Scan a printed photo
Scan a Printed Photo for the DV Lottery: Step-by-Step
If you already have a suitable recent print, scanning can produce the required digital file. The Department of State specifies a 2×2 inch photo scanned at 300 pixels per inch; a scanner cannot correct an old likeness, poor focus or unsuitable composition.
Reviewed against U.S. Department of State photo guidance
Practical review checklist
| Check | Action | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Suitable 2 × 2 inch photograph | Do not scan an identity document | |
| Resolution | 300 pixels per inch | 2 inches × 300 = 600 pixels |
| Scan area | Photograph edges | Exclude the rest of the scanner bed |
| Export | Color JPEG | Inspect the saved crop |
On smaller screens, swipe horizontally to see every column.
What the checker can—and cannot—verify
It can help with
- ✓ After scanning, the checker reads the selected image’s real file format, pixel dimensions and file size and helps review the digital composition.
- ✓ For a suitable scan with enough source pixels and space around the head, it can make a square crop and create a 600×600 JPEG under 240 KB.
- ✓ The scan is analyzed and any corrected copy is created locally in the browser.
You must review yourself
- • The checker does not operate the scanner or confirm that the physical print is 2×2 inches, recent or otherwise acceptable.
- • It cannot remove glare, dust, paper texture, halftone patterns or damage without altering the image; clean and rescan instead.
- • It cannot turn a scan of a passport, licence or other identity document into the original photographic print.
How to use the checker
- 1Confirm that the source is the actual 2×2 inch photographic print and still represents the applicant’s current appearance. Use an original digital file instead if one is available.
- 2Clean the scanner glass and print, place the photo flat and select a color scan at 300 pixels per inch. Disable restoration, beauty, sharpening and background effects.
- 3Preview and crop to the four photo edges rather than scanning the whole page or scanner bed. Save a high-quality master separately.
- 4Export the photo area as a genuine JPEG and inspect it for streaks, glare, dust, clipped edges and visible print texture. Rescan rather than painting over defects.
- 5Upload the JPEG to the checker. Verify or create the final 600×600 copy, confirm it is no more than 240 KB and inspect the downloaded file before submission.
Video tutorial · 7:15
Video: see these checks in the real tool
Test 2 shows how an oversized, non-square file is cropped and resized to exactly 600 × 600 pixels.
Chapters
The demo photos and the narration in this video are synthetic. Results are automated guidance; final acceptance is determined by the U.S. Department of State. Watch on YouTube ↗
Check the print before scanning
The Department of State’s DV guidance specifies a 2 × 2 inch photo scanned at 300 pixels per inch. Check the current official instructions before relying on a print prepared for a different document.
Use the photographic print itself. A photo copied from an identity document brings document edges, print patterns and image-quality problems into the scan. If the photographer still has the original digital file, ask for it; that can avoid an unnecessary print-and-scan generation.
If the original digital file is available, use the photographer handover checklist to request it.
Understand what 300 pixels per inch produces
For a two-inch edge, 300 pixels per inch produces 600 pixels: 2 multiplied by 300 equals 600. The calculation refers to the photo area, not the whole scanner bed. A full-page scan with a tiny photo in one corner is a different image.
Some scanners label the setting DPI. Check the exported pixel dimensions to verify the result. Merely changing a resolution label after scanning does not add real detail to a low-resolution source.
Then confirm the finished dimensions using the DV image-size guide.
Prepare the scanner and turn off enhancements
Clean the glass and place the print flat according to the scanner instructions. Preview the scan and select the edges of the photograph without including the surrounding bed. Keep the photo straight so you do not need a major corrective rotation later.
Use color scanning and avoid beauty, restoration or automatic retouching options. If dust appears in the preview, clean the glass or print carefully and scan again. Do not paint out marks that overlap the face or use reconstruction tools to invent detail.
Inspect and export the photo area
Open the scan and inspect for glare, streaks, clipped edges and visible print texture. Re-scan if the face looks less clear than the print. If the print itself is poor, obtaining a new photo is more useful than repeatedly sharpening the scan.
Save a genuine JPEG of the photo area, then check the final dimensions, composition and file size. Keep the scan master separately. A scanner’s default PDF or full-page image is not the finished DV upload file.
To reduce an oversized scan export, follow the compression guide and compare against the scan master.
Worked example: why a 2-inch print becomes 600 pixels
Assume the photographic print is exactly 2×2 inches. At 300 pixels per inch, each edge contains 2 × 300 = 600 pixels, so a careful edge-to-edge scan produces a 600×600 image. A letter-size page scanned at 300 pixels per inch is not the same result: it includes the page and leaves the photo as only one region inside a much larger file.
After cropping to the actual print edges, suppose the JPEG is 600×600 and 180 KB. Those values meet the numerical DV limits, but the applicant must still inspect facial clarity, print texture, color, pose and background. If the scan contains glare or a dust line over the face, clean and rescan; passing dimensions do not make the defect acceptable.
Frequently asked questions
Can I scan the photo page of my passport or driver’s licence?
No. Scan the suitable 2×2 inch photographic print itself. An identity document adds document printing, borders and security patterns and is not the original photo.
Is taking a phone picture of the print the same as scanning it?
No. A phone capture can add perspective distortion, reflections, uneven focus and lighting. Use a flatbed scan at the specified resolution, obtain the original digital photo or take a new compliant portrait.
Is changing the DPI label enough if the scan is too small?
No. Changing metadata does not create captured detail. A 2-inch photo scanned at 300 pixels per inch supplies 600 real pixels along each edge; verify the exported pixel dimensions.
Can the checker remove dust or scanner streaks?
No. Clean the glass and print carefully and scan again. Removing or reconstructing marks in software risks altering the photograph and does not restore detail that the scan missed.
Official sources
Always check the instructions for the program year in which you apply. ToolsFA is independent and is not affiliated with the U.S. government.