DV Lottery 2028 photo requirements: 600×600 px, 240 KB (official)

Published 2026-08-15 · DV-2028 entry window opens October 2026 · Rules verified against the official Diversity Visa requirements for recent entry years (DV-2028 Instructions expected September 2026)

The Diversity Visa (DV) 2028 online entry period opens in early October 2026 and runs for about one month. Entry is free and only through the official U.S. Department of State website (travel.state.gov). The photo is one of the most common reasons entries are disqualified — get it right before you submit.

Official DV-2028 photo requirements — at a glance

Square JPEG, exactly 600×600 pixels, no larger than 240 KB
Plain white or near-white background — no shadows, patterns, objects or people
Taken within the last 6 months
Head height between 50% and 69% of the photo height (chin to crown)
Front view, both eyes open and looking at the camera, neutral expression
No glasses; no hat or headwear that covers the hairline (religious daily headwear is allowed if the hairline is visible)
Everyday clothing — no uniforms, camouflage or clothing that blends into the background
No filters, editing, retouching, crops from other photos, or photos of printed photos

These are the official Diversity Visa photo rules for recent entry years. The DV-2028 Instructions (expected September 2026) may contain minor wording changes — we will update this article the day they are published.

The 7 most common reasons DV photos get disqualified

Not exactly 600×600 pixels, or larger than 240 KB. The upload form rejects these outright. Export from your phone at 600×600 and check the file size.
Head too small or too large. The head (chin to crown) must fill 50–69% of the photo height. Too far away and your head is too small; too close and it is cropped.
Wrong background. Patterned walls, colored walls, shadows or objects behind you are all grounds for disqualification.
Old photo. The photo must be taken within 6 months of entry.
Glasses or headwear. Sunglasses are always rejected; regular glasses and hats are rejected when they cover the eyes or hairline.
Eyes closed or looking away. Flash photos often catch a blink — take several shots.
Edited or filtered photo. Cropping a photo of a photo, using beauty filters, or replacing the background with an app is grounds for disqualification.

Check and fix your photo in 3 minutes — free

Check it: run the free 11-point checker and pick "US Diversity Visa Lottery" — it verifies head height, background, lighting, blur, pose and more against the official DV rules, and quotes the official rule for anything that fails.
Fix the file: use the free photo compressor to export a square 600×600 JPEG under 240 KB — the exact DV upload requirement, processed locally in your browser.
Print if you need to: the free print tool lays out the 2×2 in photo at exact real size on any paper.

Check my photo free Compress to 240 KB

Common questions

Is the DV-2028 entry really free? Yes. The State Department never charges to enter and never emails winners. Any site asking for a "registration fee" is a scam.

Can I wear glasses? No. The official rules do not allow glasses in the photo, with rare exceptions for medical conditions.

Can I edit my background with an app? No. Edited photos are disqualified. The plain white or near-white background must already exist in the photo you took.

When does the DV-2028 window open? Early October 2026, for about one month. Check the official travel.state.gov page when it opens.