Why US passport, visa & DV lottery photos get rejected: the official reasons
Last verified 16 October 2026 · How we verify
DV lottery dates and the 600×600 entry photo: DV lottery hub.
The State Department says unacceptable photos are “the number one reason why we put passport applications on hold” (passport photos). It publishes no percentages, so neither do we.
Official US photo rejection reasons in brief: edits/filters/retouched backgrounds, non-white or shadowed background, wrong head size, blur, glasses, tilted head, open-mouth/exaggerated expression, face obscured, uniforms/headphones, photo older than 6 months, wrong file specs (DS-160/DV: JPEG ≤240 kB, square, 600 px). DV: reusing a prior-year or manipulated photo may make the entry ineligible. No official rejection percentages exist.
What happens next. Passport: the application is put on hold and a new photo is requested (“we will send you a letter or email asking you to send us a new photo”). DS-160: the embassy can require a new photo. Acceptance is “at the discretion of the U.S. embassy or consulate”. DV: the entry can be ineligible, with no chance to fix it after entry. The official words are “ineligible” or “may make you ineligible”.
Example photos from travel.state.gov are public domain when no copyright is marked on that image. This table links to that source page. Real before-and-after pairs are added only after a signed model release. Every “after” must be a retaken photo, with no edits. Run the checklist.
| Reason | Applies to | Official quote | How to fix | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edited, filtered, or AI-enhanced | Passport, DS-160, DV | “Do not change your photo using computer software, phone apps or filters.” Passport photos. Visa: “must not be digitally enhanced or altered.” Visa photos. DV: a manipulated photo “may make you ineligible.” Federal Register | Retake with filters off. | Photo not added yet. See the digitally changed example on the passport photos page. Source: U.S. Department of State, travel.state.gov. |
| Retouched or cut-out background | Passport, DS-160, DV | “The background is cropped using a photo retouching tool, changing the outline of your head, face, and neck.” Passport photos | Use a real white wall or sheet and retake. Do not cut the background out. | Photo not added yet. Same State Department page. |
| Background not plain white or off-white | Passport, DS-160, DV | “Background must be white or off-white, free of shadows, and plain without texture, objects, or lines.” Passport photos | White sheet, step away from the wall. Background guide | Photo not added yet. |
| Shadows, uneven light, or exposure | Passport, DS-160, DV | “The photo includes shadows on your face and the background.” “Photo is underexposed.” Passport photos | Face a window. No overhead light. Lighting | Photo not added yet. |
| Head too big, too small, or off-center | Passport, DS-160, DV | “You are too close to the camera.” “Your head is not centered.” Passport photos. Visa: head 50–69% of height. Visa photos | Stand back and crop to the published size. US passport | Photo not added yet. |
| Blurry, grainy, pixelated, or printer dots | Passport, DS-160, DV | “not blurry, grainy, or pixelated.” Passport photos | Highest-quality setting, camera steady. | Photo not added yet. |
| Glasses | Passport, DS-160, DV | “Take off any eyeglasses, sunglasses, or tinted glasses.” Passport photos. “Eyeglasses are no longer allowed in new visa photos.” Visa photos | Remove them. A medical exception needs a signed note. Glasses | Photo not added yet. |
| Head tilted, turned, or looking down | Passport, DS-160, DV | “Your head is tilted to the side.” Passport photos | Square to the camera. | Photo not added yet. |
| Mouth open, exaggerated expression, or eyes closed | Passport, DS-160, DV | Passport: “Avoid exaggerated facial expressions.” A closed-mouth smile is allowed. Passport photos. Visa and DV: “neutral facial expression and both eyes open.” Visa photos | Neutral, mouth closed. A closed-mouth smile is for a passport photo only. | Photo not added yet. |
| Hair, hat, or head covering hides the face | Passport, DS-160, DV | “Your hair blocks a portion of your face.” Passport photos | Hair back. A daily religious covering needs the face visible and a statement. Head coverings | Photo not added yet. |
| Uniform, camouflage, or headphones | Passport, DS-160, DV | “You cannot wear a uniform, clothing that looks like a uniform, or camouflage clothing.” Passport photos. “Headphones, wireless hands-free devices, or similar items are not acceptable.” Visa photos | Daily clothes. Dress code | Photo not added yet. |
| Older than 6 months, or it no longer looks like you | Passport, DS-160, DV | “taken in the last 6 months.” Passport photos. Visa: “Taken within the last 6 months.” Visa photos | Take a new photo. | Text only. |
| Red eye | Passport; visa examples | “Do not submit photos with red eye.” Passport photos | Turn the flash off and retake. Do not edit the eyes. | Photo not added yet. See the red-eye example on the passport photos page. |
| Wrong print, damage, photocopy, or scan of a print | Paper passport; DS-260 and interview prints | Print on photo paper. Do not submit photocopies or digitally scanned photos. Passport photos | Print on photo paper. Home printing · Retail | Photo not added yet. |
| Wrong file specs | DS-160, DV, online passport renewal | DS-160: JPEG, 600–1200 px square, ≤240 kB. Digital image requirements. DV: 600×600, ≤240 kB. Online renewal: 54 KB–10 MB. Upload page | Export the file again. File-error fixes · Online renewal | A file-info screenshot, with no face, can go here later. |
| Copied from an ID, snapshot, full-length, or vending machine | DS-160, DV | The visa page rejects photos of another photo, snapshots, magazine photos, vending-machine photos, and full-length photos. Visa photos | Take a dedicated photo. | Text only. |
| Same photo as a prior DV entry | DV | “Submitting the same photograph that was submitted with a prior year's entry will make you ineligible for a DV.” Federal Register | A new photo each year. DV lottery photo | Text only. |
| A family member’s photo does not comply | DV | “You may be ineligible for a DV if the entry photographs for you and your family members do not fully meet these specifications.” DV-2026 plain-language PDF | Check every person on the entry, except a US citizen or permanent resident. | Text only. |
| Another person, hands, or a pacifier in a child’s photo | Passport, visa | “No other person can be in the photo.” Passport photos | Car seat and a white sheet, with no hands in frame. Baby and child | Photo not added yet. A child pair needs parental consent. |
| A photo you took yourself for USCIS | USCIS forms | “USCIS will not use or reuse self-submitted photographs.” USCIS newsroom, 12 Dec 2025 | Go to the biometrics appointment. USCIS photo guide | Text only. |
Questions
Can a rejected DV photo be fixed?
After entry, no. The entry may be ineligible.
Can I smile?
A paper passport photo may show a closed-mouth smile. DS-160 and DV need a neutral expression. Smile guide
Can I cut out the wall behind me?
No. Retake on a plain white or off-white wall.
What is the most common reason?
There is no official ranking. Unacceptable photos are the number one reason a passport application is put on hold.
Other countries: general rejection guide.