What size should a US visa (DS-160) photo be?

A US visa digital photo must be a square JPEG between 600×600 and 1200×1200 pixels, no larger than 240 KB, with a compression ratio of 20:1 or lower.

How many KB can a US visa photo be?

The maximum file size for a US visa digital image is 240 KB. If your photo is larger, it must be compressed (up to a 20:1 ratio) without altering your appearance.

What is the difference between the US visa and Diversity Visa photo?

The general US visa photo allows a 600×600 to 1200×1200 pixel square. The Diversity Visa (DV) requires exactly 600×600 pixels. Both are JPEGs of 240 KB or less.

U.S. Department of State

US visa digital photo requirements

When you complete the online US visa application (DS-160) and upload a photo, the Department of State requires a square digital image — at least 600×600 pixels and no larger than 1200×1200 pixels — saved as a JPEG of 240 KB or less.

This is different from the US passport rules. Passport renewal accepts larger files and crops in-app; the visa digital image has a fixed square size and a strict 240 KB cap.

The tool below is pre-set to the official visa digital-image limits so you can check your photo before you upload. It checks only — it does not resize or re-encode — because the official DS-160 upload handles cropping and compression, and only edits that change your appearance are prohibited. Compression up to a 20:1 ratio is allowed.

Official source: travel.state.gov — Digital Image Requirements

Official source checked on 2026-07-08. This records when we compared our summary to the linked government page — not when the tool was QA-tested. Requirements can change; always confirm the current rules on the official page before you apply.

Reviewed by the ExactPic Editorial Team against the official source above. See how we verify requirements.

Specifications

Dimensions: 600 × 600 px minimum, 1200 × 1200 px maximum (square)
File format: JPEG (.jpg)
Maximum file size: 240 KB
Max compression: 20:1 or lower
Color: Color, 24-bit sRGB
Head size: Chin to crown 50%–69% of image height
Background: Plain white or off-white
Age of photo: Taken within the last 6 months

Every value in this table is summarized from travel.state.gov — Digital Image Requirements (U.S. Department of State), checked 2026-07-08. Confirm the current values on the official page before you apply.

Check your photo

The tool below is set to the official digital limits. Drop your photo in to check it against each requirement — nothing is uploaded or altered.

The visa image must be square (width equal to height). ExactPic checks the size range, format, and 240 KB cap; make sure your crop is 1:1 before you upload.

Private by design. Your files never leave your device

Drop an image here, or click to browse

HEIC, JPG, PNG, WebP

Auto-checked: File size, pixel dimensions, aspect ratio, and file format.
You must verify yourself: Head size and position, background, lighting, expression, and colour profile — the tool cannot judge these.

Compliance note. This checks the visa digital-image dimensions, format, and 240 KB file size only. It does not judge head position, expression, lighting, background, or whether the visa system will accept your photo.

Reviewed by ExactPic editorial against the official source on 2026-07-08. Spotted something out of date or wrong? Report an incorrect requirement.

Step by step

Take a compliant color photo
Use a recent color photo on a plain white background, facing the camera with a neutral expression.
Crop to a square
The visa image must be square. Crop to 1:1 with your head centered at the correct height.
Check the file below
Confirm the 600×600 to 1200×1200 size, JPEG format, and 240 KB limit, then upload it in the official application.

Private by design. Any photo you check here is processed entirely in your browser and never uploaded. ExactPic is not affiliated with U.S. Department of State and does not guarantee acceptance — always follow the official guidance.

Source change log

2026-07-09 — Added the official 20:1 maximum compression ratio and reworded the check-only note: only appearance-altering edits are prohibited, while cropping and compression are handled by the official DS-160 upload.
2026-07-08 — New page split from the US passport page to correctly own the 600×600–1200×1200 px square JPEG, 240 KB visa digital-image spec.

Other portals

US Diversity Visa (DV Lottery) photo requirements

View requirements→

US passport photo requirements

View requirements→

Frequently asked questions

What size should a US visa (DS-160) photo be?: A US visa digital photo must be a square JPEG between 600×600 and 1200×1200 pixels, no larger than 240 KB, with a compression ratio of 20:1 or lower.
How many KB can a US visa photo be?: The maximum file size for a US visa digital image is 240 KB. If your photo is larger, it must be compressed (up to a 20:1 ratio) without altering your appearance.
What is the difference between the US visa and Diversity Visa photo?: The general US visa photo allows a 600×600 to 1200×1200 pixel square. The Diversity Visa (DV) requires exactly 600×600 pixels. Both are JPEGs of 240 KB or less.

Keep going

All passport & visa portals

Browse verified photo requirements for every country and document we cover.

Check your photo against custom rules

Enter any form's KB, dimension, and format limits and diagnose your photo privately.

Passport photo maker

Crop to 2×2 inch, 35×45mm, and other passport presets in your browser.

How we verify requirements

Our sourcing, review cadence, and correction policy for government specs.

Official source checked: 2026-07-08