SelfieToPassport
Make my photo

Guide

DV lottery photo apps compared: price, preview and the 240 KB file

As of November 4, 2026, the DV lottery photo apps we checked charge from $0 (OpenPhotoId) to $9 (Visafoto), with PhotoGov at $5.50 for the digital file in the U.S.; PhotoAid’s DV page shows no price before you upload a photo. SelfieToPassport charges $6.95 for a 600 x 600 pixel JPEG under 240 KB, with a free preview. The State Department’s photo tool is free but only crops, and a photo manipulated in any way can make the entry ineligible.

Updated Rules checked against the official pages listed belowHow we check

Make my photo · free preview, $6.95

The short version

  1. SelfieToPassport: $6.95, free preview, a 600 x 600 px JPEG under 240 KB; it does not replace the background or retouch the face.
  2. OpenPhotoId: $0; a 600 x 600 px JPEG of 240 KB or less, keeping the wall behind you.
  3. PhotoGov: $5.50 for the digital DV photo in the U.S., $6.50 with a printable sheet.
  4. Visafoto: $9 per photo, preview before you pay; its 7ID app checks a DV photo for free.
  5. PhotoAid: price not shown before upload; a person reviews the photo.
  6. State Department photo tool: free, crop only.
  7. The entry file: a square 600 x 600 px JPEG of 240 KB or less, taken within 6 months.
  8. Do not reuse last year’s photo, and do not edit it.

How this comparison works

Each price below comes from the service’s own page, read on November 4, 2026 from a U.S. connection, or in a browser where the price only appears with JavaScript. We compare what the pages state: the price, whether you see the photo before you pay, and whether the file is made for the DV entry. We do not score or rank the apps.

The stakes are higher than for a visa photo: a photo that misses the rules, has been manipulated or was used in a prior year’s entry can make the entry ineligible.

The rules

  • Entrant and family photos that have been manipulated in any way, or that fall short of the specifications, can make an entrant ineligible for a Diversity Visa. travel.state.gov
  • Submitting the same photo that went in with a prior year’s DV entry may make the entrant ineligible, the DV-2026 instructions warn. travel.state.gov

What each DV lottery photo app charges

From the lowest price shown to the highest: OpenPhotoId says it is free, PhotoGov charges $5.50 in the U.S., SelfieToPassport $6.95 and Visafoto $9. Visafoto also points to a free checker in its 7ID app.

PhotoAid’s DV lottery page shows no price before you upload a photo, so it has no price here. The State Department’s own tool is free and only crops.

The rules

  • OpenPhotoId says every feature of its DV lottery photo maker is free, with no account and no watermark. openphotoid.com
  • PhotoGov’s DV lottery page says a digital DV photo costs $5.50 in the U.S., or $6.50 with a printable sheet. photogov.net
  • Visafoto charges a one-time fee of $9 per photo, according to its prices page. visafoto.com
  • Visafoto shows a preview of the finished photo before you pay. visafoto.com
  • Visafoto points DV entrants to its 7ID app for a free check of a DV lottery photo. visafoto.com
  • PhotoAid’s DV lottery page says a person reviews each photo after the AI check. photoaid.com
  • The State Department’s free online photo tool only crops an image; a State Department employee makes the final decision on whether a visa photo is acceptable. travel.state.gov

The file the DV entry takes

The entry form takes one file per person: a square 600 x 600 pixel JPEG of 240 KB or less, with the head 50% to 69% of the image height, on a plain white or off-white background, taken within the last six months.

OpenPhotoId and SelfieToPassport say they make exactly that file. Whatever you use, check the pixels and the KB before you submit.

The rules

  • Every Diversity Visa entry carries a digital photo uploaded with the online form, saved as a JPEG (.jpg) file of no more than 240 KB. travel.state.gov
  • The DV entry image has to be square, with width equal to height, at 600 x 600 pixels. travel.state.gov
  • In a DV entry photo, the head from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head must fill 50% to 69% of the image height, or 1 to 1 3/8 inches on a 2 x 2 inch print. travel.state.gov
  • The DV-2026 instructions require entry photos to be taken in front of a plain white or off-white background. travel.state.gov
  • A DV entry photo can be no more than six months old on the date the entry is submitted, under 22 CFR 42.33. ecfr.gov
  • Eyeglasses, sunglasses and anything else that blocks the view of the face are banned from DV entry photos by 22 CFR 42.33. ecfr.gov
  • OpenPhotoId makes the DV file as a square 600 x 600 px JPEG of 240 KB or less. openphotoid.com

Why the background stays as taken

Because a manipulated photo can make an entry ineligible, OpenPhotoId says it does not replace the background of a DV photo, and SelfieToPassport does not either. Take the photo in front of a plain white or off-white wall instead of fixing it later.

The State Department says it already runs checks for duplicate entries and for photos that do not meet the standards.

The rules

  • OpenPhotoId says it does not replace the background of a DV photo or retouch it, because a manipulated photo can make an entry ineligible. openphotoid.com
  • The State Department says it already runs checks to detect duplicate DV entries and photos that do not meet the required standards. federalregister.gov

What SelfieToPassport does

SelfieToPassport crops, sizes and compresses the photo in your browser into a 600 x 600 pixel JPEG under 240 KB for the DV entry. It does not replace the background or retouch the face.

The preview with the measurements is free. The file costs $6.95 per person, once, with up to 3 photos for the same document within 30 days of purchase; each extra person in the same order, such as a spouse or child in the entry, is $2.95.

  1. Take a new photo for this year’s entry, against a plain white or off-white wall, glasses off.
  2. Check the preview: head 50% to 69% of the height, face to the camera, no shadows.
  3. Download the 600 x 600 px JPEG and check that it is 240 KB or less.
  4. Upload it with the online entry, one photo for each person in the entry.

FAQ

Is there a free DV lottery photo tool?

OpenPhotoId says every feature of its DV photo maker is free. The State Department’s photo tool is free but only crops, and Visafoto’s 7ID app checks a DV photo for free. Source: official pages "OpenPhotoId › DV lottery photo", "Digital Image Requirements" and "Visafoto › Free Green Card lottery photo checker", checked on Nov 4, 2026.

Can I use last year’s DV lottery photo?

No. The DV-2026 instructions warn that submitting the same photo as a prior year’s entry may make you ineligible. Take a new one. Source: official page "Instructions for the 2026 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV-2026)", checked on Nov 4, 2026.

How much does SelfieToPassport cost for a DV lottery photo?

$6.95 per person, once; the preview is free. Source: official page "Pricing | SelfieToPassport", checked on Nov 4, 2026.

Where this information comes from

Every rule on this page comes from a page published by the U.S. Department of State and the companies named, read on the date shown. We rewrite each rule in plain words and link to the page it came from. Each rule has a review deadline; one that passes it without a new check comes off the page.

Something here out of date? Tell us and we will check it against the official page.