Official U.S. State Dept Specifications

Verify, Calibrate & Crop Your DV Lottery Photo

Ensure your Diversity Visa entry isn't rejected for photo non-compliance. Our tool verifies dimensions, background color uniformity, eye & head proportions, and exports a compliant 600×600 JPEG.

Photo Inspector

Awaiting photo

Click to browse or drop photo here

Accepted: JPEG / JPG (or PNG). Minimum 600 × 600 px, max size 240 KB

Neutral expression White/off-white background No eyeglasses

Compliance Diagnostic

NO PHOTO

Load an image to automatically run 6 critical DV-2026 eligibility checks against State Department regulations.

Dimensions & Aspect Ratio

Square 1:1 ratio. Between 600×600 px and 1200×1200 px.

Pending

File Size Limit

Must be equal to or less than 240 KB (245,760 bytes).

Pending

File Format

Must be standard Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG / .jpg).

Pending

Color Depth (24-bit sRGB)

Full color sRGB. Black & white, grayscale or sepia photos are rejected.

Pending

Background Light & Contrast

Must be neutral plain white or off-white with no patterns or dark shadows.

Pending

Head & Eye Alignment

Head size 50%–69% total height; eyes positioned 56%–69% from bottom.

Pending

Need a fix? Use the zoom and drag controls on the inspector to match the oval & eye guidelines, then tap Export Compliant 600×600 JPEG to solve size and ratio issues automatically.

Official Photo Reference Gallery

Compare your photo with official Department of State requirements to avoid immediate entry disqualification.

Compliant

Ideal Acceptance

Neutral expression, white background, square aspect, proper head proportion.

Eyeglasses

No Eyeglasses Allowed

Glasses of any kind (even prescription) are strictly prohibited in DV photos.

Dark Background

Shadows & Dark Bg

Background must be plain, uniform white or light off-white without cast shadows.

Tilted Head

Tilted Head / Gaze

Head must directly face the camera with eyes open and looking straight forward.

Essential DV-2026 Photo Requirements Checklist

Key standards enforced by consular algorithms and entry validation systems.

1. Recency & Age

Must be taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance. Reusing past years' photos leads to auto-disqualification.

2. Head Coverings & Hats

Headwear is not permitted except for documented religious or medical reasons, and must not obscure any portion of the face.

3. Expression & Pose

Neutral facial expression with both eyes open and mouth naturally closed. Smiling widely or frowning is not permitted.

4. Digital Retouching & AI

Do not alter facial features, airbrush skin, or use AI filters. Digital background cutouts that leave rough halo edges can cause rejection.

Full Ecosystem Directory

All DV-2026 Companion Tools & Features

100% client-side privacy. Zero server transmission. Switch to any tool below:

Module A

Full Crop Studio

Advanced multi-resolution crop (600×600 or 1200×1200), 59.5% biometric lock, and family batch queue with ZIP download.

Launch Crop Studio

Module B

12-Point Compliance Audit

In-depth biometric audit, JPEG magic bytes verification, lighting shadow detection, and 1-click EXIF metadata stripper.

Run 12-Point Audit

Module C

Eligibility Calculator

3-step assessment for native country chargeability, cross-chargeability rules, and qualifying education or work experience.

Check Eligibility

Module D

Application Checklist

12-step preparation roadmap with persistent progress saving, exportable JSON backup, and printable format.

Open Checklist

Module E

Encrypted Vault

Store your DV confirmation number with client-side PBKDF2 + AES-GCM 256-bit encryption and printable wallet backup card.

Access Vault

Module F

Photo Specifications

Complete illustrated State Department guidelines covering lighting, background, poses, eyeglass prohibitions, and child photos.

View Guidelines