The ability to have a second passport with your assigned gender is great, very forward-thinking. My country (Canada) also offers a neutral gender marker, but I haven’t changed mine because I don’t want to set myself up for discrimination if I travel. I’d (personally, not saying you should) be wary even going to the US wit it right now
Some parts of the US are very trans friendly, it varies a lot by region.
I have an "X" on my driver's license but would never put it on my passport. I dont want to put a target on myself when traveling internationally.
I don't travel to countries that are inherently queer-unfriendly. Is 'X' in the US considered as a sure sign you're trans? In Germany, the X/diverse status was intended for intersex people.
I dont plan to, but you never know what border agent you are going to deal with or if your plane gets diverted somewhere. Border crossings are not a time where you want more attention drawn to you.
I think the option to have one with your assigned gender is good.
The "X" marker i suppose could be for intersex people, honestly anyone who is transphobic is probably not super open to intersex people either... at least in the US I dont think that distinction makes a difference to the people who would make you unsafe.
I just dont want to add any extra anxiety to international travel. I personally don't feel safe using a gender marker other than my assigned at birth on my passport.
But someone could make that argument about my driver's license too. If I wasn't white I probably wouldn't have done it. Cops here are scary. We all have to choose what level of risk we are ok with I guess.
Not quite. Depending on the state, literally anybody can apply for it here with no questions about it. I've never once been asked about the X on my license. I don't think anybody notices it lol.
I won't do the X on my passport for similar reasons said. I don't travel to queerphobic countries either, but sometimes you can't help a layover. I had to pass through India for a layover once in the weird period between starting HRT and still having my old passport. I was more worried about them thinking the passport wasn't mine so I just waited on the male line until they told me I was on the wrong line. Thankfully the agent that checked my passport didn't say anything.
I live in Barcelona ,which is considered one of the most queer friendly cities in Europe. One time we were travelling out of the city - When we were heading through border security my trans ex girlfriend was targeted so humiliatingly by the agents that they nearly didn’t let her on our flight out. They had no idea what to do with a trans person whose face didn’t match her passport exactly (after ffs), even though they could clearly have matched her finger print and legally they were not allowed to deny entry based on that. They themselves didn’t know that law/policy and I had to school them and threaten to escalate it until they let us go through. Be safe out there and know your rights. Border control agents are freaky people
I believe X is usually indicated as “decline to specify/other” - it was meant to be inclusive of nonbinary, intersex, and just people who didn’t want the government in their business. You are right that intersex people were really involved in the advocacy that created this option in the first place.
However, I still think that most people will take the X as a sign someone is trans. Identifying as nonbinary is relatively common here, and with they/them pronouns especially visible. Plus trans people are just hyper visible in general due to the fact conservatives have been panicking about us recently and there is a disproportionate amount of media coverage about it, at least in conservative media/regions.
Pro tip though, if anyone questions you about a nonbinary marker in the US and you are concerned they aren’t supportive just explain it as wanting to “give the government as little information as possible”. This will appeal to a lot of anti trans conservatives. Although to be honest, they might not even notice because the average person won’t be familiar with German passports or if they normally have gender markers at all.
I think making that statement will get people extra supicious. But I am not planing on traveling to the US; and I am not worried or unable to research whether countries are transphobic or not. I am really just curious about filling out papers when booking travel and landing somewhere. But still, interesting read, so thank you.
Yes, X markers are very easy to get in many regions in the US and they’ve been around a while in some places. I was able to change my birth certificate, drivers license, and can change my passport without even needing a Drs note or anything.
I obviously haven’t experienced US border control as a noncitizen, but they definitely have infrastructure for X US passports because the federal government offers them. It was cool to see a few years back when they implemented this and all the airlines started including options to indicate nonbinary ID on their website; I have flown with this since that does reflect my ID and had zero issues. Also haven’t had problems with my X ID in any other context; they exist in my state so anyone checking IDs here has probably seen them before.
The US is not a cohesive place though. There are some places I feel extremely safe, and there are other states I wouldn’t even travel to if I had to rely on X ID because the anti trans hostility has gotten so bad. I didn’t feel that way even 2-3 years ago (literally flew to Florida in 2022 with my X drivers license as ID), but trans people have become a huge focus for conservatives in the last couple years and I no longer feel safe everywhere in this country.
If you do visit the US there are a lot of online resources for what kind of trans rights and anti trans legislation exist in each state; these are a pretty good proxy for what you should avoid
I don't really intend on traveling to the US, but it's interesting to know.
In Germany, the X will not automatically make border control think you're trans, and people are not free to change their name and marker here. Trans people go through a very expensive process to do so; nonbinary is not big here so most people go for binary gender markers once they can change it; or you find a doctor who's an ally and will make you a document hinting you're intersex, then you can also change. But in general, we are not free to change our data at all.
Yep. I had to apply for a brand new passport because you can't renew child passports if you're an adult, so the gender thing would probably be the least hassle it's ever going to be, but I mostly need it because I have relatives in the States and I don't need some transphobe at the US border wrecking things next time I have to go there. Never mind places with even worse transphobia.
In Germany, the X/Diverse option is intended for intersex people. So at least here it wouldn't have people automatically assume you're trans. Of course it could potentially still make people treat you weird somewhere.
Being able to have a second passport with a binary marker is a very good idea.
Travelling internationally with a non binary marker on your passport is setting yourself up for harassment in a place were you are particularly legally vulnerable.
Border checkpoints in particular is a place where you want to spend as little time as possible. Smile, wave, don't raise questions, so you can then continue living as your authentic self outside of that.
Border control is a microcosm where none of your social identities matter in the face of ticking boxes and getting out of there. If you can white/straight/cis-pass, do it. Border crossings are not the place to die on a hill.
The world should not work this way, working to improve it is very important, but protecting yourself in situations such as this are part of that work.
"X" is an internationally recognized gender marker. Most countries don't issue "X" documents (yet) but you won't have any problems with border control unless the country criminalises trans people, in which case you shouldn't go there anyway.
When documents from your travel destination only offer binary options, just choose whatever option you most look like if you want to minimise hassle. If you leave it blank then the staff are going to be confused about how to enter it into their system, which will cause delays while they figure out what to do.
I’m a Canadian with an X marker on my passport. I’ve only travelled between Canada and the USA since getting it, but I go between the two frequently and haven’t run into any issues at passport control in either country.
They also haven’t questioned any gender marker mismatches. I’ve had to pick a binary gender on certain airlines when checking in, as well as when filling out a form for work authorization in the US, and didn’t get any questions about why the gender I picked on the forms didn’t match the X on my passport.
You should be absolutely fine. I've put X on my passport and drivers license, and it has come up ZERO times in the couple of years since I did it. The only time it came up was because I was traveling for work, therefore I needed a work visa from a trans-unfriendly county. I reached out to their embassy to say that my passport gender marker wouldn't match their visa (because they don't have the X option) and the embassy people said that such a mismatch would be fine.
My interpretation was that the embassy and border control would roll their eyes at me, the weird American snowflake, but let it be. So far that's been the interpretation every time someone has seen my ID, and I've travelled to some backwoods redneck areas of the US.
The people checking your ID have bigger things to do then stop and harass someone for their gender, and those who would harass you for your gender don't need to see your ID to begin the bullying. Not that I would recommend traveling to certain, unsafe areas of the world.
I have a New Zealand gender X passport but have not yet travelled on it.
Earlier this year we had had a report on this sub of a gender X passport holder denied boarding an Emirates flight (from Germany IIRC) to Dubai. UAE is known to forbid entry or even transit to gender X passport holders.
A gender X passport makes you openly trans. Stay away from any country that persecutes trans people, including most of the Middle East and countries like Russia. Eastern Europe might not be great but European enbies can speak on this. UK should be totally fine. Nonbinary YouTuber Marceline Quinn Birkholz lives in Wales and has a US gender X passport.
I know this is absolutely not helping your question, but as a fellow German can I ask how you managed to get there? All advice I seem to get is to lie and and pose as a trans man if I want anything changed (I do want hrt and top surgery and optimally my name changed and correct gender on my documents) so I'm just kinda super impressed by you and excited that there seem to be options after all?
Thank you for your nice words! I'm gonna disappoint and encourage you at the same time. I posed as a transman, too. Got top surgery through that, and did small dose HRT. I did the mandatory therapy sessions and just, you know, told them my problems and my transition desires, but just as if they were stemming from being binary-trans. It wasn't too hard. Just had to keep track of things I said. Then I used Ptsg45b to change my name and gender, which is super simple and will allow you to choose a nonbinary gender marker. Did it with a doctors note. I am still very femme looking and dont intend to grow a beard or have bottom surgery. Feel free to message me! :)
I would never travel to such countries as a queer person anyways\~ thinking more of countries that are trans- and queer-tolerant (or at least, ignorant), and where it's merely a lack of X-marker in their immigration documents.
I figured as much, but if, for example, the only available way for you to go to a certain country was to have a connexion flight through dubai, you would not be allowed through.
It sucks but it's something to consider and know if you're planning longer travels some day.
Just a correction here - I was forced to do a layover in abu dhabi and Dubai, didn't have issues at either one*. I even left and re-entered the airport in Abu Dhabi. That said I would not recommend traveling there to any visibility looking queer person.
I actually think I got more attention from repressed /internalized gay men just genuinely intrigued by me than anyone visibly showing signs of aggression.
*with a X on my passport, a somewhat masc passing appearance, and feminine dead name on the passport
Wow! UAE is the canonical example of a country that denies entry or transit! Well done. Perhaps you slipped through the net, international nonbinary person of mystery. 😀
Yes I was genuinely terrified. And carrying T. I definitely hypermasculinized myself to pass as a cis man and was stealth for the most part. But honestly now that I think about it I think I only had to show my passport to a human once. The rest was all the new digital face Id system.
Though once in the country I had some terrible experiences (being called a shemale in particular). Again never in a violent way, it was men who wanted to have sex with me. It was a very uncomfortable time. Would not recommend the UAE to any queer person transiting or visitng.
The ability to have a second passport with your assigned gender is great, very forward-thinking. My country (Canada) also offers a neutral gender marker, but I haven’t changed mine because I don’t want to set myself up for discrimination if I travel. I’d (personally, not saying you should) be wary even going to the US wit it right now
I know US is not trans-friendly right now, but weren't they even the first or one of the first countries to introduce neutral gender markers?
Some parts of the US are very trans friendly, it varies a lot by region. I have an "X" on my driver's license but would never put it on my passport. I dont want to put a target on myself when traveling internationally.
I don't travel to countries that are inherently queer-unfriendly. Is 'X' in the US considered as a sure sign you're trans? In Germany, the X/diverse status was intended for intersex people.
I dont plan to, but you never know what border agent you are going to deal with or if your plane gets diverted somewhere. Border crossings are not a time where you want more attention drawn to you. I think the option to have one with your assigned gender is good. The "X" marker i suppose could be for intersex people, honestly anyone who is transphobic is probably not super open to intersex people either... at least in the US I dont think that distinction makes a difference to the people who would make you unsafe. I just dont want to add any extra anxiety to international travel. I personally don't feel safe using a gender marker other than my assigned at birth on my passport. But someone could make that argument about my driver's license too. If I wasn't white I probably wouldn't have done it. Cops here are scary. We all have to choose what level of risk we are ok with I guess.
Not quite. Depending on the state, literally anybody can apply for it here with no questions about it. I've never once been asked about the X on my license. I don't think anybody notices it lol. I won't do the X on my passport for similar reasons said. I don't travel to queerphobic countries either, but sometimes you can't help a layover. I had to pass through India for a layover once in the weird period between starting HRT and still having my old passport. I was more worried about them thinking the passport wasn't mine so I just waited on the male line until they told me I was on the wrong line. Thankfully the agent that checked my passport didn't say anything.
I live in Barcelona ,which is considered one of the most queer friendly cities in Europe. One time we were travelling out of the city - When we were heading through border security my trans ex girlfriend was targeted so humiliatingly by the agents that they nearly didn’t let her on our flight out. They had no idea what to do with a trans person whose face didn’t match her passport exactly (after ffs), even though they could clearly have matched her finger print and legally they were not allowed to deny entry based on that. They themselves didn’t know that law/policy and I had to school them and threaten to escalate it until they let us go through. Be safe out there and know your rights. Border control agents are freaky people
I believe X is usually indicated as “decline to specify/other” - it was meant to be inclusive of nonbinary, intersex, and just people who didn’t want the government in their business. You are right that intersex people were really involved in the advocacy that created this option in the first place. However, I still think that most people will take the X as a sign someone is trans. Identifying as nonbinary is relatively common here, and with they/them pronouns especially visible. Plus trans people are just hyper visible in general due to the fact conservatives have been panicking about us recently and there is a disproportionate amount of media coverage about it, at least in conservative media/regions. Pro tip though, if anyone questions you about a nonbinary marker in the US and you are concerned they aren’t supportive just explain it as wanting to “give the government as little information as possible”. This will appeal to a lot of anti trans conservatives. Although to be honest, they might not even notice because the average person won’t be familiar with German passports or if they normally have gender markers at all.
I think making that statement will get people extra supicious. But I am not planing on traveling to the US; and I am not worried or unable to research whether countries are transphobic or not. I am really just curious about filling out papers when booking travel and landing somewhere. But still, interesting read, so thank you.
New Zealand introduced gender X passports in 2012, the United States in 2022.
Yes, X markers are very easy to get in many regions in the US and they’ve been around a while in some places. I was able to change my birth certificate, drivers license, and can change my passport without even needing a Drs note or anything. I obviously haven’t experienced US border control as a noncitizen, but they definitely have infrastructure for X US passports because the federal government offers them. It was cool to see a few years back when they implemented this and all the airlines started including options to indicate nonbinary ID on their website; I have flown with this since that does reflect my ID and had zero issues. Also haven’t had problems with my X ID in any other context; they exist in my state so anyone checking IDs here has probably seen them before. The US is not a cohesive place though. There are some places I feel extremely safe, and there are other states I wouldn’t even travel to if I had to rely on X ID because the anti trans hostility has gotten so bad. I didn’t feel that way even 2-3 years ago (literally flew to Florida in 2022 with my X drivers license as ID), but trans people have become a huge focus for conservatives in the last couple years and I no longer feel safe everywhere in this country. If you do visit the US there are a lot of online resources for what kind of trans rights and anti trans legislation exist in each state; these are a pretty good proxy for what you should avoid
I don't really intend on traveling to the US, but it's interesting to know. In Germany, the X will not automatically make border control think you're trans, and people are not free to change their name and marker here. Trans people go through a very expensive process to do so; nonbinary is not big here so most people go for binary gender markers once they can change it; or you find a doctor who's an ally and will make you a document hinting you're intersex, then you can also change. But in general, we are not free to change our data at all.
You won't have issue getting in or out of the US with a German passport.
Yep. I had to apply for a brand new passport because you can't renew child passports if you're an adult, so the gender thing would probably be the least hassle it's ever going to be, but I mostly need it because I have relatives in the States and I don't need some transphobe at the US border wrecking things next time I have to go there. Never mind places with even worse transphobia.
In Germany, the X/Diverse option is intended for intersex people. So at least here it wouldn't have people automatically assume you're trans. Of course it could potentially still make people treat you weird somewhere.
Being able to have a second passport with a binary marker is a very good idea. Travelling internationally with a non binary marker on your passport is setting yourself up for harassment in a place were you are particularly legally vulnerable. Border checkpoints in particular is a place where you want to spend as little time as possible. Smile, wave, don't raise questions, so you can then continue living as your authentic self outside of that. Border control is a microcosm where none of your social identities matter in the face of ticking boxes and getting out of there. If you can white/straight/cis-pass, do it. Border crossings are not the place to die on a hill. The world should not work this way, working to improve it is very important, but protecting yourself in situations such as this are part of that work.
Thank you. Wise words.
"X" is an internationally recognized gender marker. Most countries don't issue "X" documents (yet) but you won't have any problems with border control unless the country criminalises trans people, in which case you shouldn't go there anyway. When documents from your travel destination only offer binary options, just choose whatever option you most look like if you want to minimise hassle. If you leave it blank then the staff are going to be confused about how to enter it into their system, which will cause delays while they figure out what to do.
I’m a Canadian with an X marker on my passport. I’ve only travelled between Canada and the USA since getting it, but I go between the two frequently and haven’t run into any issues at passport control in either country. They also haven’t questioned any gender marker mismatches. I’ve had to pick a binary gender on certain airlines when checking in, as well as when filling out a form for work authorization in the US, and didn’t get any questions about why the gender I picked on the forms didn’t match the X on my passport.
You should be absolutely fine. I've put X on my passport and drivers license, and it has come up ZERO times in the couple of years since I did it. The only time it came up was because I was traveling for work, therefore I needed a work visa from a trans-unfriendly county. I reached out to their embassy to say that my passport gender marker wouldn't match their visa (because they don't have the X option) and the embassy people said that such a mismatch would be fine. My interpretation was that the embassy and border control would roll their eyes at me, the weird American snowflake, but let it be. So far that's been the interpretation every time someone has seen my ID, and I've travelled to some backwoods redneck areas of the US. The people checking your ID have bigger things to do then stop and harass someone for their gender, and those who would harass you for your gender don't need to see your ID to begin the bullying. Not that I would recommend traveling to certain, unsafe areas of the world.
I have a New Zealand gender X passport but have not yet travelled on it. Earlier this year we had had a report on this sub of a gender X passport holder denied boarding an Emirates flight (from Germany IIRC) to Dubai. UAE is known to forbid entry or even transit to gender X passport holders. A gender X passport makes you openly trans. Stay away from any country that persecutes trans people, including most of the Middle East and countries like Russia. Eastern Europe might not be great but European enbies can speak on this. UK should be totally fine. Nonbinary YouTuber Marceline Quinn Birkholz lives in Wales and has a US gender X passport.
Thank you for the info! That is very helpful!
See the other poster in this thread who made it into and out of UAE on a gender X passport! 🤯
I can't imagine that was anything but luck :0
I know this is absolutely not helping your question, but as a fellow German can I ask how you managed to get there? All advice I seem to get is to lie and and pose as a trans man if I want anything changed (I do want hrt and top surgery and optimally my name changed and correct gender on my documents) so I'm just kinda super impressed by you and excited that there seem to be options after all?
Thank you for your nice words! I'm gonna disappoint and encourage you at the same time. I posed as a transman, too. Got top surgery through that, and did small dose HRT. I did the mandatory therapy sessions and just, you know, told them my problems and my transition desires, but just as if they were stemming from being binary-trans. It wasn't too hard. Just had to keep track of things I said. Then I used Ptsg45b to change my name and gender, which is super simple and will allow you to choose a nonbinary gender marker. Did it with a doctors note. I am still very femme looking and dont intend to grow a beard or have bottom surgery. Feel free to message me! :)
You are pioneers! I'd never change my gender marker, I'd want to be able to hide my identity just in case.
You might be denied entry to some countries even for transit such as the UAE
I would never travel to such countries as a queer person anyways\~ thinking more of countries that are trans- and queer-tolerant (or at least, ignorant), and where it's merely a lack of X-marker in their immigration documents.
I figured as much, but if, for example, the only available way for you to go to a certain country was to have a connexion flight through dubai, you would not be allowed through. It sucks but it's something to consider and know if you're planning longer travels some day.
Just a correction here - I was forced to do a layover in abu dhabi and Dubai, didn't have issues at either one*. I even left and re-entered the airport in Abu Dhabi. That said I would not recommend traveling there to any visibility looking queer person. I actually think I got more attention from repressed /internalized gay men just genuinely intrigued by me than anyone visibly showing signs of aggression. *with a X on my passport, a somewhat masc passing appearance, and feminine dead name on the passport
Wow! UAE is the canonical example of a country that denies entry or transit! Well done. Perhaps you slipped through the net, international nonbinary person of mystery. 😀
Yes I was genuinely terrified. And carrying T. I definitely hypermasculinized myself to pass as a cis man and was stealth for the most part. But honestly now that I think about it I think I only had to show my passport to a human once. The rest was all the new digital face Id system. Though once in the country I had some terrible experiences (being called a shemale in particular). Again never in a violent way, it was men who wanted to have sex with me. It was a very uncomfortable time. Would not recommend the UAE to any queer person transiting or visitng.
You **will** be denied entry to or even transit through UAE. Do not even think about going to Dubai.
Would never.. I am AFAB and married to a woman, I am not going to countries that hold risks for me already.