US visa photo requirements
The State Department uses one photo standard for all US visas, from tourist (B1/B2) and student (F1) visas to immigrant visas. The photo must be in colour, taken in the last six months, and show your full face looking straight at the camera with a neutral expression and both eyes open. The background must be plain white or off-white, with no shadows or patterns. Glasses are not allowed, and hats or head coverings only for religious reasons, without hiding the face.
The head, measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the hair, must be between 1 inch and 1⅜ inches (25 to 35 mm) on a 2 × 2 inch photo – roughly half to two-thirds of the photo’s height. A head that is too small is the most frequent reason self-taken photos are rejected.
The digital file
Most visa applications start online, so the digital file matters more than the print. The State Department’s digital image requirements are:
- JPEG format, in colour (24-bit sRGB);
- square: the height must equal the width;
- at least 600 × 600 pixels and at most 1200 × 1200 pixels;
- no larger than 240 KB;
- a compression ratio of no more than 20:1.
The last two rules work against each other: a 600 × 600 pixel colour photo must be compressed enough to fit in 240 KB, but not so much that it goes below about 54 KB (20:1). This tool saves the photo at 600 × 600 pixels with high JPEG quality, which normally lands between those limits; if a very detailed photo would exceed 240 KB, the quality is lowered just enough to fit.
DS-160 and interview
The DS-160 online form asks you to upload your photo and checks it immediately. If the upload is rejected, the form explains why; you may still be able to continue and bring a printed photo to your visa interview instead, so keep the 4 × 6 inch print sheet. Order it at a pharmacy or photo lab as a standard print without scaling and cut one photo out along the grey lines. A consular officer makes the final decision on whether a photo is acceptable.
Diversity Visa lottery
The DV entry form is stricter than the DS-160: it asks for exactly 600 × 600 pixels. Every person included in the entry, including a spouse and children, needs their own photo. The photo is part of what makes an entry valid, so check it carefully before submitting – you cannot correct it afterwards.