A Post office in Frisco, Texas has apologized to a Sikh Father for asking him to remove turban of his 6 year old son to take photograph for passport. On March 17, Darshan Singh went to local post office to get photograph for his son’s passport. On reaching there, post office officials asked him to remove turban of his son if he wanted to take passport photograph.

When Darshan Singh asked them as to why so, the officials said that Federal rules do not permit headgear on passport photograph. Darshan Singh then moved to Sikh coalition and told them the whole issue. The Legal team of Sikh Coalition informed him that a person can wear headgear if it is of religious importance by giving an application to the local Post office.

The next day, Darshan Singh went back to post office and asked them to take photograph of his son, but Post office officials still insisted to remove the turban. Darshan Singh then reached out Dallas Morning News which then contacted State Department regarding the issue. State Department acted on the request and issued an official apology to Darshan Singh.

The official apology stated, “The acceptance agent was not following proper procedures when he refused to accept the application for your son.  Your son has the right to wear his turban for religious purposes.  You only had to provide a statement stating as such.   I have spoken with… the Frisco Post Office and advised…. of proper procedures”.

You can get a US passport with headgear as long as it is of religious significance and you just have to give a statement regarding the headgear stating it is of religious importance.

Tags: turban, USA

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