Passport problems

[sam1234]

I guess this is more of a vent.
In May of this year, I had my birth certificate changed to reflect my current name and gender. I had to jump through some hoops, but nothing outrageous. Two weeks ago, I applied for a passport. I filled out the application, brought all the appropriate forms, including name change documents, (I thought about not putting down that I had used another name, but you don't lie on government documents). The person who took the information and documents looked at it carefully and said I had all the right documents.

Today I got a letter saying that I didn't have the right name change documents and had to prove I was now male. Mind you, all that information was already in the package and there aren't any documents past middle school with the old name and gender. I called the passport agency, started out polite, but by the end was raising my voice. 26 years ago, I had my name and gender changed on my ss card, driver's licence, etc. etc.

Maybe I'm over sensitive, but how can they say that I'm not who I am when they have been taking my taxes for the past quarter of a century. I even got selective service notices until I was too old for a draft should one occur. Since I'm just a figment of their imagination, they owe me thousands in taxes. It takes a lot to get me to raise my voice on the phone because generally, politeness works better. I tried that for  the first twenty minutes and then had had enough. I didn't swear at her, but told her I was sick of jumping through hoops and being asked for documents they have already. She is going to have another person call. It feels like persecution. They have my sealed birth certificate. My name change documents were good enough for vital records and to get them to change my birth certificate. I don't know how they can say I haven't submitted proof of identity.

Anyway, I'm royally pissed off.

sam1234

[FTMax]

I actually had a terrible time speaking to the passport customer service people on the phone. I spoke with 3 of them to make sure I had the right documents when I filed for mine.

Did you get your birth certificate re-issued in the correct name and gender, or amended to reflect the change? If it was amended, I could see them asking for the gender marker change letter that you used to update that. I believe I posted it the template on another thread here. It's very straightforward and your doctor can sign off on it.

I know it's frustrating dealing with them, and it absolutely is a lot of jumping through hoops. But as often as identities are stolen nowadays, I'd rather have them be safe than sorry. When I went in, I took:

- Passport application
- Driver's license w/ a photocopy
- 2 pictures
- Original birth certificate
- Court order for name change
- Letter from SSA saying my name and gender were updated with them
- Old passport
- Letter from my doctor saying she had treated me for gender transition
- Letter from my surgeon saying that she had completed FTM gender transition surgery

I don't remember if they actually needed all of those things, but that was what I took and it all worked out just fine. When someone calls you back, ask what it is exactly that they need in order to make it happen. They've improved the procedures a lot for trans folks, but the staff don't seem to encounter it frequently enough to always know what to do.

[cindianna_jones]

I received a passport as the old me back in 1983? Somewhere in that timeframe. Then I had my name and identity changed in 1985.

Just this past year, I thought I'd make a trip to the Pacific Rim for personal reasons. I applied for a passport. I took in my amended birth certificate (from Utah) to apply for a passport. I used my driver's license as a secondary form of ID. When the assisting agent asked why my surname on my birth certificate did not match that of my parents, I told the lady: "It is protected information." She was good with that. I had no issues at all but it did take a couple of months for the passport to come back. I'm sure they looked into all the dark corners. I didn't even think to take in my original name change papers and letter of surgery that I still keep somewhere.

I ended up not traveling but I have a passport.

Cindi

[sam1234]

I had my birth certificate amended by the director of vital records. I sent the originals of my name changes, a notorized letter from my Dr. that I had the proper accepted treatment for gender dysphoria as well as the paper given to my parents with the surname of my biological parents. I spent time with him both on the phone and via e-mail to make sure he had everything and to answer any questions he had. All the documents I sent him were sent back along with a notorized copy of my new birth certificate with my present name and gender on it.

When I went for my passport, I first called the post office and inquired as to what I would need. When I got there, I filled out the form and included the original name change documents, notorized birth certificate etc. He looked everything over and said it was all I needed. What gets me is that the documents with the name change were the same as the ones I used to get my birth certificate. Now the passport people have the documents along with all my other forms of ID and other things that were necessary to get a passport. I kept everything and I mean EVERUTHING from the name changes and gender changes including notes from the surgeons who did the surgery, notes from the psychologist and also the psychologist in Baltimore who gave me the MPPI exam as well as the other tests and a copy of the report that was sent to my therapist. I even kept the selective service notices, receipts from surgeons etc.
Honestly I feel a little persecuted  and I'm not a paranoid person.

sam1234

[cindianna_jones]

I never surrender my important documents. They are free to make a copy if they need a copy. But they never get the originals. I needed an original for something ten years back. I ordered one specifically for that purpose.

Cindi

[sam1234]

Because I was adopted, all the certificate on it was gender and my biological parent's surname. Copies of documents were not an option, and I too spent quite a bit of back and forth with vital records on phone and e-mail. I also requested that they send every last bit of info. back. I had to get a letter from my current Dr. that was notiorized, which I did.

Once I had my birth certificate changed and had all the information back, I asked the post office what I needed, and brought extra documents as well just in case. They checked it and said they had to send originals, which I wasn't that comfortable with, but if it was the only way to get my passport, then there wasn't much choice.

After it was rejected and I had gone through both customer service and the supervisor at the passport office saying that my documents were not originals, I e-mailed the man at vital records to make sure they had sent my information back. The next day I had an e-mail stating that they had gone through and checked and had sent my original name change documents returned.

I had copies of the originals as well and I brought those to the post office with the rest of my documents. They man at the passport application desk said he didn't need those and picked out the correct originals. Since the originals went to vital records and were verified there, sent back and were verified at the post office as originals, someone is either screwed up and lost them or made a mistake. Talking to the passport center does no good as they just keep saying they didn't receive them. I saw the guy at the post office paperclip all the documents and put them in an envelop so I know they went. I find it hard to believe that the passport office got everything else but the documents.

I still have the letter from my GP stating that I went through the necessary steps of transition, so that isn't hard to send the passport office, but getting documents of my name changes is a different matter. Ever try to find something done in the courts a quarter century ago? That is going to take a long time if they are even willing to come up with more "originals". I'm just unbelievably frustrated and angry about all the hoops they have me jumping through just for telling the truth. I won't swear to it, but I don't think there was anything on my birth certificate that said it was amended. My guess is it came from the names.

anyway, I appreciate you listening to my ranting. Thanks.

sam1234