DV Lottery photo requirements and 2027–2028 status: what you need to know
Last checked: October 10, 2026. Rules and dates change, so always confirm on the official sites linked below.
The Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery, often called the "Green Card Lottery," gives people from countries with low rates of immigration to the U.S. a chance to apply for permanent residence. According to the State Department, "Up to 55,000 immigrants can enter the United States each year" through the program.
The DV program has changed a lot recently. This guide covers where things stand, what's new, and how to get your photo right, since a bad photo is one of the easiest ways to be disqualified.
1. Is the DV Lottery open right now?
No. As of October 10, 2026, the official entry website says:
"The entry period for the DV-2026 Diversity Visa Program was between October 2, 2024 and November 7, 2024. Entries are not being accepted at this time."
DV-2027 registration has not opened. On November 5, 2025, the State Department announced:
"The Department is implementing certain changes to the Diversity Visa (DV) entry process. We will announce the start date for the DV-2027 registration period as soon as practicable, as well as the date that DV-2027 selection results may become available through the Entry Status Check (ESC). These changes will not affect the visa application period for individuals selected for DV-2027, which will remain October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2027."
No dates have been announced for DV-2028. Websites claiming the lottery "opens in October" are guessing from past years. The only reliable source is the State Department.
Tip: Bookmark dvprogram.state.gov and travel.state.gov. When a new entry period is announced, it will appear there. By rule, the State Department publishes the dates in the Federal Register too.
2. What's new in the DV rules
In March 2026, the State Department published a new rule for the DV program (22 CFR 42.33). The main changes for entrants:
A passport is now required
The entry form will ask for:
"The unique serial or issuance number associated with the petitioner's valid, unexpired passport, petitioner name, country or authority of passport issuance, and expiration date, unless the petitioner would be exempt from the passport requirement…"
You'll also need to upload a scan of your passport's biographic and signature page:
"The image must be in the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) File Interchange Format (JFIF) format. No Portable Document Format (PDF) will be accepted."
"The file size must not exceed 5 megabytes (MB)."
What to do now: if you plan to enter and don't have a valid passport, or yours expires soon, start the renewal early.
A registration fee
"An electronic registration fee will be collected at the time of registration."
The amount is set in the State Department's official fee schedule. Pay it only on the official site during the entry period, never to a third party.
Still: only one entry
"No more than one petition may be submitted by, or on behalf of, any alien for consideration during any single fiscal year. If two or more petitions… are submitted… all such petitions will be void…"
3. DV Lottery photo requirements, explained
You need a photo of yourself, your spouse, and each unmarried child under 21, even if they won't come with you. From the rule:
"The petition will also require inclusion of a photograph of the petitioner and of his or her spouse and all unmarried children under the age of 21 years."
The official requirements
| Requirement | Official wording | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Taken recently | "The image must have been taken no more than six months prior to the date of the petition submission." | Take it close to when you enter, not months before. |
| Color | "The image must be in color." | No black-and-white or sepia. |
| File format | "…Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) File Interchange Format (JFIF) format." | A normal .jpg file, not PNG, HEIC or PDF. |
| Size | "600x600 pixels in dimension" and "In a square aspect ratio (height must equal width)" | Exactly 600×600, square. |
| File size | "Equal to or less than 240 kB (kilobytes) in file size" | Under 240 kB; you may need to compress it. |
| Head size | "The head must cover about 50% of the area of the photograph." | Not too far away, not too close. |
| Pose | "…directly facing the camera with the head neither tilted up, down, or to the side." | Look straight at the camera, head level. |
| Background | "…a neutral, light-colored background. Photos taken with very dark or patterned, busy backgrounds will not be accepted." | A plain light wall. |
| Focus | "The person's face must be in focus." | Sharp, not blurry. |
| Glasses | "…must not wear eyeglasses, sunglasses, or other paraphernalia that obstruct the view of the face." | Take glasses off. |
| Head coverings | "…only acceptable if the covering or hat is worn specifically due to that person's religious beliefs, and even then, the hat or covering may not obscure any portion of the face." | Religious coverings only, with the whole face visible. No caps, or tribal, military or airline headgear. |
Scanning an older printed photo?
The State Department allows a scan, but the print must be:
"2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm)"
"Scanned at a resolution of 300 pixels per inch (12 pixels per millimeter)"
The 6-month rule still applies to the photo itself.
If you're selected later
Selected applicants need printed photos for their interview:
"Each DV applicant will need to bring two (2) identical photos to the interview… Printed on photo quality paper… 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) in size."
4. Don't prepare your DV photo too early
Because of the 6-month rule, a photo taken now may be too old by the time the next entry period opens. The State Department is direct about it:
"Make sure your photo was taken in the last six months. Photos more than six months old will be disqualified."
Our advice: wait until the official entry dates are announced, then take your photos (and your family's) shortly before you enter.
5. The most common DV photo mistakes
Based on the official rules, these are the easy ones to get wrong:
- An old photo: reusing a photo from a previous year's entry or from an old ID.
- Glasses, even clear ones.
- Wrong size: not exactly 600×600 pixels, or not square.
- File too large: over 240 kB.
- Wrong format: iPhone photos are often HEIC, not JPEG.
- Busy or dark background: patterned walls, doors, furniture.
- Head too small or too large: not "about 50%" of the photo.
- Tilted head or not facing the camera.
- Blurry or filtered photos.
- Forgetting family members: your spouse and every unmarried child under 21 need photos too.
6. How to avoid DV Lottery scams
DV scams are common. The State Department warns:
"Applicants can only find out if they were selected to continue with DV processing by checking their status online through the DV Entrant Status Check at https://dvprogram.state.gov."
"…the U.S. government will never ask you to send payment in advance by check, money order, or wire transfer."
"Avoid visa consultants who charge money because they claim they can improve your chances of winning… they CANNOT improve your chances of being selected."
Simple rules:
- The only official entry site is dvprogram.state.gov. Official websites end in .gov.
- You won't get an email or letter saying you won. Check your status yourself, using your confirmation number.
- Keep your confirmation number safe, and enter with your own email address.
- Never pay anyone who promises a better chance.
The State Department's guidance says DV entrants should "complete your own application." Immplify doesn't submit entries for anyone.
7. FAQ
When will DV-2028 registration open?
No date has been announced. Watch dvprogram.state.gov and travel.state.gov.
Can I use my DV photo from a previous year?
No. It must be taken within 6 months of your entry.
Can I wear glasses in my DV photo?
No. Eyeglasses and sunglasses aren't allowed.
Can I use my phone to take the photo?
The rule allows "a digital image… from either a digital camera source." What matters is that it meets the requirements: 600×600 JPEG, under 240 kB, a plain light background, and so on.
Do my children need photos even if they won't immigrate?
The rule requires photos of your spouse and all unmarried children under 21. Follow the official instructions for your program year on this.
Is entering free?
The new rule adds an "electronic registration fee… collected at the time of registration." Pay it only on the official site.
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