How we check photo rules
A photo that breaks one rule can cost an application, so every rule on Picsawa has to be right, sourced and dated. This is how we do it.
Official sources only
Every photo size, background, head size and file limit comes from the office that issues the document: the U.S. Department of State (travel.state.gov and dvprogram.state.gov) for U.S. visas, passports and the DV Lottery, and the passport office, immigration service or embassy for every other country.
The rules are kept as data, each with its source link and the date it was checked. The requirement tables, the checks the tools run and the numbers in the guides are all made from that same data, so a page and its tool can never disagree.
The "Rules checked" date
Every ID photo page shows Rules checked with a date and a link to its source, and every guide lists its sources with the date each was checked. We check again when an office publishes new instructions, such as each new DV Lottery year, and whenever someone reports a change.
Confirmed, reported and unconfirmed
- Confirmed means published by the government that issues the document.
- Reported means it comes from news sites or law firms, for example DV Lottery dates set by a court before the State Department announces them. We label it as reported, name the source and say what is still missing.
- When an office publishes no number for something the tool has to measure, such as the head size for some visas, the page says so plainly and shows the value the tool uses instead. That value is never presented as official.
- A few sources are guides or news articles rather than government pages; their names in the source list say so.
What the tools can and can't check
The tools measure what software can measure: size, file type, head position, background and sharpness. Some rules, such as when the photo was taken, can only be checked by you, and the checklist lists them. Passing every check is not a guarantee: the office that receives your photo makes the final decision.
Report an error
If a rule on Picsawa is wrong or out of date, email hello@picsawa.com with the page and, if you can, a link to the official source. We check it against the source, correct the page and update its date. Important corrections are listed on What's new.
Independent
Picsawa is an independent project run by Isayas Tadesse in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of State, the Diversity Visa program or any government or embassy, and nobody pays to have a rule or a page changed. Advertising pays for the site and never affects what the guides say. Picsawa never submits applications for anyone: enter the DV Lottery and apply for visas and passports only on the official websites.
Who writes the guides
Isayas Tadesse writes and reviews every guide and checks its sources. Read more about Picsawa and who runs it.