US Passports can now use X for gender marker
March 31, 2022
"The U.S. State Department is now taking further steps toward demonstrating their commitment to better serve all U.S. citizens, regardless of gender identity," reads a statement on the U.S. Department of State website for passports. "You can now self-select the gender you want printed on your U.S. passport. If you are applying for a U.S. passport book via routine service, the X gender marker will be available starting April 11, 2022. We are also making technological updates to make the X gender marker available on passport cards, emergency passport books printed at embassies and consulates, expedited and emergency passports issued at passport agencies and centers, and Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBAs)."
The website continues with questions and answers:
Why did the U.S. Department of State add the Gender X marker for U.S. passport applicants?
"We are committed to promoting the freedom, dignity, and equality of all people – including LGBTQI+ individuals."
"Selecting your Gender Marker: You can select the gender marker you would like printed on your U.S. passport. The gender you select does not need to match the gender on your supporting documentation such as a birth certificate, previous passport, or state ID. We no longer require medical documentation to change the gender marker on your U.S. passport.
Beginning April 11, 2022, you can select male (M), female (F), or unspecified or another gender identity (X) as your gender marker if you are applying for a U.S. passport book and selecting routine service. Beginning in late 2023, you will be able to select X as a marker if you are seeking a passport card or selecting expedited service. By late 2023, we anticipate completing additional technological updates so that the X gender marker will be available on the following documents we issue:
• Passport cards
• Emergency passports printed at embassies and consulates
• Expedited and emergency passports issued at passport agencies and centers, and
• Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBAs)
It means you can select the gender you would like us to print on your U.S. passport, by selecting male (M), female (F), or unspecified or another gender identity (X), starting April 11, 2022. You no longer need to provide medical certification or a physician’s letter if the gender marker you select for your U.S. passport does not match the gender on your citizenship evidence or photo ID. Your citizenship evidence or identification document does not need to match the gender you are requesting.
Here is what the State Department says regarding safety and security in countries LGBTQI people may which to travel with an X gender marker passport:
LGBTQI+ Travelers: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) travelers can face unique challenges when traveling abroad. Laws and attitudes in some countries may affect safety and ease of travel. Legal protections vary from country to country. Many countries do not legally recognize same-sex marriage. Approximately seventy countries consider consensual same-sex sexual relations a crime, sometimes carrying severe punishment.
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