DV Lottery Photo Checker — Free Green Card Photo Validator
Entering the US Diversity Visa (Green Card) Lottery? Upload your photo and instantly check it against the technical DV rules — JPEG format, square shape, exactly 600×600 pixels and under 240KB — then fix it in one click if anything fails. 100% free and private: your photo never leaves your browser.
Photo Check Report
After fixing, you choose how to download: free with a watermark, or the clean file without a watermark for $11 — both options appear below. Prefer it done for you by hand? Done-For-You Photo Service — $11
Download with Watermark
Your fixed 600×600 photo, downloaded instantly — with a diagonal MakeHumanAI watermark across it.
Download Without Watermark
The same fixed photo with no watermark at all — the clean, exact-spec file for your DV entry.
Honest note: this tool checks the technical file rules (format, dimensions, size). Two DV rules are visual and cannot be checked by software alone — your head size/position and your background. Follow the guide below when taking your photo: plain white or off-white background, head filling 50–69% of the height, taken within the last 6 months, no glasses. Always verify the final rules on the official US Department of State DV Program website before submitting your entry.
How to check and fix your DV Lottery photo
- Take your photo against a plain white or off-white wall, facing the camera directly, with your head filling roughly half to two-thirds of the frame. No glasses, no uniform, no head covering (except for religious reasons, as the official rules allow).
- Upload the photo above. You instantly get a PASS / FAIL report for format, square shape, exact 600×600 size and the 240KB limit.
- If anything fails, press Auto Fix. The tool center-crops your photo to a square, resizes it to exactly 600×600 pixels and compresses it under 240KB — all inside your browser.
- Download the fixed photo and use it in your official DV entry. Double-check the visual rules in the guide below one last time before submitting.
The DV Lottery photo rules, explained
The Diversity Visa Program is strict about photos, and non-compliant entries can be disqualified — sometimes without any warning. These are the main rules your entry photo must follow:
- Exact size: 600×600 pixels, perfectly square (an aspect ratio of 1:1).
- Format: JPEG (.jpg) file only.
- File size: 240KB or smaller.
- Background: plain white or off-white, with no patterns, objects or other people visible.
- Head size and position: your head (chin to top of head) must be between 50% and 69% of the total image height, centered in the frame, facing the camera straight on with a neutral expression and both eyes open.
- Recent: taken within the last 6 months, showing your current appearance.
- No glasses: eyeglasses are not allowed. Uniforms are not allowed either (wear normal everyday clothing); head coverings are only accepted for religious reasons and must not cover the face.
- Quality: in focus, no heavy shadows on the face, no red-eye, and not digitally altered — do not use filters or retouching apps on your DV photo.
The same 600×600 / 240KB technical specification is also used for US visa (DS-160) photos, so a photo fixed here follows the same file rules. For a full multi-country check, try our Form Photo & Signature Validator.
Disclaimer: MakeHumanAI is not affiliated with the US government. Photo rules can change between DV program years — always confirm the current requirements on the official US Department of State DV Program website (dvprogram.state.gov) before submitting your entry.
No time to fix it yourself? We prepare your DV photo for you
Your photo, prepared by hand to the official DV Lottery specs — exact size, background and file weight — with a free preview before any payment.
600×600 px, plain background, under 240KB — head & eye position checked by hand.
Exact 2×2 inch photo plus a 4×6 print sheet with 6 copies, ready to print anywhere.
Photo and signature prepared and merged into one file at your portal’s exact required size.
Email your photo
Send it to info@makehumanai.com and tell us which service you need.
Get a free preview
We prepare it by hand and send you a preview first — no payment yet.
Pay via Payoneer
Happy with the preview? Pay by Payoneer and the final file is delivered by email within 24–48 hours.
We guarantee the file meets the official technical specs — if a portal rejects it for a photo-spec reason, we re-fix it free. Final acceptance is always the portal’s decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the DV Lottery photo requirements?
Your DV Lottery (Green Card) photo must be a JPEG file, square, exactly 600×600 pixels, and no larger than 240KB. It must be taken within the last 6 months against a plain white or off-white background, with your head taking up 50 to 69 percent of the image height. Glasses and uniforms are not allowed. Always verify the current rules on the official US Department of State DV Program website before submitting.
Is my photo uploaded to a server?
No. This checker runs 100% inside your own browser using JavaScript. Your photo is never uploaded, stored, or sent anywhere.
What does the Auto Fix button do?
Auto Fix center-crops your photo to a square, resizes it to exactly 600×600 pixels, and compresses it as a JPEG to under 240KB, ready to download. It fixes the technical file rules only — it cannot change your background or head position, so take your photo against a plain white or off-white wall with your head filling about half to two-thirds of the frame. The free fixed photo includes a MakeHumanAI watermark; the same fixed photo is also available clean, without a watermark, for $11 right on this page — or prepared by hand through our Done-For-You Photo Service.
Can a wrong photo disqualify my DV Lottery entry?
Yes. Entries with non-compliant photos can be disqualified, and the DV system may not warn you. Checking your file's format, dimensions and size before you submit — and following the official photo rules — removes the most common technical reasons for disqualification.
When does DV-2027 registration open?
A US federal court has ordered the State Department to open DV-2027 registration by November 1, 2026, for at least 30 days, with the official announcement expected by October 29, 2026. The schedule could still change on appeal, so always confirm the dates — and apply free, only — at the official site, dvprogram.state.gov. Have your 600×600 photo, under 240KB, checked and ready before the window opens.
What if my DV Lottery photo is bigger than 240KB?
A photo over 240KB will be rejected by the entry system, even if everything else is right. Run it through the checker above — it flags the file size, and the Auto Fix button compresses the photo to under 240KB while keeping it at exactly 600×600 pixels.