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Same photo from last year will be disqualified?

The instructions have always said to use a recent photo (less than 6 months). Not following that instruction has always meant risk of disqualification.

For DV2018 they still give that instruction but also added "Submitting the same photograph that you submitted with last year’s entry will result in disqualification.". In my opinion, that means they will automatically disqualify people based on matching of the photo to the previous years' entry. They won't tell you that you were disqualified for that reason - you would simply not be notified of selection.
 
Britsimon said:
The instructions have always said to use a recent photo (less than 6 months). Not following that instruction has always meant risk of disqualification.

For DV2018 they still give that instruction but also added "Submitting the same photograph that you submitted with last year’s entry will result in disqualification.". In my opinion, that means they will automatically disqualify people based on matching of the photo to the previous years' entry. They won't tell you that you were disqualified for that reason - you would simply not be notified of selection.
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Oh wow! Seriously?? I didn't even know! I think I have used 4 different photos in 6 years. I didn't know you could get disqualified. Glad I used a new photo last year lol! Wonder if they disqualified people before based on a reused photograph.
 
puda said:
Oh wow! Seriously?? I didn't even know! I think I have used 4 different photos in 6 years. I didn't know you could get disqualified. Glad I used a new photo last year lol! Wonder if they disqualified people before based on a reused photograph.
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There is no way to know for sure but the rule is clear and they can definitely disqualify for this reason.
 
puda said:
Oh wow! Seriously?? I didn't even know! I think I have used 4 different photos in 6 years. I didn't know you could get disqualified. Glad I used a new photo last year lol! Wonder if they disqualified people before based on a reused photograph.
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It's rare to hear about but I have heard of cases of photos disqualifying people at interview - not necessarily because of duplication though.
As Britsimon indicated, the photo recognition software now can easily pick up duplicate photos and these entries would be disqualified before selection (just like duplicate entries) so you'd never know.
 
SusieQQQ said:
It's rare to hear about but I have heard of cases of photos disqualifying people at interview - not necessarily because of duplication though.
As Britsimon indicated, the photo recognition software now can easily pick up duplicate photos and these entries would be disqualified before selection (just like duplicate entries) so you'd never know.
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Do you remember why the photos were disqualified at interview?
 
Wow am I happy that I changed my photo this year!! Made sure to take it in America as well so I wont be disqualified on something so avoidable... phew! :)
 
puda said:
Interesting. I wonder how they got selected then?
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The photo tool tests for certain technical specs. It does not filter visually the way a CO does. So an invalid photo can still in certain cases get past the photo tool and be part of a submitted entry. (Of course I assume you know that no one "vets" the selected entries - if it is successfully submitted it can be selected even if there are obviously invalid factors - that is what the CO determines though.)
 
SusieQQQ said:
The photo tool tests for certain technical specs. It does not filter visually the way a CO does. So an invalid photo can still in certain cases get past the photo tool and be part of a submitted entry. (Of course I assume you know that no one "vets" the selected entries - if it is successfully submitted it can be selected even if there are obviously invalid factors - that is what the CO determines though.)
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When my sister in law 2 weeks ago applied for a visit visa , at first when she submitted her papers and her passport, they called her name again and told her that the photo she's submitting is used last year! Where she got a visit visa for 1 year so they told her to go take a photo and get back! So i think the idea of the photo recognition is true! Or they have a databse of the dame photo?
 
3amakmahmoud said:
When my sister in law 2 weeks ago applied for a visit visa , at first when she submitted her papers and her passport, they called her name again and told her that the photo she's submitting is used last year! Where she got a visit visa for 1 year so they told her to go take a photo and get back! So i think the idea of the photo recognition is true! Or they have a databse of the dame photo?
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Well, both - obviously they put all submitted photos into a database, which the software then uses. The photo recognition software they use seem to be getting more sophisticated as time goes on.
For DV the main reason the software has been used for a few years now was to disqualify duplicate entries, but now they seem to be using it to ensure the photos are recent too. Obviously for wider purposes they can use it to pick up visa applications in fake names, etc.
 
I'll be curious to see how many people reused the same photo from last year. (They mentioned DV-2017 but I assume that you could technically use the one from DV-2016. Not recommended but it could work.)

Phew, I am really glad I used a brand new photo. It might mean more chance for us to win lol!
 
for a number of my DV entries, i used the same photo, did not get selected. then for DV 2016 (which i participated in 2014), i took a new photo and then i got selected. (i have been entering DV since 2007). So it could be due to the photo, and it could just be that i got lucky to be selected this time around.

But better to remove any reasons for the system to filter you out - so take new photos each year.

I have made it a family yearly event to take passport/visa photo of each member of my own family - and then we can see how everyone changes each year - would be good for the kids when they are all grown up to see their photos as child. :D
 
abumiqdad said:
for a number of my DV entries, i used the same photo, did not get selected. then for DV 2016 (which i participated in 2014), i took a new photo and then i got selected. (i have been entering DV since 2007). So it could be due to the photo, and it could just be that i got lucky to be selected this time around.

But better to remove any reasons for the system to filter you out - so take new photos each year.

I have made it a family yearly event to take passport/visa photo of each member of my own family - and then we can see how everyone changes each year - would be good for the kids when they are all grown up to see their photos as child. :D
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I think it was luck this time ;) It would be way too easy otherwise lol! (I also used different photos at least 3 times, been playing since 2011 and never got selected LOL)
 
puda said:
I think it was luck this time ;) It would be way too easy otherwise lol! (I also used different photos at least 3 times, been playing since 2011 and never got selected LOL)
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might also be that that are not that many citizen of my country participating in the lottery (but still i got selected after 8 years participating (2007 - 2015)
 
Where are you from? What are your chance of winning? (%) If only 100 people participated and you have 1% chance of winning, it means only 1 person would be selected. It's not really the number that matters but your chances of getting selected :)
 
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