fix(user_authn): expose country field by default so Profile MFE can list countries

[kingoftech-v01]

Description

After the Ulmo upgrade, the country dropdown in the Profile MFE shows no options. This fix changes the default value of REGISTRATION_EXTRA_FIELDS['country'] from 'hidden' to 'optional' so the country list is exposed via the registration form API that the Profile MFE relies on.

User impact (Learner): Learners can once again select their country in the Profile MFE. The country field also becomes an optional field on the registration form by default.

User impact (Operator): Operators who do not want the country field visible on the registration form can override it via site configuration or YAML env config (e.g. REGISTRATION_EXTRA_FIELDS: {country: hidden} or {country: required}).

Root Cause

1. openedx/envs/common.py:1689 — REGISTRATION_EXTRA_FIELDS['country'] defaulted to 'hidden'.
2. openedx/core/djangoapps/user_authn/views/registration_form.py:341 — _is_field_visible() returns False for 'hidden'.
3. openedx/core/djangoapps/user_authn/views/registration_form.py:517 — get_registration_form() skips fields where _is_field_visible() is False.
4. openedx/core/djangoapps/user_authn/views/register.py:556 — RegistrationView.get() returns the form description via /api/user/v2/account/registration/.
5. The Profile MFE consumes that endpoint to obtain the list of country options for its country dropdown. With 'hidden' as the default, the country field and its options list were never in the response.

Previously, Tutor injected country: required in the generated config; that override was removed or changed in Ulmo, exposing the insecure-by-default.

Fix

One-line change in openedx/envs/common.py:

'country': 'optional',  # was 'hidden'

A comment explains the rationale and notes that operators can still override it.

Why not fix the Profile MFE instead?

Decoupling the Profile MFE from the registration form API would require changes in a different repo and a new backend endpoint, and leaves the current API contract broken for any other consumer that needs the country list. Changing the default here:

• Is a 1-line change
• Matches the documented workaround in the issue
• Is reversible via configuration for operators who want country hidden
• Gives optional as a sensible platform default (users can choose to provide it or not)

Supporting Information

• Issue: List of countries is not showing up in Profile MFE #38195
• Workaround mentioned in the issue confirms that changing the setting fixes the Profile MFE dropdown.
• All existing tests that assert specific field lists are protected by @override_settings, so the default change does not affect them.

Testing Instructions

1. Deploy without any REGISTRATION_EXTRA_FIELDS override
2. Open the Profile MFE — the country dropdown should show the full list of countries
3. Open the registration form — the country field should appear as optional
4. Override REGISTRATION_EXTRA_FIELDS: {country: hidden} in site configuration — the country field should disappear from both the registration form and the Profile MFE

Four new tests are included in openedx/core/djangoapps/user_authn/views/tests/test_register.py:

• test_unit_country_default_is_optional — Unit
• test_integration_country_field_exposed_by_default — Integration
• test_bug_38195_regression_profile_mfe_gets_country_options — Regression
• test_operator_can_still_hide_country — Backwards-compat for operator override

Deadline

None

Other Information

• No database migrations
• No new dependencies
• No deprecations
• Backwards compatible via configuration override
• No security, accessibility, or performance concerns

Closes #38195

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