example of a DV lottery photo:

DV Lottery photo dress code

It’s preferable to wear plain, casual clothing. No uniforms are allowed.

Can I wear a hijab in a DV lottery photo?

You are allowed to wear religious headwear that you wear daily. No other head covering is allowed. Your entire face must be clearly visible.

Can I wear glasses in a DV lottery photo?

In accordance with the DV Program photo requirements, no glasses are allowed, even prescription ones.

Green Card lottery photos of babies and children

Child photos are subject to the same requirements as adult ones. The Department of State says that a baby or toddler should look at the camera with eyes open, and no other person may appear in the picture.

Experts advise putting the child on his/her back on a plain white sheet before taking a Green Card photo. The head should be held straight. Be sure to check that no shadows are falling on the face or background. You need to get the baby's attention so that he is looking straight into the lens. For the best result, learn our guidelines on taking baby passport photos at home.

How many photos do I need?

It depends on your family. You need a photo of yourself and each family member who must be included in the entry: generally your spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21. Include biological children, legally adopted children and stepchildren. The instructions do not list foster children as a separate category. A spouse or child who is already a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident does not need a photo. Check the published DV instructions for the detailed family rules.

Can I resubmit photos that I used for the Green Card lottery last year?

No. Your photographs cannot be older than 6 months. The same photo submitted with a prior year's entry must not be reused, even if it was taken less than six months ago.

Will I see if my photo was accepted by the DV lottery website (like on the USA visa form)?

The DV lottery form accepting your image file does not confirm that the photo meets every rule. The Department of State's crop tool does not check photo quality or guarantee acceptance.

So pay attention when you take it. Check the photo against the official requirements before you submit your entry.

DV lottery photo checker

7ID App: DV Lottery photo checker - correct photo

Before submitting the application it is necessary to make sure that your Green Card Lottery picture is correct. For not to miss any detail, use the specialized DV lottery photo check tool in the 7ID app or contact our 24/7 support: we will verify if the photo meets official standards via the Department of State website.

Is it allowed to edit a DV Lottery pic in photo editors?

U.S. photo rules do not permit changes that alter your appearance, such as changing eye colour or facial features. You cannot use filters or strong colour correction that changes how you look. Cropping and resizing can prepare the required format, but the Department of State does not give blanket approval for digitally replacing the background or altering the portrait.

Visafoto has specialized in processing passport-sized photos since 2013. Thousands of our customers yearly successfully apply for the Lottery thanks to our elaborated DV lottery picture editor. We guarantee the professional result that will be 100% accepted by the system!

Last update: September 2026