US visa photo (DS-160)
The State Department’s DS-160 photo upload takes a square JPEG between 600×600 and 1200×1200 pixels, no larger than 240 KB. It doesn’t state a minimum file size.
Because the photo has to be square, the tool crops yours to a square from the centre, keeps it as large as the limits allow, and picks the highest JPEG quality that fits under 240 KB. It never enlarges a small photo: stretching one would pass the size check with a blurrier face, so a photo under 600 pixels on its short side is refused instead.
- Size
- 600 to 1200 pixels on each side
- Shape
- Square
- File size
- 240 KB or smaller
- Format
- JPEG
This fixes the file — size, shape and format. It doesn’t check the photo itself (background, lighting, expression, glasses), which the portal also has rules for.
Checked against the State Department’s photo requirements on . Portals change their rules without notice; confirm with them before relying on this.