US visa digital photo rules
For the DS-160 and the Diversity Visa (DV) lottery, the US Department of State asks for a digital photo with fixed technical rules:
| Rule | Requirement | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Square (width = height) | Official |
| Pixels | 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 px | Official |
| Format | JPEG, sRGB colour | Official |
| File size | 240 KB or less | Official |
| Compression | 20:1 or less | Official |
| Scanned print | 2 × 2 in at 300 ppi | Official |
| Background | Plain white or off-white | Official |
Official source: travel.state.gov – Digital image requirements, checked 3 Nov 2026. Always confirm with the issuing authority before you print or upload – rules change.
How this page helps
The checker reads your file and marks each rule as passing or failing. The cropper then makes a square JPEG at 600 × 600 or 1200 × 1200 px and lowers the JPEG quality step by step until the file is 240 KB or smaller, so you land inside the limit. A 600 × 600 photo usually ends up well under the cap at good quality. This tool only crops, resizes and checks size. It does not replace backgrounds, retouch faces or decide whether a photo will be accepted.
Tips
- Use a recent photo (taken within the last six months is the usual guidance) with your full face visible.
- No filters, beauty modes or AI edits – the official page forbids altering photos.
- If the State Department photo tool asks you to crop, use its crop as the final step.
Need the printed 2 × 2 in passport photo instead? See US passport photo, or the passport photo size hub for other countries.