Photograph requirements for the U.S. Green Card has strict specifications required by the Embassy norms.

The applicant will need to provide a photograph of each person included in the application. The formatting is significant as the records will be automatically filed by the computer as preprogrammed. So, noncompliance may cause filing errors.

The application will be automatically rejected and the applicant would not be notified if the photograph does not meet the following format:

1. The image should be provided Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) format.

2. The image should be of either in color or grayscale. Monochrome images (2-bit color depth) would not be entertained.

3. If a new digital photograph is taken, it should have a resolution of 320 pixels high by 240 pixels wide, and a color depth of either 24-bit color, 8-bit color, or 8-bit grayscale.

4. If a photographic print is scanned, the print should be 2 inches by 2 inches (50mm x 50mm) square. It should be scanned at a resolution of 150 dots per inch (dpi) and with a color depth either 24-bit color, 8-bit color, or 8-bit grayscale.

5. The maximum image dimension accepted will be sixty-two thousand five hundred (62,500) bytes.

6. The Applicant, spouse, or child should be directly facing the camera; the head of the person being photographed should not be tilted up, down or to the side, and should cover about 50% of the area of the photo.

7. The photo should be taken with the person being photographed in front of a neutral, light-colored background. Photographs taken with very dark or patterned, busy backgrounds would not be entertained.

8. Photographs in which the face of the person being photographed is not in focus would not be entertained.

9. Photographs in which the person being photographed is wearing sunglasses or other paraphernalia which detracts from the face would not be entertained.

10. Photographs of green card lottery applicants wearing head coverings or hats are only acceptable due to religious beliefs, and even then, may not obscure any portion of the face of the applicant. Photographs of green card lottery applicants with tribal or other headgear not specifically religious in nature is not acceptable. Photographs of military, airline or other personnel wearing hats would not be entertained.

11. Photographs could be either color or black and white.

12. It is recommended that you NOT smile for the photo.