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Monday, 9 March 2026

BREAKING:Russia officially allows hijabs and headscarves in passport and official ID photos.


It wasn't a full ban recently—Russian citizens have worn hijabs (face fully visible, no chin cover) in passport/ID photos for years after the 2003 Supreme Court ruling.

Earlier (1997–2003), a blanket ban on any head covering existed for standardization: clear, unobscured face for security/ID purposes + secular uniformity in official docs (Soviet legacy influence). The court struck it down citing religious freedom. 

Recent update just extends the same rule to foreign citizenship applicants (effective May 2026).

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