Form I-485 requires two identical, unretouched 2 x 2 inch printed photos. A Diversity Visa online entry is a different workflow: it uses one square 600 x 600 pixel JPEG at 240 kB or less.
This page separates those two high-intent paths so you can prepare the correct output instead of applying one generic Green Card photo rule to every case.
Form I-485
2 x 2 in
Two recent, identical, unmounted, and unretouched passport-style prints.
DV online entry
600 x 600 px
One square JPEG at 240 kB or less for the electronic entry form.
Important warning
Do not mix the Form I-485 print requirement with the DV online-entry file. Do not retouch, filter, alter facial appearance, or replace the background.
As of October 23, 2026, the U.S. Department of State has not announced the new registration start date. Entry is free and will be available only through the official E-DV website. Do not pay a third party claiming that registration is already open.
Read the official DV-2027 entry-period noticeUse PhotoID only after identifying whether you need two Form I-485 prints or one DV entry JPEG. Keep a real compliant background and do not retouch or replace it.
Form I-485 is a printed-photo requirement. The Diversity Visa entry is a digital-file requirement. The shared square composition does not make the outputs interchangeable.
The current Form I-485 instructions require two identical recent color passport-style photos. The Diversity Visa entry instructions instead define an electronic square JPEG. Selected DV applicants later follow separate interview instructions for printed photos.
Official sources
USCIS Form I-485 instructions and Department of State Diversity Visa photo guidance. Last reviewed October 23, 2026.
| Form I-485 | Two identical 2 x 2 inch printed photos |
|---|---|
| I-485 finish | Color, unmounted, unretouched, glossy thin paper |
| Background | White to off-white |
| DV entry file | Square 600 x 600 px JPEG |
| DV file size | 240 kB or less |
| Photo age | Taken within the last 6 months |
If your main question is the square format itself, open the dedicated 2x2 size guide.
The Form I-485 instructions require two identical recent color photos on glossy, thin paper. Each photo must be 2 x 2 inches, unmounted, and unretouched. Confirm the edition date and instructions for the form you are actually filing.
The electronic Diversity Visa entry uses one square 600 x 600 pixel JPEG at 240 kB or less. It is not the same deliverable as the two printed Form I-485 photos. PhotoID can prepare this digital output, but it does not submit an entry. When the registration period opens, entry is free and must be completed on the official E-DV website. Selected applicants should follow the separate interview instructions for any physical photos requested later.
PhotoID can help prepare a square print or digital file and flag common capture issues. Choose the output for the identified filing path, use a real compliant background, and do not apply retouching or appearance-altering edits.
Choose Form I-485 print or DV digital output, keep the image unretouched, and compare the result with the current official instructions.
Choose the preset only after confirming whether you need Form I-485 prints or a DV entry file.
Use a real white or off-white background, keep the face clear, and avoid retouching.
Review common issues like crop, background, lighting, and overall image quality.
Select the print or digital output for the identified path, then compare it with the current official instructions.
2x2 photo size guide
Exact size owner
Open the exact-size page when your question is mainly about the 2 x 2 format itself.
Passport photo size guide
Broad size hub
Compare 2x2, 35x45, inches, cm, and pixels in one size-first guide.
How to take a passport photo at home
Capture help
Use this if you need stronger at-home setup guidance before taking the photo.
U.S. passport photo requirements
Neighbor cluster
Open this page when your need is a standard U.S. passport workflow rather than an immigration filing flow.
U.S. visa photo requirements
Related U.S. flow
Use the visa page for a more visa-specific digital and filing context.
No. As of October 23, 2026, the U.S. Department of State has not announced the new registration start date. Registration is free and should be completed only through the official E-DV website when the entry period opens.
For Form I-485, the USCIS instructions require two recent, identical 2 x 2 inch passport-style color photos. Other Green Card filing paths can differ, so use the instructions for the exact form you are filing.
Form I-485 uses 2 x 2 inch printed photos. A Diversity Visa online entry is a separate digital workflow with a square 600 x 600 pixel JPEG, so the two paths should not be treated as interchangeable.
Form I-485 instructions require two identical recent passport-style photos. Diversity Visa entrants upload one digital image during entry; selected applicants later follow the interview instructions for printed photos.
Use a plain light background and keep the face clearly visible, evenly lit, and free from distracting shadows or objects.
The composition is passport-style, but the entry file is digital: square, 600 x 600 pixels, JPEG, and no more than 240 kB. That is different from the two printed 2 x 2 photos required with Form I-485.
Yes, if the final image still meets the required size, background, clarity, and framing rules. The usual risks are wrong crop, low image quality, and background problems.
No. Form I-485 calls for unretouched photos, and Diversity Visa guidance does not allow manipulation that changes facial appearance. Do not use filters, beauty edits, AI alterations, or background replacement.
PhotoID can help prepare the required square format and flag common capture issues when its output matches your exact filing path. Keep a real compliant background, do not retouch the image, and compare the result with the current official instructions.
Select the exact filing path, run checks for common capture issues, and export the required print or digital format without retouching or background replacement.
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