US Visa Photo File Size: 240 KB JPEG, 600 to 1200 px

In short: the digital photo for a US visa application is a JPEG file of 240 KB or less, square, between 600 x 600 and 1200 x 1200 pixels. A Diversity Visa entry asks for exactly 600 x 600 pixels. If your photo is already square and in that range but too big, the image compressor brings it under 240 KB in your browser. If it is not square, the photo and signature resizer crops and compresses it in one go.

These rules come from the State Department's visa photo pages. Its DS-160 form tells you to upload the digital image as part of the online application, so this is the file the form will ask for.

What the visa photo file needs

The rules in the official words

Every rule above, in the State Department's own words, with a link to the page it is on.

• If you are applying for a nonimmigrant visa by filling out the DS-160 or DS-1648 online form, the form will instruct you to upload your digital image as part of completing the online visa application form.
  U.S. Department of State: Visa photo requirements
• The image must be in JPEG file format
  U.S. Department of State: Visa photo: digital image requirements
• The image must be less than or equal to 240 kB (kilobytes).
  U.S. Department of State: Visa photo: digital image requirements
• The image dimensions must be in a square aspect ratio (the height must be equal to the width). Minimum acceptable dimensions are 600 x 600 pixels. Maximum acceptable dimensions are 1200 x 1200 pixels.
  U.S. Department of State: Visa photo: digital image requirements
• 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
  U.S. Department of State: Visa photo requirements
• The image must be in color (24 bits per pixel) in sRGB color space which is the common output for most digital cameras.
  U.S. Department of State: Visa photo: digital image requirements
• The image may need to be compressed in order for it to be under the maximum file size. The compression ratio should be less than or equal to 20:1.
  U.S. Department of State: Visa photo: digital image requirements
• Taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance
  U.S. Department of State: Visa photo requirements
• Taken in front of a plain white or off-white background
  U.S. Department of State: Visa photo requirements

How to get a visa photo under 240 KB

1. Take the photo in daylight in front of a plain white or off-white wall, at your phone's highest quality setting. Do not use a filter or beauty mode: the State Department says photos must not be digitally altered to change your appearance.
2. Not square, or bigger than 1200 x 1200 pixels? Open the photo and signature resizer and choose Custom. Type 600 for both the Width (px) and the Height (px), keep Crop to fill, tick Maximum file size and type 240. Drop the photo in. It crops from the middle, so keep your head centered in the frame.
3. Already square and between 600 x 600 and 1200 x 1200 pixels, but over 240 KB? Open the image compressor, choose Exact KB size, type 240 and keep the format on JPG. Drop the photo in. The tool keeps the highest quality that fits.
4. Look at the result line. It shows the new size and the width and height. If the compressor had to make the photo narrower and it is now under 600 pixels wide, use the resizer from step 2 instead, which holds the pixel size and lowers only the quality.
5. Photo from an iPhone in HEIC? Neither tool reads HEIC. Save or export it as a JPG first, then follow the steps above.
6. Download the file and upload it in the application. A file at or under 240 KB in JPEG format is what it asks for.

US photo uploads side by side

Each US form sets its own limit, so a photo that fits one can fail another. Here are the ones we have guides for, each checked against the official page.

The online passport photo has no pixel size and no 240 KB cap, so do not shrink a passport photo to the visa limit. Check the page for the form you are filling in.

When the photo is rejected anyway

The State Department says whether a photo is accepted is not decided by the file alone:

• The acceptance of your digital image or photo is at the discretion of the U.S. embassy or consulate where you apply.
  U.S. Department of State: Visa photo requirements

• A low quality phone photo. The page rules out low quality phone photos, not phones. Use good daylight and keep the camera at eye level.
• Glasses. They are no longer allowed in new visa photos, apart from rare medical cases.
• An old photo. It must be taken in the last 6 months.
• A stretched crop. The photo must be square. Crop it, do not squeeze it.

Checked against the State Department's visa photo requirements and digital image requirements pages on 24 October 2026. The rules can change, so read both pages before you apply.