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US Visa (DS-160) Photo

Drop your photo below — it's cropped, resized, and compressed to exactly what this portal requires.

JPEG onlyUnder240 KBSquare, 600–1200px

Target: JPEG·600–1200px square·under 240.0 KB

Full requirement details

Get a square JPEG photo between 600px and 1200px, compressed to under 240 KiB for the DS-160 portal.

Photo must be square (1:1), sRGB, 24-bit color, plain white/off-white background, taken within the last 6 months. Head height 50%–69% of image height. CEAC silently rejects files over 240 KB.

Exact target size limits:Maximum of245,760 bytes (240 KiB). Limit is 245,760 bytes (240 KiB). CEAC will fail if the file is even one byte larger.

Crop & Alignment Guide

Align face features with the templates below

EYE LEVELHAIR TOP (MAX)CHIN (MIN)

Background & Lighting Checklist

Ensure environment compliance

Background: Plain white or off-white background
Expression: Neutral facial expression, eyes open and looking straight at the camera, mouth closed
Lighting: Bright, even lighting with no shadows on the face or background
Accessories: Strictly remove glasses, hats, or wireless earphones (unless worn for religious/medical reasons)

Why photos get rejected at this portal

  • • File size exceeds 240 KiB ceiling:Auto-fixed (our tool compresses to fit the exact limit).
  • • Image is not a perfect 1:1 square:Auto-fixed (our built-in crop tool enforces a square aspect ratio).
  • • Incorrect file format (must be JPEG):Auto-fixed (re-encoded to compliant JPEG format).
  • • Head height is less than 50% or more than 69% of photo height:Partially manual (align your face with the guide lines when cropping).

Frequently Asked Questions

What file format does the US Visa (DS-160) Photo require?

The US Visa (DS-160) Photo requires JPEG format.

What is the file size limit for the US Visa (DS-160) Photo?

The file must be under 240 KB.

What pixel dimensions does the US Visa (DS-160) Photo accept?

The image must be between 600×600 and 1200×1200 pixels.

Does the US Visa (DS-160) Photo require a color or grayscale photo?

The photo must be in full color.

Is this US Visa (DS-160) Photo requirement up to date?

This spec was last verified on 2026-07-28 against the official source. Requirements can change, so always cross-check the source link on this page before submitting anything time-sensitive.

Why does my DS-160 upload fail with a general upload error?

The CEAC portal often crashes without explanation if your file is larger than 240 KiB (245,760 bytes) or if it contains metadata/formats it doesn't recognize. Our tool strips all unnecessary metadata and guarantees the size is under the ceiling.

How recent must my visa photo be?

The US State Department requires the photo to have been taken within the last 6 months. Do not reuse a photo from an older visa.

Source: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/photos.htmlVerified: 2026-07-28

Requirements occasionally change — always cross-check against the source link above for anything as time-sensitive as an official application.