Can I wear a tudung or hijab in a Singapore passport photo?
TL;DR Yes — and it must be dark. ICA's guideline image says "head gear/attire must be dark in colour against white background", with a pale pink tudung as the ✗ example and a dark patterned one as the ✓. Eyes must be fully visible, so the covering cannot cross them.
The two rules that apply
Colour. A light-coloured tudung against ICA's required white background loses its edge — the guideline shows exactly that as a failure. Dark blue, black, deep green, maroon or a dark pattern all pass; white, cream, blush or pastel do not.
Eyes. The "eyes must be fully visible" rule has three ✗ examples, and one of them is a tudung worn low over the brow. Wear it back off the eyebrows.
What this tool does with a head covering
It keeps it. In testing, the pipeline kept the covering in every attempt, including when told to remove it — so it will not "fix" a tudung into hair, and it will not lighten or recolour it. If you upload a light tudung, you get a light tudung on a white background, which ICA will refuse. Change before you photograph, not after.
Other documents are stricter, and a few are looser
Malaysia's passport asks for a dark covering as well, and prefers black. Korea's visa allows a religious covering to cover the ears. France's passport, China's visa in practice, and Japan's visa refuse a head covering outright or all but outright — see the head-covering rules page for all 55 documents.
The documents a covering rule applies to here
| Document | Size | Head in frame (as we compose it) | Background | Max age | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore passport | 35 × 45 mm | 56–78% | pure featureless white | 3 months | www.ica.gov.sg |
| Singapore nric | 35 × 45 mm | 56–78% | pure featureless white | 3 months | www.ica.gov.sg |
| Malaysia passport | 35 × 50 mm | 60–75% | pure white only | 6 months | www.kln.gov.my |
| Singapore driving licence | 35 × 45 mm | 56–78% | pure featureless white | 3 months | www.police.gov.sg |
A real case
A first-time applicant's photo in a cream tudung was refused. She rephotographed in a navy one, everything else identical, and it was accepted. The tudung was never the issue — the colour was.
Common questions
- Does a songkok count?
- It is head gear, so the dark-colour rule applies. A black songkok is fine; eyes and full face must show.
- Can the tudung cover my ears?
- ICA's guideline does not require ears to be visible; its rules are eyes, full face, shoulders and hair. Singapore's driving licence is the one local document that demands both ears and both eyebrows.
- Will the photo be refused if my tudung is dark but patterned?
- ICA's own ✓ example is a dark patterned tudung. Pattern is fine; light colour is not.
Related documents
- Singapore passport — 35 × 45 mm
- Singapore nric — 35 × 45 mm
- Malaysia passport — 35 × 50 mm
- Singapore driving licence — 35 × 45 mm
Sources
Read on the issuing authority's own pages on the dates shown on each document page:
- Singapore passport: www.ica.gov.sg (read 2026-09-06)
- Singapore nric: www.ica.gov.sg (read 2026-09-06)
- Malaysia passport: www.kln.gov.my (read 2026-09-02)
- Singapore driving licence: www.police.gov.sg
SGfoto is independent — not affiliated with or endorsed by any government or issuing authority — and does not guarantee acceptance. Requirements change; the authority's page is the one that counts. Rebuilt 2026-09-16.