HBSOC and freedom to emmigrate

[MaggieB]

This is an issue that came up recently when I was waiting for my letter for HRT. If I go through with the whole process with an endo and have a TS diagnosis in my medical record, do I not have a diagnosed mental illness? Isn't any diagnosis from the DSM a mental illness? Some countries bar immigrants due to having a mental illness. Some will forbid visiting the country by persons with mental illness.  Now that the US and it's allies i.e. Canada are setting up sharing of databases to check such things, what does having a diagnosis of TS mean now? I want to be able to leave the US and live in Canada or some Asian country in a year or so. I would appreciate any feedback on your experience and expectations.

[seldom]

It won't stop you from traveling to Canada or Asia.

I don't know about travel restrictions for mental illness.

Also those travel restrictions often only apply to court intervention regarding mental illness, basically if you were committed by a court or ordered to undergo treatment.  Basically when a court has to intervene with your treatment because you are psychotic.

Those travel restrictions do not apply to mental illnesses which are considered "functional" or "treated" such as depression or in this case gender identity disorder (there is a debate if this even belongs in the DSM, and if its miscategorized in the DSM, some think its a distress not a disorder).

Your freedom to travel is not limited.

If anybody was limited in their travels regarding TS status they would not be flying to Thailand or going to Canada or Mexico for surgery.

I would be careful about some countries(some in Africa and the Middle east), but Asia, the EU, and the Americas you should be able to travel in and out of without a problem. 

[MaggieB]

Thank you, Amy.
Do you know if it will stop the host country from allowing me to relocate there?
I know it would be country specific but say for example Canada, has anyone been denied citizenship based on this?

[seldom]

On being TS.

Oh god no.
Canada is very progressive, well compared to the US anyway.

You should ask Canadians on this board, there are quite a few. 

What may prevent you from taking up residence is other things.  Its best you have a job lined up going into the country, it will make it easier to relocate.

It would also help to learn French.

[MaggieB]

I knew about the other stuff about relocating to Canada. The SO was telling me that I might be marked as undesirable and banned from going to Canada based on the DSM diagnosis. I am waiting for my therapist to write the HRT letter. He says it is a no brainer based on my history but so far he hasn't gotten around to it. The concept of having a mental disorder in my medical record then came up as a reason for me to stop the letter. I thought it was a bit over the top for her to mention but felt that the forum might be the best place to ask.

Thanks for the feedback. I do hope a few Canadians will chime in here. I'd like to have some info to counter this assertion.

[seldom]

The DSM diagnosis will not stop you from relocating to Canada, at least not transsexuality.

Your SO really does not know what she is talking about.
As long as you have an employer and job lined up you should be fine. 

[Dennis]

I used to practice immigration law in Canada. You would not be prevented from travelling here. There is a clause that says that they can refuse residency to someone who has medical issues that would be a burden on the medical system and I have seen them use that against people who are HIV positive, but I've not seen it used against someone transsexual, whether they have or have not had surgeries.

In any event, SRS is only covered in some provinces. The remainder of trans medical needs aren't, except for doctor visits and psychiatric (not therapist) visits, so it'd be a hard argument to make that you'd be a burden on the medical system.

Dennis

[MaggieB]

Thank you, VERY much!