Some people insist that ID photographs, for the safety and protection of everyone, must show a person's complete head and face. They hold that all headcoverings of any type must be removed for the photo. However, several government agencies have made exceptions to this rule in the case of religious headwear.
The U.S. State Department, for example, gives explicit guidelines for U.S. passport photographs:
Can hats or religious headgear be worn for the photo?[bl] Unless worn daily for religious reasons, all hats or headgear should be removed for the photo. A signed statement from the applicant must be submitted with the application verifying the item is worn daily for religious reasons. In all cases, no item or attire should cover or otherwise obscure any part of the face.
Individual U.S. States implement their own rules with regards to driver licenses and other state ID documents. In many places, an exception is made for religious headwear as long as the person's face is clearly visible. If there is a question about a particular state's rules, one should consult the DMV head office and seek the decision in writing.
What about face veils? In a 2002-03 in Florida, a Muslim woman petitioned for the right to wear a face veil in a driver license photo, in accordance with her interpretation of the Islamic dress requirments. According to BBC News, the Florida court denied her claim. The judge supported the DMV's opinion that if she wanted a driver license, a brief removal of her face veil for an identity photograph was not an unreasonable request and therefore did not violate her religious rights.
