Official error · US State Department photo tool
US photo tool: “Minimum photo dimensions are 600x600”
The State Department's photo tool rejects a photo with “Minimum photo dimensions are 600x600” when the image is less than 600 pixels wide or tall. It usually means you picked a thumbnail, a screenshot or a copy shrunk by a chat app. Use the original photo from your camera, which is many times larger, and crop it to a square.
The exact message
Minimum photo dimensions are 600x600What the message means
The tool shows it under “Your photo has been rejected for the following reason(s):” when the width or height of the image is under 600 pixels. US visa photos for the DS-160 and the DV lottery must be square and at least 600×600 pixels (the DS-160 accepts up to 1200×1200; the DV lottery asks for exactly 600×600).
Why it happens
- A thumbnail or preview was saved instead of the full photo.
- A chat app or email shrank the photo on the way.
- A screenshot of the photo was used.
- A small area was cropped out of the photo and saved at that size.
How to fix it
- Find the original photo on the phone or camera that took it.
- Crop a square from it that includes your head, shoulders and some space above your head; the result should stay well above 600×600 pixels before it’s resized.
- Resize it down to the size the application asks for, never up: enlarging a small photo makes it blurry.
- Save it as a JPEG of 240 KB or less.
Check it before you upload
IDPlain’s free checker reads the pixel size of your photo and tells you if your head is too small to crop without enlarging. Files it makes are cropped from your original to 600×600 and never enlarged.
Our free checker catches this before you upload
- Photo is large enough
- Enough detail for this size
More US State Department photo tool errors
Your photo does not need cropping: Photo dimensions are 600x600
What the US State Department photo tool means when it says your photo does not need cropping, and what it doesn't check.
Read moreOverall image quality may be poor (low resolution, lack of clarity, or overly compressed)
Why the US State Department photo tool rejects a photo as poor quality — usually an over-compressed JPEG — and how to make a file that passes.
Read more
IDPlain is not affiliated with the US State Department photo tool. Messages are quoted so you can recognise them; the official system has the final say.