Can You Wear a Hijab in a Passport Photo? Religious Head Covering Rules (2026)

Yes, you can wear a hijab in a passport photo if you wear it for religious reasons. The same applies to a turban, kippah, headscarf or other religious head covering in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, India, Pakistan and the Netherlands. In every case your full face must be visible, usually described as from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead with both edges of the face showing, and the covering must not cast shadows on your face.

The details differ by country: some require a plain, single-colour covering, and some may ask for a short written statement. Below is what each government's official guidance says as of October 2026. For general clothing advice, see our guide on what to wear for a passport photo.

Can you wear a hijab in a passport photo?

Yes. Passport photo standards are based on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines, and every country covered here allows head coverings worn for religious reasons. The rules protect the face, not the hair: a border officer needs to see your facial features and the outline of your face. A covering that leaves those clear is generally acceptable.

Coverings that hide part of the face are a different matter. The U.S. Department of State's Foreign Affairs Manual (8 FAM 402.1-6) says that a photo showing a covered face, or only the eye area, does not meet the requirement that the photo be a good likeness of the applicant. In practice, a niqab or other face veil has to be lifted for the photo.

What are the head covering rules by country?

Do you need a signed statement for a head covering in a US passport photo?

Including one is the safest choice. The U.S. Department of State's passport photo page on travel.state.gov tells applicants who wear a head covering for religious purposes to submit a signed statement saying that it is religious attire worn daily in public. If you wear it for medical reasons, it tells you to submit a signed doctor's statement saying so.

The internal guidance adjudicators follow, the Foreign Affairs Manual (8 FAM 402.1-4, updated January 2026), is slightly more flexible: it says a signed statement may be requested in ambiguous cases, for example when your ID or citizenship evidence does not show you wearing the covering. Such a statement should explain the religious nature of the headwear, how long you have worn it continuously in public, and how a photo without it would substantially burden your religious practice.

The Foreign Affairs Manual also notes that the policy covers coverings worn because of a sincerely held religious belief, rather than a philosophy or lifestyle. Baseball caps and similar hats that serve a different purpose are not accepted.

Can you wear a turban, kippah or headscarf in a passport photo?

Yes, under the same conditions as a hijab. The Foreign Affairs Manual specifically lists turbans, scarves and large skullcaps among the head coverings that are prohibited unless they are worn for religious or medical purposes. Worn for faith, they are acceptable. India's passport guidance, which applies to many Sikh applicants who wear a turban, allows head coverings for religious reasons as long as the face from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead and both edges of the face are clearly shown.

A kippah or yarmulke sits on top of the head and rarely causes problems. With a turban or wrapped headscarf, check that the fabric does not come low over the forehead or shade the eyebrows.

What part of your face must stay visible?

The common standard, used word for word by India and NADRA and almost identically by Australia, is that your facial features from the bottom of your chin to the top of your forehead, and both edges of your face, must be clearly shown. In practice:

• Forehead: the covering can sit at the hairline, but it should not drop down over the forehead toward the eyebrows.
• Chin and jawline: the US Foreign Affairs Manual gives a covering that hides the chin and jaw line as an example of an unacceptable photo. Tuck fabric under the chin and away from the jaw.
• Both sides of the face: the cheeks and the outline of the face on the left and right must be visible. Canada and Australia both say this explicitly.
• Eyes: always fully visible, with no fabric, hair or shadow over them.

Can a head covering cast shadows on your face?

No. The U.S. Department of State and the Government of Canada both say the head covering must not create shadows on your face. The UK's photo standards say examiners must reject photos where shadows hide the face, but may accept small shadows on the face, under the chin or in the background. Shadows usually come from a thick fold over the forehead lit from above; soft light from the front or both sides removes them.

What color should a head covering be for a passport photo?

Plain and solid is safest everywhere, and in some countries it is required:

• United States: the Foreign Affairs Manual says permitted religious or medical head coverings must be a uniform color with no pattern and no visible perforations, so lace or open-weave fabric is a risk.
• Australia: religious head coverings must be plain, without patterns, even small ones.
• Netherlands: the covering must be plain, one colour only, and contrast with the background.

Contrast matters because most backgrounds are white or very light, and a white or cream hijab can make the outline of your head disappear. Canada gives the same warning about light-coloured clothing. A solid medium or dark color such as navy, black, grey or burgundy avoids the problem.

What about medical head coverings?

Medical head coverings, such as a scarf worn because of hair loss from treatment or a bandage after surgery, are treated much like religious ones. The face must stay visible.

• United States: the Foreign Affairs Manual accepts head coverings worn for medical reasons, including hair loss caused by medical treatment. Travel.state.gov asks for a signed doctor's statement, and the manual says one may be required in ambiguous cases. If bandages or medical equipment cover part of the face, a signed medical statement must be requested.
• United Kingdom: HM Passport Office may accept head coverings worn for medical surgery or illness, for example scarves or bandages for head wounds or hair loss, as long as they do not hide the face.
• Canada: head coverings worn daily for medical reasons are accepted under the same full-face and no-shadow rules. If you need to wear a medical device in the photo, include a signed letter of explanation, and you may be asked for a letter from your doctor.
• Netherlands: a plain, single-colour head covering is permitted if medical treatment has caused hair loss.

What about Schengen and other EU countries?

There is no single EU rule. Each country issues its own passports and visas, and Schengen visa photos follow the ICAO standard with details set by the consulate you apply to. The Dutch rules above are a typical example: religious or medical coverings allowed, plain, one colour and contrasting with the background. Check the photo page of your consulate before you apply.

How do you take a passport photo with a hijab or turban?

1. Choose a plain, solid covering in a medium or dark color with no pattern, sequins, lace or visible holes.
2. Wrap it so the fabric sits at or just above your hairline and leaves your whole forehead visible.
3. Tuck the fabric under your chin and behind your jawline so the edges of your face are visible on both sides.
4. Stand about half a metre in front of a plain white or off-white wall (or the color your country requires) so your head does not cast a shadow on it.
5. Face a window or use soft, even light from both sides. Avoid a single overhead light, which casts a shadow from the fold of fabric across your forehead.
6. Have someone else take the photo at eye level from about 1 to 1.5 metres away, with your head straight and a neutral expression.
7. Check the photo at full size: forehead, chin, both cheeks and eyes clear, and no dark band under the edge of the covering.
8. For a US passport, attach your signed statement (religious) or doctor's statement (medical) to the application.

Checking your photo before you submit

Our free passport photo checker reviews size, head position and background before you apply. The free print sheet tool lays your photo onto a 4×6 sheet for printing, and the DV Lottery photo tool covers the Diversity Visa format. Our document pages for the US visa, Schengen visa, India OCI card and e-Visa, China visa and Pakistan NICOP list each document's size and background rules. No tool can judge whether your covering hides part of your face, so use the checklist above, and treat the official government page as the final word.