US visa and DV lottery photo requirements (DS-160)
Updated 2026-09-20
Last checked: 2026-09-20. Verify with the official source before submitting.
The US Department of State publishes one digital photo specification that applies to the DS-160 nonimmigrant visa form, the DS-260 immigrant visa form and the Diversity Visa (DV) lottery entry. It is unusually precise: the image must be a square between 600 x 600 and 1200 x 1200 pixels, saved as JPEG, and the file must be 240 KB or smaller. Uploads that miss any of those three numbers are rejected by the form before a human ever sees them.
A phone photo fails all three. It is a 3:4 or 9:16 rectangle, typically 3000 to 4000 pixels on the long side, and 2 to 8 MB. This guide walks through the numbers, then opens the resizer with the US preset and the compressor with a 240 KB ceiling so the result passes the automated check.
Requirements at a glance
| Requirement | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 600 x 600 px minimum, 1200 x 1200 px maximum, square | travel.state.gov |
| File format | JPEG (.jpg) | travel.state.gov |
| File size | 240 KB or less | travel.state.gov |
| Colour | 24-bit colour, sRGB | travel.state.gov |
| Compression | JPEG ratio 20:1 or less (do not over-compress) | travel.state.gov |
| Scanning a print | 2 x 2 in at 300 ppi (= 600 x 600 px) | travel.state.gov |
Open the tool with these settings
Centre-crops to a square and saves as JPEG. Frame the head in the middle first.
Only needed if the resized file is over 240 KB. Target is set to 235 KB for a safety margin.
All tools linked here run in your browser; the photo is never uploaded to GivenTool.
What the State Department actually requires
The digital image page lists: minimum 600 x 600 pixels, maximum 1200 x 1200 pixels, square aspect ratio (equal width and height), JPEG file format, 24-bit colour in the sRGB colour space, a file size of 240 kB or less, and a JPEG compression ratio of no more than 20:1. Scans of a printed 2 x 2 inch photo must be made at 300 pixels per inch, which gives exactly 600 x 600.
The composition rules are the same as for the printed photo: taken within the last 6 months, plain white or off-white background, full face towards the camera, neutral expression, no glasses, head between 50% and 69% of the image height. The State Department's own cropping tool "is intended for photo cropping only"; it does not fix background or file size.
Why 240 KB and 20:1 both matter
The size cap stops the form receiving multi-megabyte camera files. The compression-ratio rule works the other way: it stops you crushing a photo so hard that artefacts appear. A 600 x 600 24-bit image is 1,080,000 bytes uncompressed, so 20:1 means the JPEG must be at least about 54 KB. In practice a 600 x 600 portrait at 85 to 95% JPEG quality lands between 60 and 150 KB, comfortably inside both limits.
If you start from a large phone photo, resize to 600 x 600 first and only then compress. Compressing a 4000-pixel image down to 240 KB throws away detail; resizing first keeps quality where it is visible.
Step by step
Open the image resizer with the US visa preset. It crops the centre of the photo to a square and outputs 600 x 600 JPEG. Frame the original so the head sits in the middle before you resize; the tool does not detect faces.
Check the result: the card shows 600 x 600 and the file size. If it is already under 240 KB (it usually is) you are done. If not, run it through the compressor with the target set to 235 KB, which leaves a margin for portals that count 240 KB as 240,000 bytes.
Upload the JPEG. The DS-160 photo tool shows a green check when the dimensions and file size pass; the background and head-size rules are judged later by a consular officer, so follow the composition guidance as well.
Frequently asked questions
Can I upload a 1200 x 1200 photo?
Yes; 1200 x 1200 is the maximum. It has to stay under 240 KB, which at that size means around 75 to 85% JPEG quality. 600 x 600 is simpler and looks identical on the form.
My photo is 600 x 800. Will the form crop it?
No. The upload is rejected because it is not square. Use the resizer preset, which crops equally from the top and bottom (or sides) to make it square.
Does the DV lottery use the same spec?
Yes. The Electronic Diversity Visa entry form uses the same digital image requirements page, including the 600 to 1200 px and 240 KB limits, and also requires a separate photo for each family member on the entry.
Can I use a photo from a previous visa?
Only if it was taken within the last 6 months and has not been used for a previous visa or the same lottery. The State Department checks for reuse.
Is the photo sent to GivenTool's servers?
No. Resizing and compression run inside your browser; the file is not uploaded anywhere until you submit it to the government form yourself.
This guide summarises published requirements for convenience. It is not legal advice and GivenTool is not affiliated with any government. The issuing authority's page is the only authoritative source.
Last checked: 2026-09-20. Verify with the official source before submitting.