DV lottery, visa and passport photo FAQ

The DV entry photo is a square digital image of 600 × 600 pixels in JPEG format, no larger than 240 kB. Your head, from chin to top of head, should take up 50% to 69% of the image height, and your eyes should be 56% to 69% of the height up from the bottom edge. The DV entry does not use a paper print.

Yes. The published requirements describe the finished photo, not the camera: the right size, a plain white or off-white background, even lighting, eyes open, facing the camera and no eyeglasses. A current phone camera has more than enough resolution. Ask someone else to take it rather than taking a selfie. BrainDV is built for this: it guides the shot and crops the file to 600 × 600 pixels.

No. Eyeglasses are not allowed in DV lottery, U.S. visa or U.S. passport photos under the published requirements, so take them off for the photo. Rare medical exceptions for visa and passport photos need a signed medical statement; BrainDV does not handle that case.

The photo must have been taken within the last 6 months. A photo from an entry in an earlier year is therefore too old, even if it met the rules at the time.

An entry whose photo does not meet the requirements can be disqualified, and a submitted entry cannot be changed. Sending a second entry with a new photo does not fix it: more than one entry for the same person also leads to disqualification. Check your photo against the current instructions on travel.state.gov before you submit.

Hats and head coverings are generally not allowed. A head covering worn for religious reasons is allowed, as described by the U.S. Department of State, as long as your full face is visible.

Yes. The DV instructions ask for a separate photo of each person on the entry: you, your spouse and each eligible child. Group photos are not accepted. BrainDV does not support photos of children yet.

No. 2 × 2 inches is the size of a printed U.S. passport photo. The DV entry needs a digital file of 600 × 600 pixels. BrainDV has a separate profile for each.

The digital photo for an online visa application such as the DS-160 or DS-260 must be square. The State Department's composition template accepts 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 pixels. BrainDV exports 600 × 600 pixels as a JPEG up to 240 kB, with the same head and eye position rules as the DV photo.

A printed U.S. passport photo is 2 × 2 inches (about 51 × 51 mm). The head, from chin to top of head, must measure 1 to 1 3/8 inches, and the eyes must be 1 1/8 to 1 3/8 inches above the bottom edge. BrainDV prepares a 600 × 600 pixel file for printing at 300 dpi.

The rules overlap (a recent photo, plain white background, no eyeglasses), but the formats differ: the DV entry needs a 600 × 600 pixel file, a paper passport application needs a 2 × 2 inch print, and online passport renewal has its own upload limits. In BrainDV you can prepare one capture for several profiles; each completed export counts separately.

BrainDV will be free to install, and exploring, taking photos, running the checks and previewing cost nothing. To export final photo files you buy the unlock once for $4.99 (U.S. reference price); it includes 4 completed exports per entitlement year. Extra exports cost $1.99 each. Final prices are shown by Apple or Google and vary by country.

No. BrainDV is an independent photo preparation tool made by BuroBrain LLC. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of State or any government agency.

Final acceptance is determined by the relevant authority. BrainDV helps you prepare a photo according to published U.S. requirements and explains each check, but it cannot make that decision.

No. The unlock is a one-time purchase with no recurring charge. It includes 4 completed exports per entitlement year. Unused included exports expire at the end of each entitlement year. Extra export credits never expire.

No. Purchases are platform-specific. A purchase made through Apple works only in the iPhone app, and a purchase made through Google works only in the Android app.

Not to explore. Camera guidance, checks on your phone and preview work without an account. An account is needed to buy, restore purchases, keep a history across devices or delete your data from our servers.

No. BrainDV finds face landmarks on your phone to position the crop. They are processed in memory and not stored, and BrainDV does not create identity templates or try to recognise who you are.

The checks that decide pass or fail use fixed, measurable rules. An optional advice feature can send a photo to OpenAI for written tips. It is off by default, asks for your consent first and is never part of the final checks.

Not yet. Support for children's photos is planned but not available, and BrainDV is not directed at children. Please do not use BrainDV to prepare a photo of anyone under 16 until we announce support for children's photos.

BrainDV is not yet available in any app store or country. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when testing opens.

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