U.S. State Department Eases Passport Rules For Transgender People

by Rhonda J Mangus | June 10, 2010 at 10:27 am
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U.S. State Department Eases Passport Rules For Transgender People

U.S. State Department Eases Passport Rules For Transgender People

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New Policy on Gender Change in Passports Announced

On Wednesday, the U.S. State Department removed strict requirements that transgender passport applicants undergo gender reassignment surgery in order to qualifiy for a passport gender change. The move was meant to coincide with Pride Month according to Office of the Spokesman, Washington, DC. The changes are based on the recommendations of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), recognized by the American Medical Association as the authority in this field.

According to the State Department, “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.”

On May 26, 2010, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health also prepared and released a statement urging de-psychopathologisation of gender variance worldwide. The statement can be read at WPATH.

Read further New Policy on Gender Change in Passports Announced at U.S. Department of State.

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