Changing Gender Marker on US Passport

[Dutch Leonard]

I wondered if anyone had had any experience doing this, since Google isn't being my friend on this topic.

I work in a post office and we do passports. I vaguely recall seeing a memo about transgender people from the Dept of State, something to the effect that a doctor's note was all that was needed to change one's gender when they applied for a passport.

Today, a trans woman came in with her current passport as a male and I told her she could do it as a renewal by mail as long as she met all the other requirements for doing a DS-82 and include information from her doctor along with her fee, her current passport and a new picture.

However, since she mentioned having gone to Thailand for surgery, I wonder if she isn't going to have a problem. I was looking at the US Dept of State site tonight and when you search for "gender" on the site, I did find a link for what they want in that doctor letter. And that is about it, there is not a lot of info at travel.state.gov about this issue.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get...irst_5100.html

I was surprised at the very long and specific list of what they want and doubt that a doctor in Thailand would have a DEA registration number. This makes it look like it has to be a US physician. If she doesn't have a US physician, is she hosed?

I ought to be able to call our regional passport agency to clarify things but we haven't had any luck getting those guys on the phone lately. We leave messages and they don't call us back. I'd hate for her to send money in only to find out they won't do it and those fees aren't refundable.

[Linus]

I think I've read on some of the trans specific forums that some of the MTFs have had this done without issue after the fact (many go to Canada and see the guy in Montreal -- whose name escapes me).

The DEA request is strictly, AFAIK, for American doctors only. This may also help (see the bottom): http://transequality.org/Issues/federal_documents.html

[Dutch Leonard]

Originally Posted by Linus

I think I've read on some of the trans specific forums that some of the MTFs have had this done without issue after the fact (many go to Canada and see the guy in Montreal -- whose name escapes me).

The DEA request is strictly, AFAIK, for American doctors only. This may also help (see the bottom): http://transequality.org/Issues/federal_documents.html

Thanks, Linus, the link about passports at the bottom of that page, led me to this page http://transequality.org/Resources/passports_2011.pdf which states changing your gender requires using form DS-11, which was not spelled out as far as I could tell from travel.state.gov. That would mean you cannot do it by mail and must appear in person and pay the execution fee as well.

[Rufusboi]

I had my passport gender changed with no problem. They did not want a letter from my surgeon, they wanted a letter from the Dr. who was giving me testosterone to state I was male and living as male.

I did not appear in person. I did everything by mail. I called the passport office in Washington and they told me exactly what to send. They were very friendly and helpful.

The new rules for passport gender change does not require surgery.

Out of all the documents I changed the passport was the easiest.

Rufus

[Toughy]

It's really astonishing, to me, that someone who works for the passport office does not have a clear policy for this kind of question. Someone who works for the passport office has to come to this website to ask what the policy says. What does the head of your passport office say? Why doesn't s/he call his/her boss?

If the public can call the main office and get info, why can't your office? I'm not sure the idea that one office does not return calls to another office instills any kind of confidence in the State Dept.

(Dutch this is not a personal attack on you, it's about the system)

Originally Posted by Dutch Leonard

I wondered if anyone had had any experience doing this, since Google isn't being my friend on this topic.

I work in a post office and we do passports. I vaguely recall seeing a memo about transgender people from the Dept of State, something to the effect that a doctor's note was all that was needed to change one's gender when they applied for a passport.

Today, a trans woman came in with her current passport as a male and I told her she could do it as a renewal by mail as long as she met all the other requirements for doing a DS-82 and include information from her doctor along with her fee, her current passport and a new picture.

However, since she mentioned having gone to Thailand for surgery, I wonder if she isn't going to have a problem. I was looking at the US Dept of State site tonight and when you search for "gender" on the site, I did find a link for what they want in that doctor letter. And that is about it, there is not a lot of info at travel.state.gov about this issue.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get...irst_5100.html

I was surprised at the very long and specific list of what they want and doubt that a doctor in Thailand would have a DEA registration number. This makes it look like it has to be a US physician. If she doesn't have a US physician, is she hosed?

I ought to be able to call our regional passport agency to clarify things but we haven't had any luck getting those guys on the phone lately. We leave messages and they don't call us back. I'd hate for her to send money in only to find out they won't do it and those fees aren't refundable.

[Thinker]

Originally Posted by Rufusboi

I had my passport gender changed with no problem. They did not want a letter from my surgeon, they wanted a letter from the Dr. who was giving me testosterone to state I was male and living as male.

I did not appear in person. I did everything by mail. I called the passport office in Washington and they told me exactly what to send. They were very friendly and helpful.

The new rules for passport gender change does not require surgery.

Out of all the documents I changed the passport was the easiest.

Rufus

Same here.

I turned in the form, the fees, my passport, the letter from my doctor, and a new photo. My corrected passport arrived in about two weeks.

The letter I used, however, was the same one I used when I got my DL changed so it was a fancy affidavit-type letter that outlined info on my hormone therapy and doctor, chest surgery info and surgeon, and hysto info and surgeon. It was actually my GYN who created the affidavit.

[Thinker]

Originally Posted by Dutch Leonard

I wondered if anyone had had any experience doing this, since Google isn't being my friend on this topic.

I work in a post office and we do passports. I vaguely recall seeing a memo about transgender people from the Dept of State, something to the effect that a doctor's note was all that was needed to change one's gender when they applied for a passport.

Today, a trans woman came in with her current passport as a male and I told her she could do it as a renewal by mail as long as she met all the other requirements for doing a DS-82 and include information from her doctor along with her fee, her current passport and a new picture.

However, since she mentioned having gone to Thailand for surgery, I wonder if she isn't going to have a problem. I was looking at the US Dept of State site tonight and when you search for "gender" on the site, I did find a link for what they want in that doctor letter. And that is about it, there is not a lot of info at travel.state.gov about this issue.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get...irst_5100.html

I was surprised at the very long and specific list of what they want and doubt that a doctor in Thailand would have a DEA registration number. This makes it look like it has to be a US physician. If she doesn't have a US physician, is she hosed?

I ought to be able to call our regional passport agency to clarify things but we haven't had any luck getting those guys on the phone lately. We leave messages and they don't call us back. I'd hate for her to send money in only to find out they won't do it and those fees aren't refundable.

The information given in the link you provided seems pretty clear to me. The woman's regular doctor can write the letter/affidavit; it doesn't have to be the surgeon in Thailand.

[Dutch Leonard]

I called our regional agency today and asked about the DS-11 vs DS-82 issue.

They told me someone who is changing their gender must do the DS-11, which involves appearing in person and presenting a photo ID and paying the execution fee to the passport office ($25).

I was told this is because of the change in appearance, which a recent photo ID should reflect and match your photo for the passport.

This policy might have changed since Rufusboi and Thinker did theirs. So the Trans-equality site is correct.

[Thinker]

Originally Posted by Dutch Leonard

I called our regional agency today and asked about the DS-11 vs DS-82 issue.

They told me someone who is changing their gender must do the DS-11, which involves appearing in person and presenting a photo ID and paying the execution fee to the passport office ($25).

I was told this is because of the change in appearance, which a recent photo ID should reflect and match your photo for the passport.

This policy might have changed since Rufusboi and Thinker did theirs. So the Trans-equality site is correct.

I believe it did change. I went and did mine right after it was passed. When I looked at that list today, I thought it looked much more extensive and thorough.

Good information to have. Thanks, DL.