Shadows
Light should fall evenly. A shadow across the face or the background is a common reason a visa photo is rejected.
Get your DV Lottery photo ready
Upload a recent phone photo. Preview it for free, then pay $2.99 for the final photo.
Independent service, not the U.S. government. We prepare the photo; you submit the DV entry yourself.
JPG or PNG, up to 20 MB. Free watermarked preview. Pay $2.99 for the final JPEG without the watermark.
Already have a DV Lottery photo? Check it for free.
Tips for a good photo
- Stand in front of a plain white or light wall.
- Face a window so the light is even. No shadows on your face.
- Take off glasses and hats. Look straight at the camera with a neutral expression.
- Use a photo taken in the last 6 months that shows how you look now.
Making your DV photo…
Usually a few seconds. Keep this page open.
How it works
- Upload. Choose a recent phone picture showing one person from the shoulders up.
- Preview. We prepare a 600×600 photo and show anything that needs a retake.
- Download. Save the JPEG, then submit it yourself at dvprogram.state.gov when entry is open.
From a phone picture to a DV photo
A realistic example of the same fictional person before and after processing. Start with a well-lit picture of your face and shoulders.
Common rejection reasons
These realistic examples use fictional people and were created for this site. The Photo Examples page shows the Department’s own acceptable and unacceptable photographs, including size, expression, head position, background, and anything that obscures the face.
Head position
The head is level and the face points at the camera. A tilt to the side is a common reason a visa photo is rejected.
Eyeglasses
The DV-2026 instructions say “Do not wear eyeglasses.” The photo page describes a rare medical exception. This site cannot apply it.
DV entry photo requirements
Each row links to the State Department page the figure comes from.
| Item | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 600×600 px | Photo Requirements |
| File size | ≤ 240 kB | Photo Requirements |
| Head height | 50–69% of image height | Photo Composition Template |
| Background | Plain white or off-white | Photo Requirements |
Not a U.S. government site. Entry is free only at dvprogram.state.gov. A download from this site does not submit an entry.
Where these numbers come from
Head height and eye height are the digital-image figures on the Photo Composition Template. The 600×600 pixel size, JPEG format, 240 kB limit, background, expression, and six-month rule are on the Photo Requirements page. The DV-2026 instructions say “Do not wear eyeglasses.” That photo page also describes a rare medical exception. DV-2027 instructions are not published. If they differ, those instructions control.
Last checked: Oct 27, 2026. travel.state.gov
How the photo is processed
Your browser makes a smaller copy of the photo, at most 1920 pixels on the long side, and sends it to our photo service. The service finds the face, crops a 600×600 square with the head at the DV size, and makes the background white. The face is not changed.
You see a free watermarked preview first. If no clear face is found, you must upload a new photo. Other detected issues are shown as warnings, and you can still continue. The final JPEG without the watermark is released only after payment.
A download does not submit a Diversity Visa entry. The entry form is at dvprogram.state.gov, and only while registration is open.
Questions
What are the DV Lottery photo requirements?
Color JPEG, exactly 600×600 pixels, file size “Equal to or less than 240 kB (kilobytes) in file size,” plain white or off-white background, head 50–69% of the image height, eyes 56–69% from the bottom, taken within the last 6 months, no glasses. Each person on the entry needs a separate photo. The requirements page quotes the State Department pages these figures come from.
How much does a DV photo cost?
$2.99 per photo. Uploading, retakes, and the watermarked preview are free. You pay once to download the final JPEG without the watermark.
Where is my photo processed?
Your browser makes a smaller copy of the photo, at most 1920 pixels on the long side, and sends it to our photo service. The service finds the face, crops a 600×600 square with the head at the DV size, and makes the background white. It does not change facial features. You see a free watermarked preview first; the final JPEG without the watermark is released after payment.
Is this the official DV Lottery website?
No. dvlotteryphoto.com is an independent photo service and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of State or any government agency. The only entry site is dvprogram.state.gov, and entering there is free.
Does buying a photo enter me into the lottery?
No. Buying or downloading a photo does not enter the Diversity Visa program and does not affect the chance of selection. The entry is the form submitted at dvprogram.state.gov while registration is open.
When does DV-2027 entry open?
As of Oct 27, 2026, dvprogram.state.gov said entries were not being accepted and still showed the DV-2026 entry period. The State Department has not published a DV-2027 opening date, closing date, or selection-results date.