Is the DV lottery open now?

As of 16 October 2026, the U.S. Department of State has not announced the next Diversity Visa entry period. DV-2026 entry ran from 2 October 2024 to 7 November 2024. On 5 November 2025 the State Department said it would announce the DV-2027 entry start date when practicable. dvprogram.state.gov says entries are not being accepted at this time. Do not use dates published by blogs.

What size is the DV photo?

JPEG, color, square, 600×600 pixels, 240 KB or less, taken within the last 6 months. The head from chin to crown should be 50 to 69 percent of the image height. Background plain white or off-white. Source: travel.state.gov visa photo page and the DV-2026 instructions PDF.

Can I reuse last year's photo?

No. A photo from a prior DV entry can make the entrant ineligible. Take a new photo within the last 6 months.

Can I edit the background or use filters?

No. The State Department says photos must not be digitally enhanced or altered to change your appearance. Do not use beauty filters, portrait mode, or an edited background. If the wall is not plain white or off-white, retake the photo. Cropping and resizing to 600×600 does not change the face.

Do children need photos?

Yes. You, your spouse, and each child on the entry each need their own photo that meets the same rules.

Does PixID submit my entry?

No. PixID checks the photo and can download a 600×600 JPEG. You submit the entry yourself at dvprogram.state.gov. PixID is not the Department of State.

As of 16 October 2026, the State Department has not announced the next DV entry period. Entries are accepted only at dvprogram.state.gov, and that site says entries are not being accepted right now. Registration is free on the current State Department entry page; confirm any fee in the DV-2027 instructions when published. The Department does not email you that you won. It may email a reminder to check Entrant Status Check. DV-2026 entry was 2 October 2024–7 November 2024. On 5 November 2025 State said it would announce the DV-2027 start date when practicable. This page will be updated the day an official date is posted.

DV Lottery Photo Tool — 600×600 JPEG, 240 KB or less

Last verified 16 October 2026 · How we verify

Dates, fee status, and the passport rule are on the DV lottery hub. A reused or edited photo can make the entry ineligible. Checklist · Refusal reasons

PixID crops and resizes your photo to 600×600 and checks it against State Department rules. It does not alter facial features. If your background is not plain white or off-white, retake the photo. The final decision rests with the Department of State.

Check my DV photo — free, then $4.99

Official rules: travel.state.gov — visa photos · DV-2027 entry notice · DV-2026 instructions (PDF)

One blank square print on a warm-white desk

600×600 px JPEG, 240 KB max Taken within 6 months No face retouch or filters Entry stays on dvprogram.state.gov

Official DV photo rules

These are the photo rules from the State Department visa photo page and the DV-2026 plain-language instructions (PDF). They describe the file. They are not an announcement that a new entry window is open.

Rule	Specification
Format	JPEG, color
Dimensions	Square, 600 × 600 pixels
File size	240 KB or less
Recency	Taken within the last 6 months
Head height	50% to 69% of the image, chin to top of head
Background	Plain white or off-white
Alteration	Must not be digitally enhanced or altered to change your appearance

Why a DV photo can make the entry ineligible

The official word is “ineligible”, not “disqualified”. Reusing a prior year’s photo will make you ineligible. A manipulated photo may make you ineligible. The State Department’s line is: “Photos must not be digitally enhanced or altered to change your appearance.”

Older than 6 months

Reused from a prior DV year

Filters, beauty mode, or a swapped background

Not 600×600, over 240 KB, or head outside 50–69%

Check the file before you need it

Upload a recent photo, choose US DV Lottery Photo, and read the pass/fail report. The check is free. The 600×600 download is $4.99. PixID does not file your entry.

Take it

Plain white or off-white wall, last 6 months, no glasses, no filters.

Check it

Size, file weight, and head height. Face is not retouched.

Download

600×600 JPEG when you are ready to enter on the official site.

Open the checker

Spouse and children

Each person on the entry needs a separate photo: you, your spouse, and each child. The same file rules apply to every photo. A photo of one person cannot be reused for another.

Enter only on a .gov site

Submit only at dvprogram.state.gov. The current State Department entry page says registration has no cost; confirm any fee in the DV-2027 instructions when published. A website that is not .gov, or an agent who asks you to pay to “guarantee selection,” is not the lottery. The Department does not email you that you won. It may email a reminder to check Entrant Status Check. PixID sells a photo file. It does not enter you, and it does not decide the result. Full rules: DV lottery hub.

Related US files, if you need them separately: DS-160 visa photo · US passport photo · Green card / USCIS (ASC, not a mail-in pack).

Frequently asked questions

As of 16 October 2026, no start date has been announced. DV-2026 entry closed on 7 November 2024. State’s 5 November 2025 notice said the DV-2027 entry start would be announced when practicable. Check dvprogram.state.gov and the State Department notice. Ignore blog calendars.

JPEG, color, 600×600 pixels, 240 KB or less, taken within 6 months. Head height 50–69% of the image. Plain white or off-white background.

No. A prior-year DV photo can make the entrant ineligible. Take a new one within the last 6 months.

No. Photos must not be digitally enhanced or altered to change your appearance. Do not use filters or a background swap. If the wall is not plain white or off-white, retake the photo.

Yes. You, your spouse, and each child each need their own photo.

No. You submit it yourself at dvprogram.state.gov. PixID only checks and prepares the JPEG.

Free to register per the current State Department entry page; confirm any fee in the DV-2027 instructions when published. The Department does not email you that you won. It may email a reminder to check Entrant Status Check.

Have the 600×600 file ready

Free check. $4.99 download. No face alteration. The Department of State decides whether the photo qualifies.

Check my DV photo

Checked 16 October 2026 against travel.state.gov visa photos, the 5 November 2025 DV-2027 notice, and dvprogram.state.gov.