State Department Implements New Gender Change Policy for Passports

Based on recommendations by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, the U.S. State Department has announced new policy guidelines concerning gender change in passports and consular records of foreign births. As of June 10, 2010, applicants can have their gender, as indicated on a passport, changed by supplying certification from an attending physician that the individual has undergone appropriate clinical treatment for gender transition. Additionally, a limited, two-year passport will be available if the physician’s statement indicates that the applicant is currently in the gender transition process. Finally, gender change in records of foreign births will also be possible.

To view the policy, please click here (pdf).

Information contained in this publication is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or opinion, nor is it a substitute for the professional judgment of an attorney.