DV lottery photo: 600×600 px, under 240 KB
The Diversity Visa entry settings are preset: size, format and file size, plus a checklist that tells you what to fix before you upload.
On your device
This tool runs in your browser. Your file is not uploaded to any server.
Important
This tool only crops, straightens, resizes and compresses. It never changes your face or the background, because altered photos are refused.
A photo that doesn't meet the rules can get your Diversity Visa (DV) lottery entry disqualified. The requirements are published as numbers on the US State Department's website, but they're hard to measure by eye.
This page opens the tool with the “DV entry” preset: 600×600 px, JPEG, 240 KB at most. Add your photo from your phone and it's measured, checked and compressed in your browser. Then download it and upload it yourself on the official site.
DV photo requirements at a glance
According to the State Department's photo requirement pages (checked on 2026-10-30):
- Square, 600×600 px, JPEG, 240 KB or smaller.
- In color (sRGB), not black and white.
- Head (top of hair to bottom of chin) between 50% and 69% of the image height.
- Eye line between 56% and 69% of the image height, measured from the bottom, with the face centered.
- Plain white or off-white background, no shadows.
- Taken within the last 6 months, no eyeglasses.
Requirements can change between seasons, so check the official pages listed in the sources before you enter.
Why we don't whiten your background
Many tools offer a one-tap white background. But the State Department refuses photos digitally altered to change your appearance, so this tool never replaces the background, smooths skin or touches your face. It only crops, straightens, resizes, compresses and checks.
If the check shows your background isn't white or even, the safest fix is to retake the photo against a white wall. Two minutes of reshooting beats a disqualified entry.
Entry is free: beware of paid agents
Entering the DV lottery is free, and it's done only on the official site, dvprogram.state.gov. Every season, offices and websites charge for “guaranteed entry” or promise you'll win. Winners are selected at random, and nobody can improve your chances.
We don't list entry dates here because we only publish what we've verified. Check the entry period and your country's eligibility on the official site. This tool is made independently by akkadX and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the US government.
How to use it
- 1
Take or pick your photo
Take a new photo against a white wall, or pick one from your gallery taken within the last 6 months.
- 2
Fit your head to the guide
Move and zoom until your head sits inside the drawn limits and your eyes fall on the eye band.
- 3
Read the check results
Review each requirement and its measured value, and confirm you aren't wearing glasses. If the background shows a warning, retake the photo.
- 4
Download the finished photo
Download the 600×600 px JPEG under 240 KB and upload it yourself on dvprogram.state.gov.
Frequently asked questions
What file size does the DV lottery photo need?
240 KB or smaller, at 600×600 px in JPEG format. The tool compresses the photo to that limit and shows the final size before you download.
My studio photo has a blue background. Can I use it?
No, the background must be white or off-white. We don't recommend swapping the background with editing software, since digitally altered photos can be rejected. Ask the studio for a white background or shoot against a white wall.
Can I reuse my passport photo?
The photo must be taken within the last 6 months, and passport photos are usually older. A new photo is safer. If the photo carries a capture date, the tool warns you when it's too old.
Someone wants a fee to enter me in the lottery. Is that normal?
Official entry is free on dvprogram.state.gov. You can enter yourself, and no office or website can guarantee a win or improve your chances.
Is my photo uploaded to your site?
No. Measuring, checking and compression run in your browser on your device, and the photo isn't sent to our servers. We don't submit it to the lottery site either; you upload it yourself.