Traveling Outside of US

[Karen_A]

I am a long time post-op with Birth Certificate changed, and all other IDs changed over 25 years ago. Right after the last election I got my first passport and of course it says female.

I am thinking about vacationing in Canada next year. Unlike in the past one needs a passport to go between the US and Canada these days (years ago driver's license was sufficient) ... But IIRC I heard MTFs with F passports can have them confiscated and when replaces will say male (The government SS database does keep records of all changes made- including sex marker so they do "know")

Is that happening a lot, or has it just been isolated incidents with those of high visibility?

Things,
- Karen

[Lori Dee]

I am a long time post-op with Birth Certificate changed, and all other IDs changed over 25 years ago. Right after the last election I got my first passport and of course it says female.

I am thinking about vacationing in Canada next year. Unlike in the past one needs a passport to go between the US and Canada these days (years ago driver's license was sufficient) ... But IIRC I heard MTFs with F passports can have them confiscated and when replaces will say male (The government SS database does keep records of all changes made- including sex marker so they do "know")

Is that happening a lot, or has it just been isolated incidents with those of high visibility?

Things,
- Karen

Someone with experience can answer better than I, but the biggest issue was with people carrying passports with X gender markers. To my knowledge, M and F have not had issues. Scrub your phone in case they feel they need to look through it, just in case.

I would think that your records are old enough that only the recent digital records would show your current status. I believe that records older than 10 or 20 years get archived. They are mostly interested in recent data, so my guess is you would be ok.

Hopefully, someone here has recent experience with this.

[Maid Marion]

Seems to me they are after easy targets.
Anyone who has worked with digital information knows how easily stuff becomes hard to find.
Something as simple as a new content management system can firewall old data.

[KathyLauren]

I am a long time post-op with Birth Certificate changed, and all other IDs changed over 25 years ago. Right after the last election I got my first passport and of course it says female.

I am thinking about vacationing in Canada next year. Unlike in the past one needs a passport to go between the US and Canada these days (years ago driver's license was sufficient) ... But IIRC I heard MTFs with F passports can have them confiscated and when replaces will say male (The government SS database does keep records of all changes made- including sex marker so they do "know")

Is that happening a lot, or has it just been isolated incidents with those of high visibility?

Things,
- Karen

I have no direct experience, just what I have heard.  It seems to depend on the individual Customs agent.  If they do not suspect that you are trans, your passport having an F to match your presentation will probably be accepted.  It is probably only the rabid nutters who want to create the extra paperwork who are a problem.

If you get one of the nutters, and if they choose to dig deep into the database, and if the database has your old information, confirming that you are trans, then you could be in trouble.  A trans person with a correct (i.e. updated) passport is officially considered to be committing fraud.  They could arrest or kidnap you.

We would love to have you come visit our beautiful country.  You would have no trouble entering Canada.  But getting back home could be a problem.  Please look out for your own safety.

[Karen_A]

If you get one of the nutters, and if they choose to dig deep into the database, and if the database has your old information, confirming that you are trans, then you could be in trouble.  A trans person with a correct (i.e. updated) passport is officially considered to be committing fraud.  They could arrest or kidnap you.

I don't pass all the time, but do some of the time.
That said, I have not heard of that happening.

In any case my drivers license, birth certificate say female and I believe so does the social security database now... (That got changed in 1997 IIRC)

Given all the government issued records and being post-op and having followed all the rules in effect at the time, I think the worst that could happen would be confiscation of my passport... but I hope that does not happen!

- Karen