PRIDE Month’s upon us!!! Traveling tips shared last week, so check that out if you are flying to celebrate. This week let’s talk about getting your documents in order in case you want to travel overseas. We got to do Sydney PRIDE last year!
Just like there is no one way to be a person, a man, a woman, and no one way to transition, there is no one way to change your identity documents. As far as the bureaucratic paperwork part goes, there does seem to be a way which often causes the least paperwork complications. The amazing people at Ingersoll Gender Center created a super helpful infographic for this:
So grateful to have a visual representation of the process. Let’s review some key points:
- If you want both your name and gender markers changed on documents, doing the name first usually reduces redundancy.
- Changing your name is locally based and many states do not require documentation from a medical provider for this.
- Birth certificate change happens in the state in which you were born (not where you live now)
- Sometimes you need a form signed by a provider for this
- State identification, or driver’s license, cards often need a provider signature on a form for change
- Federal documents like your passport and social security need a letter written and signed IN INK by a medical professional with an M.D. or D.O. degree. Free this month at QueerDoc for those in Washington State:
One of my favorite resources for knowing what to do by state: https://transequality.org/documents
Just click on your state and boom! Knowledge at your fingertips!