Guidelines for Including a Turban in Passport Photos

A turban is a headwear of Asian origin, commonly worn by nomads and desert dwellers to protect themselves from the sun and sand. Sikhs in India also wear turbans, calling them dastar or dastaar.

Variations of Turbans

There are various variations of turbans, including:

• Keffiyeh: a traditional headwear mainly worn by men in Arab countries and regions with a dry climate to protect themselves from the cold, sun, dust, and sand.
• Tagelmust: a piece of cotton cloth wrapped around the head in parts of Africa. It is a combination of a turban and a face veil.

Rules for Wearing a Turban in Passport Photos

The rules for wearing a turban in passport photos depend on an individual's religious or philosophical beliefs). While passport photo requirements typically mandate an uncovered head with a fully visible face, exceptions are made for those who can demonstrate their opposition to not covering their head for religious or philosophical reasons.

In this case, the head may be covered with a turban. Notably, some groups wear a colander or goat horns on their heads. In all cases, the face must be visible for identification purposes, so a burqa or niqab is not allowed.