An extract from the state gov official website (please note the underlined):
Please refer to the Instructions for the 2011 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV-2011) for technical specifications and compositional specifications for the digital image. You will use one of the following methods to enter the image into eDV:
•Take a new digital image.
•Use a digital scanner to scan a submitted photograph.
Specific instructions are included for both methods.
Photograph File Name
Photo Requirements
The submitted image must adhere to the following specifications. Photographs submitted must be a recent photograph, taken within the last 6 months. Please be advised that failure to comply with any of the following requirements may result in disqualification from the lottery.
Image Acquisition
•The image file may be produced by acquiring an image with a digital camera or by digitizing a paper photograph with a scanner.
•Digital enhancement or other alterations or retouching are not permitted.
•The original aspect ratio of the image must be preserved. (No image stretching is allowed.)
Compositional Specifications
Content
•The image must contain the full face, neck, and shoulders of the entrant in frontal view with a neutral, non-smiling expression and with eyes open and directed at the camera.
•The image must not contain any parts of the body below the entrant's shoulders.
•The image must not include other objects or additional people.
•Entrant must be vertically oriented in the image.
•The image must be from a recent (within 6 months) photo of the entrant.
Head Position
•Subject must directly face the camera.
•Head must not be tilted up, down, or to the side.
•The head height (measured from the top of the head, including the hair, to the bottom of the chin) must be between 50% and 69% of the image’s total height. The eye height (measured from the bottom of the image to the level of the eyes) should be between 56% and 69% of the image's height. The diagram below shows these measurements on a correctly-proportioned image.
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Here comes my headache:
Case 1 - There is no where stated that the photos must be 600 by 600. Assuming it must, then how do we resize a photo but simultaneously keep its aspect ratio?
Case 2 - If it musn't be 600 by 600, my current photo is 2.4 MB, yes MB, how do I redue it to 286 kb?
Someone please advice. I am getting very worried.......