Photo requirements

[Golden Me 2]

Hello,

 

I took the picture for dv lottery at home with a digital camera and used the government's crop tool to crop the picture to 600×600 pixels.

 

But I see videos on youtube with people using Gimp to make their picture whiter and upload the picture on Word to crop the picture to 2×2 inches ( 5×5cm) passport size.

 

So is it enough for me to use the government's crop tool or do I have to use Word to crop the picture to make it like a passport photo size?  Can I use Gimp to lighten the back of my picture or not?

 

I don't understand the difference between the digital picture requirements and the paper passport photo size because on the website it says one can scan an existing US passport photo but it must be cropped to 600×600. But it doesn't say that a digital image must be cropped to 2×2inches passport size. They also accept 1200×1200 pixels digital pictures. 

 

I know it's early to apply but I wanted to clear the confusion I have.

 

I appreciate all answers. Be respectful, thanks. 

 

 

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

You shouldn’t be using anything to enhance/change colors etc, the instructions specifically tell you not to. A clear photo taken at home (according to specs/head size as proportion of photo, and against a light background) submitted via the uscis photo tool is perfectly fine. (This is what we did, and were successfully selected.)

The 2x2 only applies to a printed photo that is scanned. Clear in the official instructions too. 

 

Diversity Visa Program Entrants

 

If you are entering the Diversity Visa (DV) Program online, you must upload your digital image as part of your entry. Your digital image must be:

In JPEG (.jpg) file format

Equal to or less than 240 kB (kilobytes) in file size

In a square aspect ratio (height must equal width)

600x600 pixels in dimension

 

Do you want to scan an existing photo? In addition to the digital image requirements, your existing photo must be:

2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm)

Scanned at a resolution of 300 pixels per inch (12 pixels per millimeter)

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/photos.html#DV

 

always go by the official instructions, not arbitrary posters on the internet. (Signed, an arbitrary poster on the Internet.)

[Golden Me 2]

On 3/19/2020 at 7:35 AM, SusieQQQ said:

You shouldn’t be using anything to enhance/change colors etc, the instructions specifically tell you not to. A clear photo taken at home (according to specs/head size as proportion of photo, and against a light background) submitted via the uscis photo tool is perfectly fine. (This is what we did, and were successfully selected.)

The 2x2 only applies to a printed photo that is scanned. Clear in the official instructions too. 

 

Diversity Visa Program Entrants

 

If you are entering the Diversity Visa (DV) Program online, you must upload your digital image as part of your entry. Your digital image must be:

In JPEG (.jpg) file format

Equal to or less than 240 kB (kilobytes) in file size

In a square aspect ratio (height must equal width)

600x600 pixels in dimension

 

Do you want to scan an existing photo? In addition to the digital image requirements, your existing photo must be:

2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm)

Scanned at a resolution of 300 pixels per inch (12 pixels per millimeter)

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/photos.html#DV

 

always go by the official instructions, not arbitrary posters on the internet. (Signed, an arbitrary poster on the Internet.)

I appreciate the answer. Are jpeg and jpg the same? When I take pictures I always notice they're in jpg format and not jpeg so I don't know if there's any difference or if it's just the same thing called in two different ways. Even now I'm noticing while replying to this that it says I can upload something "accepted file types: jpg, jpeg," so maybe there's a difference?

 

I used a white board as background for the picture and took it with natural sunlight so without lights like in a studio.

 

The video I saw about taking the picture was of Brit Simon who claimed Gimp could be used to lighten the picture but I guess I won't use anything to be safe. 

 

Edited March 21, 2020 by Golden Me

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

Yes either jpg or jpeg is fine. 

[Golden Me 2]

On 3/21/2020 at 1:09 PM, SusieQQQ said:

Yes either jpg or jpeg is fine. 

Ok. What about flash light of the camera? I took it without flash in front of natural sunlight. Is it better with flash? 

 

Another thing I wanted to ask but if you don't know the answer it's ok. I have two citizenships: the birth one from a non EU country and the one I got after naturalization from an EU country so where should I get my birth certificate from? I currently reside in the country where I obtained my second citizenship and here I can get a birth certificate that says I was born in my non EU country but I can get one where I was born too. The country of birth lists if I'm married or not in the birth certificate but the country of second citizenship doesn't list marriage or single status in their birth certificates. So I don't know if I should get the birth certificate from both countries of citizenships or only from the country of birth? 

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

13 minutes ago, Golden Me said:

Ok. What about flash light of the camera? I took it without flash in front of natural sunlight. Is it better with flash? 

 

Another thing I wanted to ask but if you don't know the answer it's ok. I have two citizenships: the birth one from a non EU country and the one I got after naturalization from an EU country so where should I get my birth certificate from? I currently reside in the country where I obtained my second citizenship and here I can get a birth certificate that says I was born in my non EU country but I can get one where I was born too. The country of birth lists if I'm married or not in the birth certificate but the country of second citizenship doesn't list marriage or single status in their birth certificates. So I don't know if I should get the birth certificate from both countries of citizenships or only from the country of birth? 

Flash doesn’t matter.

 

Please wait till you are actually selected before asking detailed questions about what’s required of selectees. If you get selected you will have plenty of time to organize documents.

[Golden Me 2]

22 hours ago, SusieQQQ said:

Flash doesn’t matter.

 

Please wait till you are actually selected before asking detailed questions about what’s required of selectees. If you get selected you will have plenty of time to organize documents.

Ok so flash is irrelevant

Edited April 19, 2020 by Golden Me
Mistake

[Golden Me 2]

Just now, Golden Me said:

I know that but that wasn't a question for when I get selected. I should've specified that that was a general question because I'm considering applying for a visa and wanted to know how the birth certificate works with dual citizenship before I consider starting the visa process. That's it, the question wasn't related to winning the lottery and i should have specified that so my bad. I'll ask on the forum for the visa I'm interested in.