What Are The Green Card Lottery Photo Requirements?
Diversity Visa entry photographs must meet the same standards as U.S. visa photos. You will be ineligible for a lottery if the entry photographs for you and your family members do not fully meet these specifications or have been manipulated in any way. Sized such that the head is between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches (22 mm and 35 mm) or 50 percent and 69 percent of the image’s total height from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head. Taken within the last six months to reflect your current appearance.
Photo Scanned or Digital Images Basic Requirements
Your photos or digital images must be:
- In colors
- In focus
- Sized such that the head is between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches (22 mm and 35 mm) or 50 percent and 69 percent of the image’s total height from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head. View the Photo Composition Template for more size requirement details.
- Taken within the last six months to reflect your current appearance
- Taken in front of a plain white or off-white background
- Taken in full-face view directly facing the camera
- With a neutral facial expression and both eyes open
- Taken in clothing that you normally wear on a daily basis
- Uniforms should not be worn in your photo, except religious clothing that is worn daily.
- Do not wear a hat or head covering that obscures the hair or hairline, unless worn daily for a religious purpose. Your full face must be visible, and the head covering must not cast any shadows on your face.
- Headphones, wireless hands-free devices, or similar items are not acceptable in your photo.
- Do not wear eyeglasses.
- If you normally wear a hearing device or similar articles, they may be worn in your photo.
Image Resolution And Technical Specifications
You must upload your digital image as part of your entry. Your digital image must be:
- In JPEG (.jpg) file format
- Equal to or less than 240 kB (kilobytes) in file size
- In a square aspect ratio (height must equal width)
- 600×600 pixels in dimension
Do you want to scan an existing photo? In addition to the digital image requirements, your existing photo must be:
- 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm)
- Scanned at a resolution of 300 pixels per inch (12 pixels per millimeter)
Photos of your baby or toddler
When taking a photo of your baby or toddler, no other person should be in the photo, and your child should be looking at the camera with his or her eyes open.
Recent Photo Each Year
It is extremely important to know that submitting the same photograph that you submitted with a prior year’s entry does not meet the basic specifications and will make you ineligible to participate in the “Green Card Lottery”.
