Make a Green Card photo
Bring your photo to the required size or check one you already have, so your entry is not disqualified because of the photo. Your photo never leaves your device.
What do you want to do?
Right and wrong examples
Entries can be disqualified because of the photo. Each drawing shows one mistake; compare your photo with them before you submit.
Correct
Facing straight on, neutral expression, plain white background, head about two thirds of the photo.
Head too small
From chin to top of hair, the head must be 50% to 69% of the photo's height.
Head too large
The head must not exceed 69% of the photo, and hair and chin must not be cut off.
Head tilted
The head must be upright and facing the camera directly.
Wearing glasses
No eyeglasses, prescription glasses included.
Wearing a hat
No hat or covering that hides the hair or hairline (except one worn daily for religious reasons).
Shadow in the background
No shadows on the face or background; light should be even and from the front.
Patterned background
The background must be plain white or off-white, not coloured or patterned.
Eyes closed, big smile
The expression must be neutral, with both eyes open.
Black and white
The photo must be in colour.
Blurry
The photo must be sharp; low resolution or blurry photos are not accepted.
The drawings are illustrations. The rules are summarised from the US Department of State DV entry instructions; check the current instructions on travel.state.gov before you enter.
How it works
Pick your images
Drop one or more images or choose them from your device. Nothing is uploaded.
Pick a setting
Line your head up with the guide or check your finished file.
Download
One image downloads directly, several come in a single ZIP file.
What this tool does
In the US Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV, often called the Green Card lottery) entry, the photo is one of the most common reasons for disqualification. It must be square, exactly 600×600 pixels, JPEG and at most 240 kB, taken against a plain white or off-white background, without glasses, facing the camera with a neutral expression. From chin to top of hair, the head must be 50% to 69% of the photo's height.
This tool crops your photo to those rules, can make the background white with AI, brings the file under 240 kB and checks the result automatically. If you already have a photo, you can just check it. A machine cannot judge rules such as expression, glasses or when the photo was taken; use the examples and checklist below for those. Entries are only made on the official website; do not pay anyone for the photo or the entry.
Frequently asked questions
Only on the US Department of State's official website, dvprogram.state.gov. From DV-2027 there is a 1 dollar registration fee; do not pay other websites or agents, and check your result only on the official website with your confirmation number.
Yes. Under a Department of State rule that took effect in 2026, from DV-2027 you must enter valid passport details and upload a scan of the passport's biographic page.
Yes. Your spouse and each unmarried child under 21 named on the entry need their own photo that meets the rules; no one else may appear in a baby's photo.
No. It checks dimensions, file size, colour and background; you must check rules such as expression, glasses and how recent the photo is. The final decision is the Department of State's.
No. Everything runs in your browser, on your own device. Your images are never sent anywhere, never reach us and are never stored.