Guide
DS-160 Photo Requirements: Size, Pixels and File Size
The DS-160 online visa form asks for a digital photo that matches published State Department rules. Most rejections are about pixels, kilobytes, or compression — not about how you look. This guide lists the numbers, common upload errors, and how to fix the file without retouching your face or replacing the background.
Specs checked against official wording on 2026-11-06. U.S. Department of State photo requirements
Check a DS-160 photoThe numbers the form checks
| Rule | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Format | JPEG (.jpg) only |
| Shape | Square (width = height) |
| Pixels | 600×600 minimum, 1200×1200 maximum |
| File size | 240 KB or less |
| Color | 24-bit color, sRGB |
| Compression | Ratio must be 20:1 or less |
| Head height | About 50–69% of the image height (chin to crown) |
| Eye line | Eyes between 56% and 69% from the bottom of the image |
Printed U.S. visa photos are 2×2 inches. Online, the portal expects a square JPEG in that pixel range. A phone photo that is already under 240 KB can still fail if the dimensions are wrong, or if the JPEG was crushed too hard.
Always confirm the live wording on the official State Department page before you submit. Portals can update rules; ExactPhoto follows the published technical specs and does not guarantee acceptance.
What the form is not asking for
- It does not want a beautified face or a digitally replaced white background. The State Department says photos must not be digitally enhanced or altered to change your appearance.
- It does not want a screenshot of an old passport or a crop from a group photo.
- It does not want HEIC from an iPhone until you convert it to JPEG.
If another website “fixes” your photo by painting a new background or smoothing skin, that can be exactly why an embassy later rejects the file. ExactPhoto only crops, levels the eye line, and compresses to the KB limit.
Common DS-160 photo upload errors
| What you see | Usual cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| File too large / exceeds 240 KB | Phone JPEG is heavy | Resize to 600×600 first, then compress just under 240 KB |
| Image is overly compressed / ratio greater than 20:1 | Quality was lowered too far | Start from the original, resize pixels, then export at a higher quality |
| Wrong dimensions / not square | Rectangular selfie | Crop to a square 600×600 (or up to 1200×1200) |
| Invalid file type | HEIC, PNG, or PDF | Export as JPEG (.jpg) |
“Overly compressed” is the opposite of “too large.” Making the file even smaller usually makes that error worse. Go back to a clear original photo.
Compress a file that is too largeComposition the reviewer still checks
Even when the file size and pixels pass, a person can still reject the photo for lighting, expression, glasses, or a busy background. Technical PASS is not the same as embassy acceptance.
- Plain white or off-white background
- Face forward, both eyes open, neutral expression
- No eyeglasses for new visa photos (except rare medical cases)
- Taken within the last six months
- No headphones, hats, or shadows that hide the face
How to prepare the file in your browser
- Take or choose a recent photo against a plain light wall.
- Open the ExactPhoto US visa tool — processing stays on your device.
- Confirm the eye line, head height, file size, and sharpness checks.
- Download the clean JPEG only after you are happy with the preview.