When obtaining gender reassignment/plastic surgery overseas, is an emergency travel document required to...
I am planning to accompany a friend on an overseas trip, where my friend will be undertaking several medical procedures to finish transitioning gender. These procedures include the actual gender reassignment surgery, and some plastic surgery.
His passport currently says his name is "John" and he is male. After the procedure, my friend's name will legally still be 'John', but her gender will be female, and her physical appear will also change. (Here I am using the word "gender" to refer to external genitalia, body shape, etc.)
Should we apply for an emergency travel document in order to return home, after the procedures are completed, given the discrepancy in appearance and gender with the official passport? Or will it still be possible to return on the original passport, post-operation, if my friend carries extensive documentation about the procedures performed?
(Both of us will be travelling on US passports.)
passports medical-tourism
add a comment |
I am planning to accompany a friend on an overseas trip, where my friend will be undertaking several medical procedures to finish transitioning gender. These procedures include the actual gender reassignment surgery, and some plastic surgery.
His passport currently says his name is "John" and he is male. After the procedure, my friend's name will legally still be 'John', but her gender will be female, and her physical appear will also change. (Here I am using the word "gender" to refer to external genitalia, body shape, etc.)
Should we apply for an emergency travel document in order to return home, after the procedures are completed, given the discrepancy in appearance and gender with the official passport? Or will it still be possible to return on the original passport, post-operation, if my friend carries extensive documentation about the procedures performed?
(Both of us will be travelling on US passports.)
passports medical-tourism
Possible duplicate of: travel.stackexchange.com/questions/121704/…
– JonathanReez♦
7 hours ago
Have you seen travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/…? I suspect that the old passport would be accepted for the return journey, especially in connection with relevant medical records. Perhaps your friend would nonetheless be unwilling to use it; is that the case? Will you be in the foreign country for long enough to get a new passport rather than an emergency travel document?
– phoog
7 hours ago
Doubt that other duplicate will help since they appear to have completed their transition at home. This is a transition being done abroad. We're only planning on being abroad for long enough to do the transition, plus the post-op recovery -- a few weeks. Also that other question appears to have an answer talking about Egypt, which I have no idea why that's relevant to a UK passport holder wanting to travel to US.
– Roddy of the Frozen Peas
7 hours ago
Does your friend have short hair? Wear typically "male" clothes? Has your friend undergone electrolysis to suppress facial hair or hormone treatments to change overall body shape? Will the stay abroad be so long that the answers are different on the outbound and homeward portions of the trip?
– Kate Gregory
6 hours ago
A few weeks ought to be enough time to get a new passport, though I am increasingly of the opinion that it probably will not be necessary. Depending on the country, it looks like it shouldn't take more than 10 to 15 business days (and in my experience passports usually come rather more quickly than the stated processing time).
– phoog
6 hours ago
add a comment |
I am planning to accompany a friend on an overseas trip, where my friend will be undertaking several medical procedures to finish transitioning gender. These procedures include the actual gender reassignment surgery, and some plastic surgery.
His passport currently says his name is "John" and he is male. After the procedure, my friend's name will legally still be 'John', but her gender will be female, and her physical appear will also change. (Here I am using the word "gender" to refer to external genitalia, body shape, etc.)
Should we apply for an emergency travel document in order to return home, after the procedures are completed, given the discrepancy in appearance and gender with the official passport? Or will it still be possible to return on the original passport, post-operation, if my friend carries extensive documentation about the procedures performed?
(Both of us will be travelling on US passports.)
passports medical-tourism
I am planning to accompany a friend on an overseas trip, where my friend will be undertaking several medical procedures to finish transitioning gender. These procedures include the actual gender reassignment surgery, and some plastic surgery.
His passport currently says his name is "John" and he is male. After the procedure, my friend's name will legally still be 'John', but her gender will be female, and her physical appear will also change. (Here I am using the word "gender" to refer to external genitalia, body shape, etc.)
Should we apply for an emergency travel document in order to return home, after the procedures are completed, given the discrepancy in appearance and gender with the official passport? Or will it still be possible to return on the original passport, post-operation, if my friend carries extensive documentation about the procedures performed?
(Both of us will be travelling on US passports.)
passports medical-tourism
passports medical-tourism
asked 7 hours ago
Roddy of the Frozen PeasRoddy of the Frozen Peas
2,39532145
2,39532145
Possible duplicate of: travel.stackexchange.com/questions/121704/…
– JonathanReez♦
7 hours ago
Have you seen travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/…? I suspect that the old passport would be accepted for the return journey, especially in connection with relevant medical records. Perhaps your friend would nonetheless be unwilling to use it; is that the case? Will you be in the foreign country for long enough to get a new passport rather than an emergency travel document?
– phoog
7 hours ago
Doubt that other duplicate will help since they appear to have completed their transition at home. This is a transition being done abroad. We're only planning on being abroad for long enough to do the transition, plus the post-op recovery -- a few weeks. Also that other question appears to have an answer talking about Egypt, which I have no idea why that's relevant to a UK passport holder wanting to travel to US.
– Roddy of the Frozen Peas
7 hours ago
Does your friend have short hair? Wear typically "male" clothes? Has your friend undergone electrolysis to suppress facial hair or hormone treatments to change overall body shape? Will the stay abroad be so long that the answers are different on the outbound and homeward portions of the trip?
– Kate Gregory
6 hours ago
A few weeks ought to be enough time to get a new passport, though I am increasingly of the opinion that it probably will not be necessary. Depending on the country, it looks like it shouldn't take more than 10 to 15 business days (and in my experience passports usually come rather more quickly than the stated processing time).
– phoog
6 hours ago
add a comment |
Possible duplicate of: travel.stackexchange.com/questions/121704/…
– JonathanReez♦
7 hours ago
Have you seen travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/…? I suspect that the old passport would be accepted for the return journey, especially in connection with relevant medical records. Perhaps your friend would nonetheless be unwilling to use it; is that the case? Will you be in the foreign country for long enough to get a new passport rather than an emergency travel document?
– phoog
7 hours ago
Doubt that other duplicate will help since they appear to have completed their transition at home. This is a transition being done abroad. We're only planning on being abroad for long enough to do the transition, plus the post-op recovery -- a few weeks. Also that other question appears to have an answer talking about Egypt, which I have no idea why that's relevant to a UK passport holder wanting to travel to US.
– Roddy of the Frozen Peas
7 hours ago
Does your friend have short hair? Wear typically "male" clothes? Has your friend undergone electrolysis to suppress facial hair or hormone treatments to change overall body shape? Will the stay abroad be so long that the answers are different on the outbound and homeward portions of the trip?
– Kate Gregory
6 hours ago
A few weeks ought to be enough time to get a new passport, though I am increasingly of the opinion that it probably will not be necessary. Depending on the country, it looks like it shouldn't take more than 10 to 15 business days (and in my experience passports usually come rather more quickly than the stated processing time).
– phoog
6 hours ago
Possible duplicate of: travel.stackexchange.com/questions/121704/…
– JonathanReez♦
7 hours ago
Possible duplicate of: travel.stackexchange.com/questions/121704/…
– JonathanReez♦
7 hours ago
Have you seen travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/…? I suspect that the old passport would be accepted for the return journey, especially in connection with relevant medical records. Perhaps your friend would nonetheless be unwilling to use it; is that the case? Will you be in the foreign country for long enough to get a new passport rather than an emergency travel document?
– phoog
7 hours ago
Have you seen travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/…? I suspect that the old passport would be accepted for the return journey, especially in connection with relevant medical records. Perhaps your friend would nonetheless be unwilling to use it; is that the case? Will you be in the foreign country for long enough to get a new passport rather than an emergency travel document?
– phoog
7 hours ago
Doubt that other duplicate will help since they appear to have completed their transition at home. This is a transition being done abroad. We're only planning on being abroad for long enough to do the transition, plus the post-op recovery -- a few weeks. Also that other question appears to have an answer talking about Egypt, which I have no idea why that's relevant to a UK passport holder wanting to travel to US.
– Roddy of the Frozen Peas
7 hours ago
Doubt that other duplicate will help since they appear to have completed their transition at home. This is a transition being done abroad. We're only planning on being abroad for long enough to do the transition, plus the post-op recovery -- a few weeks. Also that other question appears to have an answer talking about Egypt, which I have no idea why that's relevant to a UK passport holder wanting to travel to US.
– Roddy of the Frozen Peas
7 hours ago
Does your friend have short hair? Wear typically "male" clothes? Has your friend undergone electrolysis to suppress facial hair or hormone treatments to change overall body shape? Will the stay abroad be so long that the answers are different on the outbound and homeward portions of the trip?
– Kate Gregory
6 hours ago
Does your friend have short hair? Wear typically "male" clothes? Has your friend undergone electrolysis to suppress facial hair or hormone treatments to change overall body shape? Will the stay abroad be so long that the answers are different on the outbound and homeward portions of the trip?
– Kate Gregory
6 hours ago
A few weeks ought to be enough time to get a new passport, though I am increasingly of the opinion that it probably will not be necessary. Depending on the country, it looks like it shouldn't take more than 10 to 15 business days (and in my experience passports usually come rather more quickly than the stated processing time).
– phoog
6 hours ago
A few weeks ought to be enough time to get a new passport, though I am increasingly of the opinion that it probably will not be necessary. Depending on the country, it looks like it shouldn't take more than 10 to 15 business days (and in my experience passports usually come rather more quickly than the stated processing time).
– phoog
6 hours ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
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You do not need an emergency travel document.
Until you announce to the USA government that you have completed transition and provide documentation, they will not unilaterally change your sex in the records.
Thus your travel documents with previous sex still holds valid until you officially effect those changes when you return to the USA.
Your sex is not officially determined by your appearance. We are long past that period of stereotyping based purely on looks. There are many people who look like the opposite sex. Also there are many people who look radically different from their passport pictures including crossdressers who have not yet reassigned their gender.
In conclusion, regardless of how your friend looks now and how different his/her appearance is from what is on her official documents, he/she will be let in if he/she can prove with documentation that she/he is who she/he claims he/she is. Yes you will spend a little longer at immigration on arrival and when checking in at the departure airport however this is nothing new.
REFERENCES
https://transequality.org/know-your-rights/passports
In June 2010, the State Department announced a new policy to issue
passports that reflect a person’s current gender when either a
previous passport or other personal documentation presented by an
applicant reflects a different gender.
Under the new policy, a transgender person can obtain a passport
reflecting his or her current gender by submitting a certification
from a physician confirming that he or she has had appropriate
clinical treatment for gender transition. This policy replaces the
Department’s old policy, which required documentation of sex
reassignment surgery. In January 2011, the State Department made
further improvements to its new policy.
add a comment |
You will not need an emergency travel document.
First, the US does not have a single concept of "legal sex". Your friend's old passport will be accepted as long as it is valid, although they may have problems if their legal name does not match their passport.
Changing name and gender are two separate processes in the US. In order to change their name, your friend will have to request a name change through a court in their US residence. In order to change their sex listed on their passport, they will have to follow the process the state department has defined, which does not require surgery. This is separate of every other legal gender change process, including birth certificate, driver's license, and employment.
Finally, their gender, and what pronouns you should use for them, is not defined by their genitalia. You should use the pronouns your friend has asked you to use at all times, and not make up your own rules.
Source: personal experience. I traveled to the EU presenting female with the wrong gender and old name on my passport, and have since had experience going to several countries with my updated passport in my new name and with female on my passport.
add a comment |
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
You do not need an emergency travel document.
Until you announce to the USA government that you have completed transition and provide documentation, they will not unilaterally change your sex in the records.
Thus your travel documents with previous sex still holds valid until you officially effect those changes when you return to the USA.
Your sex is not officially determined by your appearance. We are long past that period of stereotyping based purely on looks. There are many people who look like the opposite sex. Also there are many people who look radically different from their passport pictures including crossdressers who have not yet reassigned their gender.
In conclusion, regardless of how your friend looks now and how different his/her appearance is from what is on her official documents, he/she will be let in if he/she can prove with documentation that she/he is who she/he claims he/she is. Yes you will spend a little longer at immigration on arrival and when checking in at the departure airport however this is nothing new.
REFERENCES
https://transequality.org/know-your-rights/passports
In June 2010, the State Department announced a new policy to issue
passports that reflect a person’s current gender when either a
previous passport or other personal documentation presented by an
applicant reflects a different gender.
Under the new policy, a transgender person can obtain a passport
reflecting his or her current gender by submitting a certification
from a physician confirming that he or she has had appropriate
clinical treatment for gender transition. This policy replaces the
Department’s old policy, which required documentation of sex
reassignment surgery. In January 2011, the State Department made
further improvements to its new policy.
add a comment |
You do not need an emergency travel document.
Until you announce to the USA government that you have completed transition and provide documentation, they will not unilaterally change your sex in the records.
Thus your travel documents with previous sex still holds valid until you officially effect those changes when you return to the USA.
Your sex is not officially determined by your appearance. We are long past that period of stereotyping based purely on looks. There are many people who look like the opposite sex. Also there are many people who look radically different from their passport pictures including crossdressers who have not yet reassigned their gender.
In conclusion, regardless of how your friend looks now and how different his/her appearance is from what is on her official documents, he/she will be let in if he/she can prove with documentation that she/he is who she/he claims he/she is. Yes you will spend a little longer at immigration on arrival and when checking in at the departure airport however this is nothing new.
REFERENCES
https://transequality.org/know-your-rights/passports
In June 2010, the State Department announced a new policy to issue
passports that reflect a person’s current gender when either a
previous passport or other personal documentation presented by an
applicant reflects a different gender.
Under the new policy, a transgender person can obtain a passport
reflecting his or her current gender by submitting a certification
from a physician confirming that he or she has had appropriate
clinical treatment for gender transition. This policy replaces the
Department’s old policy, which required documentation of sex
reassignment surgery. In January 2011, the State Department made
further improvements to its new policy.
add a comment |
You do not need an emergency travel document.
Until you announce to the USA government that you have completed transition and provide documentation, they will not unilaterally change your sex in the records.
Thus your travel documents with previous sex still holds valid until you officially effect those changes when you return to the USA.
Your sex is not officially determined by your appearance. We are long past that period of stereotyping based purely on looks. There are many people who look like the opposite sex. Also there are many people who look radically different from their passport pictures including crossdressers who have not yet reassigned their gender.
In conclusion, regardless of how your friend looks now and how different his/her appearance is from what is on her official documents, he/she will be let in if he/she can prove with documentation that she/he is who she/he claims he/she is. Yes you will spend a little longer at immigration on arrival and when checking in at the departure airport however this is nothing new.
REFERENCES
https://transequality.org/know-your-rights/passports
In June 2010, the State Department announced a new policy to issue
passports that reflect a person’s current gender when either a
previous passport or other personal documentation presented by an
applicant reflects a different gender.
Under the new policy, a transgender person can obtain a passport
reflecting his or her current gender by submitting a certification
from a physician confirming that he or she has had appropriate
clinical treatment for gender transition. This policy replaces the
Department’s old policy, which required documentation of sex
reassignment surgery. In January 2011, the State Department made
further improvements to its new policy.
You do not need an emergency travel document.
Until you announce to the USA government that you have completed transition and provide documentation, they will not unilaterally change your sex in the records.
Thus your travel documents with previous sex still holds valid until you officially effect those changes when you return to the USA.
Your sex is not officially determined by your appearance. We are long past that period of stereotyping based purely on looks. There are many people who look like the opposite sex. Also there are many people who look radically different from their passport pictures including crossdressers who have not yet reassigned their gender.
In conclusion, regardless of how your friend looks now and how different his/her appearance is from what is on her official documents, he/she will be let in if he/she can prove with documentation that she/he is who she/he claims he/she is. Yes you will spend a little longer at immigration on arrival and when checking in at the departure airport however this is nothing new.
REFERENCES
https://transequality.org/know-your-rights/passports
In June 2010, the State Department announced a new policy to issue
passports that reflect a person’s current gender when either a
previous passport or other personal documentation presented by an
applicant reflects a different gender.
Under the new policy, a transgender person can obtain a passport
reflecting his or her current gender by submitting a certification
from a physician confirming that he or she has had appropriate
clinical treatment for gender transition. This policy replaces the
Department’s old policy, which required documentation of sex
reassignment surgery. In January 2011, the State Department made
further improvements to its new policy.
edited 6 hours ago
answered 6 hours ago
ThE iLlEgAl aLiEnThE iLlEgAl aLiEn
23.3k365120
23.3k365120
add a comment |
add a comment |
You will not need an emergency travel document.
First, the US does not have a single concept of "legal sex". Your friend's old passport will be accepted as long as it is valid, although they may have problems if their legal name does not match their passport.
Changing name and gender are two separate processes in the US. In order to change their name, your friend will have to request a name change through a court in their US residence. In order to change their sex listed on their passport, they will have to follow the process the state department has defined, which does not require surgery. This is separate of every other legal gender change process, including birth certificate, driver's license, and employment.
Finally, their gender, and what pronouns you should use for them, is not defined by their genitalia. You should use the pronouns your friend has asked you to use at all times, and not make up your own rules.
Source: personal experience. I traveled to the EU presenting female with the wrong gender and old name on my passport, and have since had experience going to several countries with my updated passport in my new name and with female on my passport.
add a comment |
You will not need an emergency travel document.
First, the US does not have a single concept of "legal sex". Your friend's old passport will be accepted as long as it is valid, although they may have problems if their legal name does not match their passport.
Changing name and gender are two separate processes in the US. In order to change their name, your friend will have to request a name change through a court in their US residence. In order to change their sex listed on their passport, they will have to follow the process the state department has defined, which does not require surgery. This is separate of every other legal gender change process, including birth certificate, driver's license, and employment.
Finally, their gender, and what pronouns you should use for them, is not defined by their genitalia. You should use the pronouns your friend has asked you to use at all times, and not make up your own rules.
Source: personal experience. I traveled to the EU presenting female with the wrong gender and old name on my passport, and have since had experience going to several countries with my updated passport in my new name and with female on my passport.
add a comment |
You will not need an emergency travel document.
First, the US does not have a single concept of "legal sex". Your friend's old passport will be accepted as long as it is valid, although they may have problems if their legal name does not match their passport.
Changing name and gender are two separate processes in the US. In order to change their name, your friend will have to request a name change through a court in their US residence. In order to change their sex listed on their passport, they will have to follow the process the state department has defined, which does not require surgery. This is separate of every other legal gender change process, including birth certificate, driver's license, and employment.
Finally, their gender, and what pronouns you should use for them, is not defined by their genitalia. You should use the pronouns your friend has asked you to use at all times, and not make up your own rules.
Source: personal experience. I traveled to the EU presenting female with the wrong gender and old name on my passport, and have since had experience going to several countries with my updated passport in my new name and with female on my passport.
You will not need an emergency travel document.
First, the US does not have a single concept of "legal sex". Your friend's old passport will be accepted as long as it is valid, although they may have problems if their legal name does not match their passport.
Changing name and gender are two separate processes in the US. In order to change their name, your friend will have to request a name change through a court in their US residence. In order to change their sex listed on their passport, they will have to follow the process the state department has defined, which does not require surgery. This is separate of every other legal gender change process, including birth certificate, driver's license, and employment.
Finally, their gender, and what pronouns you should use for them, is not defined by their genitalia. You should use the pronouns your friend has asked you to use at all times, and not make up your own rules.
Source: personal experience. I traveled to the EU presenting female with the wrong gender and old name on my passport, and have since had experience going to several countries with my updated passport in my new name and with female on my passport.
answered 1 hour ago
Artemis TosiniArtemis Tosini
414
414
add a comment |
add a comment |
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Possible duplicate of: travel.stackexchange.com/questions/121704/…
– JonathanReez♦
7 hours ago
Have you seen travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/…? I suspect that the old passport would be accepted for the return journey, especially in connection with relevant medical records. Perhaps your friend would nonetheless be unwilling to use it; is that the case? Will you be in the foreign country for long enough to get a new passport rather than an emergency travel document?
– phoog
7 hours ago
Doubt that other duplicate will help since they appear to have completed their transition at home. This is a transition being done abroad. We're only planning on being abroad for long enough to do the transition, plus the post-op recovery -- a few weeks. Also that other question appears to have an answer talking about Egypt, which I have no idea why that's relevant to a UK passport holder wanting to travel to US.
– Roddy of the Frozen Peas
7 hours ago
Does your friend have short hair? Wear typically "male" clothes? Has your friend undergone electrolysis to suppress facial hair or hormone treatments to change overall body shape? Will the stay abroad be so long that the answers are different on the outbound and homeward portions of the trip?
– Kate Gregory
6 hours ago
A few weeks ought to be enough time to get a new passport, though I am increasingly of the opinion that it probably will not be necessary. Depending on the country, it looks like it shouldn't take more than 10 to 15 business days (and in my experience passports usually come rather more quickly than the stated processing time).
– phoog
6 hours ago