US State Department makes Travel Easier for Pet Parents
Passports, that little blue book we US travelers hold so dear. It holds all those coveted stamps from the countries we have traveled so far with the hope and goal to add so many more!
We use it as our primary, sometimes only Identification of who we are in many countries.
For some travelers it is their primary source of identifying who they are in the countries we travel to, especially when you don’t “go home” often enough to keep a current driver’s license.
Soon, with the help of the US State Department, Pet Travel will have one less obstacle—A Gender-Affirming Correct Identification!
How you apply and renew US Passport will change with this new, and long overdue policy.
A third option will be available. “The department said…it will be updating its procedures to allow applicants to self-select their gender marker for passports and that it “will no longer require medical certification” if an applicant’s self-selected gender marker doesn’t match the sex listed on other official identity documents.” Devan Cole, CNN.
This policy change announced on the final day of Pride Month means that non-binary, intersex, transgender and gender non-conforming persons will be able to self-select a marker other than Male or Female.
The US will join other nations including Canada, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, Nepal, Iceland and Denmark in protecting members of the LGBTI community from discrimination and towards a more gender-affirming policy.
“Today, I am pleased to announce that the Department will be taking further steps toward ensuring the fair treatment of LGBTQI+ U.S. citizens, regardless of their gender or sex, by beginning the process of updating our procedures for the issuance of U.S. Passports and Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBA),”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken
LGBTI advocates applauded the State Department’s move on Wednesday, with a leader at the National Center for Transgender Equality saying that “having accurate passports and consistent ID is critical to daily life.”
“It’s necessary for travel, banking, starting a new job and school. Inaccurate IDs open transgender people up to harassment and discrimination,” Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, the group’s deputy executive director, said in a statement. “Reforming US passports is a common-sense way to improve the lives of transgender people.”
You may be interested in: Guides on How to Get Pet Passports or Import Permits for many countries. We keep updated information on our Pet Passport page
.These changes will promote ease of entry to many countries, deter harassment and is critical for daily life for so many travelers.
One less hassle at the airport is welcome. Pet Travel and importing a pet to a new country can become a logistical dilemma without the added frustration of having to present a passport that does not show your correct, gender-affirming, designation.
This policy change also applies when applying to replace or amend a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA).
Along with 20 states making similar changes to state documents, the path toward gender-affirming policies and reducing discrimination is a step in the right direction.
How Can I Change the Gender Marker on My Passport Now?
To select the gender marker on your passport, see the Selecting your Gender Marker page on the Travel.State.Gov website HERE. If you were born abroad, follow the instructions on how to Replace or Amend a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) to update gender marker.
When will Changes to the Gender Marker on US Passports Happen?
The US State Department anticipates a person may apply to change, renew or apply with their self-selected gender as soon as December 2021.
