New Policy on Gender Change in Passports

[SophiaBee]

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
For Immediate Release June 9, 2010
2010/xxx
MEDIA NOTE

New Policy on Gender Change in Passports Announced

The U.S. Department of State is pleased to use the occasion of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Month to announce its new policy guidelines regarding gender change in passports and Consular Reports of Birth Abroad.

Beginning June 10, when a passport applicant presents a certification from an attending medical physician that the applicant has undergone appropriate clinical treatment for gender transition, the passport will reflect the new gender. The guidelines include detailed information about what information the certification must include. It is also possible to obtain a limited-validity passport if the physician's statement shows the applicant is in the process of gender transition. No additional medical records are required. Sexual reassignment surgery is no longer a prerequisite for passport issuance. A Consular Report of Birth Abroad can also be amended with the new gender.

As with all passport applicants, passport issuing officers at embassies and consulates abroad and domestic passport agencies and centers will only ask appropriate questions to obtain information necessary to determine citizenship and identity.

The new policy and procedures are based on standards and recommendations of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), recognized by the American Medical Association as the authority in this field.



:bigrin::bigrin::bigrin:.....

[Long Duck Dong]

with dystimia, I had to show symptoms for more than a period of 24 months.... before they could diagnosis it..... ( actually it took them 7 years from the first diagnosis of PTSD and depression to the final diagnosis )

is the criteria for the passport thing, based around the same type of thing ?? a requirement to present a consistent and on going state of gender identity change over a extended term ?????

the reason I am asking is, clinical is refering to psych and medical assistance and aid ( its how they put it in nz ) and clinical refers to a period of mental change or inbalance that is temporary and subject to change back to normal
but the defination in the us, may be different so the meaning of the post is a lil unclear to me

[SophiaBee]

Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, said appropriate treatment could mean surgery for some patients and non-surgical care for others.

The State Department said there are guidelines detailing what the certification must include, but no other medical records are required. The government also said it’s possible to obtain a temporary passport if a physician’s statement shows that an applicant is in the process of gender transition.


From "Questioning Transphobia" - http://questioningtransphobia.wordpress.com/2010/06/10/us-state-dept-announces-new-passport-rules-for-transgender-people/

[tenni]

That seems like good news for transgendered people.

Forgive my ignorance if I am wrong but is it believed that such actions will make daily issues for transgendered people easier? (ie legal use of washrooms, prison allocations, employment discrimination, etc.)

[SophiaBee]

Just makes traveling while trans safer ...