Facial hair in the military has been at various times standard, prohibited, or an integral part of the uniform.
Asia India
In the Indian Armed Forces, male Sikh service members are allowed to wear full beards as their religion expressly requires followers to do so. However, they are specifically required to "dress up their hair and beard properly".
Non-Sikh personnel are allowed to grow whiskers and mustaches, with the only regulation being that they "will be of moderate length". In December 2003, the Supreme Court of India ruled that Muslims in uniform could grow beards, although the rules have since been changed again (via a Supreme Court ruling in 2018) to once again allow only Sikhs to wear beards. Thus, non-Sikhs serving in the Indian Army or Indian Air Force are not permitted to wear beards. However, Army personnel on active duty are sometimes exempt from facial hair regulations for the duration of their tour of duty if their deployment makes access to such facilities difficult. Indian Navy personnel are allowed to grow beards subject to the permission of their commanding officer.
Exceptions for other religions are made in the case of special forces operatives such as the Indian Army's Para (Special Forces), who are allowed to grow beards.
Iran
Beards are permitted in the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran. As a sign of their ideological motivation, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah) personnel used to tend to wear full beards; in contrast, the Islamic Republic of Iran Army (Artesh) personnel are usually trimmed or wear mustaches.
Iraq Beards to a certain length were traditionally permitted in the Iraqi Armed Forces; however, a ban was brought into effect in April 2012 due to public associations between beards and certain sectarian militias in Iraq. As a result of the change, Iraqi soldiers must now be clean shaven. Under the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein, beards were not allowed in the army or during military service; only mustaches were permitted.
Israel
The IDF used to prohibit the growing of facial hair unless a special request form has been filed and approved. The requests could be for religious reasons (full beard only, see Shaving in Judaism), health reasons such as acne (no restrictions on facial hair styles), and on the grounds of "free will", which means the facial hair (mustache, a goatee or a full beard all of which must be well groomed) has to be part of the soldier's identity and part of his self-esteem. If the request is for health reasons, it must be approved by a military doctor and lasts up to six months. If the request is due to "free will", it must be approved by a unit commander at the rank of lieutenant colonel or above, and a recommendation must be made by an officer associated with the soldier at the rank of lieutenant (usually in a combat unit). For religious requests, the soldier is interviewed by a military rabbi to determine if they meet the criteria for an exemption. If approved, the officer associated with the soldier makes a recommendation, which is then approved by the unit commander, who must be at the rank of lieutenant colonel or higher. In the past, the exemption from shaving on religious grounds or due to "free will" lasted for the duration of the soldier's entire service. However, in 2020, the exemption from shaving had to be renewed annually, and it also expires if the soldier chooses to shave willingly. As of 2025, IDF soldiers are allowed beards without special approval.
Lebanon Beards are not allowed in the Lebanese Armed Forces. Only trimmed moustaches that don't pass the upper lip are permitted, and a special allowance is paid as a result.
Pakistan
Beards are permitted in the Pakistan Army. They are allowed only if a special request is approved. The requests are generally made for religious reasons or due to health concerns, such as acne or skin allergies. Once the form has been approved, the applicant is not allowed to shave back. There is a special allowance for bigger moustaches, but they must be neat and trimmed.
Philippines Facial hair is prohibited in the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The regulation applies to all personnel, regardless of rank, and violations can serve as grounds for disciplinary action.
Nepal
In the past, moustaches have been popular with Gorkhali Army commanders and soldiers. Military commanders of Kshatriya order (called Kshetri in Nepal), especially of five Kaji noble families – Thapa, Pande, Kunwar, Basnet and Bista – used to link moustaches to dignity.
However, with the changing times, it became apparent that facial hair could break seals on gas masks and thus posed a liability. Currently, moustaches and beards are not permitted within the regulations of the Nepal Army.
Singapore Moustaches, but not beards, are permitted in the Singapore Army. If a mustache is kept, it must be kept neatly trimmed and of moderate length. Exception for beards is allowed for those of the Sikh faith.
South Korea Beards are not allowed in the South Korean Armed Forces.
Sri Lanka The Navy does not allow moustaches alone but does allow full-set beards. Moustaches but not beards are permitted in the Army and Air Force. However, members of the Commando and Special Forces regiments are allowed to wear beards if based outside their home camps.
Europe Austria The Austrian Armed Forces permits moustaches, beards, and sideburns, as long as they are neatly trimmed.
Belgium
The Belgian Armed Forces permits moustaches and beards, but they have to be properly trimmed.
Croatia The Armed Forces of Croatia permit moustaches for soldiers and non-commissioned officers. Officers are allowed to wear neatly trimmed beards. Furthermore, beards are not only allowed but fully recommended for members of special operations teams when deployed.
Czech Republic
The Army of the Czech Republic permits moustaches, sideburns, or a neat full beard of a natural colour. A moustache must be trimmed so that it does not extend beyond the lower margin of the upper lip. Sideburns may not reach under the middle of each auricle. Hairs of sideburns and goatee may not exceed 2 cm (0.787 inch) in length.
Denmark
Danish Army personnel are generally allowed to wear any well-kept beard. However, stubble is not permitted. Full beards were popular among units deployed in Afghanistan, as they are easier to maintain in the field. This also helped break down cultural barriers between the Danish and the Afghans, as most Afghan men wear full beards, and because many Danes grow red-coloured beards, which is seen as a symbol of bravery in Afghanistan.
Soldiers who belong to Den Kongelige Livgarde (The Royal Life Guards) are not allowed to have beards when on guard duty. Additionally, Danish soldiers are not required to have short haircuts, though most have.
Estonia The Estonian Defence Forces allow active-duty members to grow facial hair, but it has to be trimmed and groomed properly. As of 2021, conscripts are also allowed to grow facial hair.
Finland The regulations of the Finnish Defence Forces (Rule 91) prohibit the growing of facial hair. Reservists can grow facial hair and are not required to shave for short military refresher courses.
France Since the Napoleonic era and throughout the 19th century, sappers (combat engineers) of the French Army could wear full beards. Elite troops, such as grenadiers, had to wear large moustaches. Infantry chasseurs were asked to wear moustaches and goatees; and hussars, in addition to their moustache, usually wore two braids in front of each ear, to protect their neck from sword slashes. These traditions were gradually abandoned since the beginning of the 20th century, except for the French Foreign Legion sappers (see below).
The "decree № 75-675 regarding regulations for general discipline in the Armies of 28 July 1975, modified"Décret № 75-675 portant règlement de discipline générale dans les armées du 28 juillet 1975, modifié regulates facial hair in the French armed forces. Military personnel are allowed to grow a beard or moustache only during periods when they are out of uniform. The beard must be "correctly trimmed", and provisions are stated for a possible ban of beards by the military authorities to ensure compatibility with certain equipment.
However, within the Foreign Legion, sappers are traditionally encouraged to grow a large beard. Sappers chosen to participate in the Bastille Day parade are, in fact, specifically asked to stop shaving so they will have a full beard when they march down the Champs-Élysées.
The moustache was an obligation for gendarmes until 1933, hence their nickname of "les moustaches". By tradition, some gendarmes may still grow a moustache.
Submariners may be bearded, clean-shaven, or "patrol-bearded", growing a beard for the time of a patrol in remembrance of the time of the diesel submarines whose cramped space allowed for rustic and minimal personal care.
French soldiers of the First World War were known by the nickname poilu, meaning "hairy one" in reference to their facial hair.
Germany Under Nazi rule, the German military permitted only a small, neatly trimmed moustache, though such regulations were often relaxed under field conditions. The latter was particularly true in the case of the Kriegsmarine and Gebirgsjäger. Growth of a full beard was the norm for U-boat crews on active duty, though facial hair was expected to be shaved off soon after reaching port.
The present-day regulations of the Bundeswehr allow soldiers to grow a beard, provided it is not excessively long, unobtrusive, and must be well-groomed. Beards must not affect the proper use of any military equipment, such as a gas mask. Moreover, stubble may not be shown; thus, a clean-shaven soldier who wants to start growing a beard must do so during his furlough.
Greece
In the Greek armed forces, only the navy permits military personnel to wear a beard. Neatly trimmed moustaches are the only facial hair permitted in the army and air force. Military chaplains are permitted to wear full beards, as this is mandatory for clergy and monks in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Hungary In the Hungarian Defence Forces (Magyar Honvédség), personnel are permitted to wear facial hair. However, the neck must be shaven, and the maximum length is 1.5 cm. In some cases, unit commanders can prohibit the growing of beards, but not moustaches.
Ireland The growing of beards is not permitted in any branch of the Irish Defence Forces except the Army Ranger Wing. Moustaches are permitted with permission. Sideburns are not allowed beyond ear length.
Italy
In the Italian armed forces, beards or moustaches are allowed if they are well taken care of; without beards, the sideburns should reach the middle of the tragus. Stubble is permitted outside of ceremonial occasions.
Netherlands Until 1971, the Royal Netherlands Army had no restrictions on hairdress, as long as that hairdress was short and well maintained. Around 1970, young soldiers, part of 1960s counterculture, began getting into trouble with the army for their long hair. This 'escalated' with the case of Rinus Wehrmann, who in 1971 was sentenced to one year and nine months of jailtime for disobeying officer commands to change his hairstyle. The soldiers union used the case to create a mediahype around the rules resulting in public and political pressure being put on minister of Defense Den Toom who changed the rules on June 16th 1971.