I've looked for information on how to change the name and gender on my passport and haven't been able to find much consistent.  What do I need to do if:

1)My US passport isn't expired, so I can't just get a new one
2)I have to change both the name and the gender on the passport

I've already changed my gender marker on my birth certificate and I have a surgeon's letter.  Which government forms do I need to fill out, precisely, for both name and gender to be changed?  Do I need to go to the office in person, or can I do this via mail?

Scared of bureaucratic pit traps,
Xren

An adult's passport is good for 10 years, and you can renew by mail if it was issued within the last 15 years. Since it is not expired, you absolutely should be able to renew by mail.  (I did this for my wife, including name and gender change on the same application, and it worked fine.)

You CAN apply for a new, amended passport any time there is a legal change of status, regardless of whether it is expired yet.  You'll likely have to pay the full fees for a new passport, but that's the only "catch" to replacing an un-expired one. You will need both a court order for the name change and a letter from a physician stating that you have undergone medical treatment for transition in order to get the gender marker changed. If you want it to be the full ten-year passport, your doctor's letter MUST state that your transition is "complete." You should not need the surgeon's letter, as GRS is no longer required for a passport gender change and hasn't been for a couple years, but if you have any qualms about the basic doctor's letter I'm sure including a copy of the surgeon's statement wouldn't *hurt.*

Name change :

http://travel.state.gov/passport/correcting/ChangeName/ChangeName_851.html

list of standard ID requirements :

http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/ds82/ds82_843.html


Application Form :
http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/ds82/ds82_843.html


Letter requirements and a template :

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_5100.html

Quote from: blueconstancy on January 26, 2013, 12:43:26 PM
You will need both a court order for the name change and a letter from a physician

If you didn't change your name through the courts, then you do not need a court order, but you have to document the name change in various ways that are a real pain, and you have to submit your materials in person, either to a passport office or some kind of receiving facility, such as a designated post office. Very few people do common usage name changes these days because of all the post-9/11 changes, so I doubt that you are in that situation, Xren.

I dropped off my stuff at a designated post office. I had to make an appointment, but it was a quick drive, and I didn't have to pay for an expensive delivery option (not that I had that choice, since I did common usage). My new passport and my application materials (various original documents) were returned several weeks later--all except my doctor's letter, which was an original. I wrote to the State Dept. and informed them of the oversight, and they returned the letter right away.

They really have made it pretty easy now, I think. But sorting through the paperwork and requirements is intimidating.

Arch - True, and thank you for clarifying something I'd forgotten to add. I don't know how common it is to do a name change without a court order, but doing it WITH the notarized court document was enough of a pain in the butt that I admire anyone who attempts it without.

blueconstancy and Arch--thank you very much.  The prerequisites and forms are really unclear about the more nitpicky stuff.  Fortunately I've got a court order for the name change and a "completed transition" letter from a doctor who was also the surgeon.  Huge relief that it can be done by mail and spare the possible humiliation conga of awkward stares from people in my hometown...anyways.

I also have a question about the photo that goes with the form.  Walgreen's is where I went to get it taken, they say on their website that they do passport photos, but it looks a little grainy.  Are the passport agency people going to pull some finicky thing based on that?  Where is the best place to get good passport photos taken with minimal hassle about being trans?

Also, on the bottom of the form it asks about travel plans.  If I don't have any travel plans, do I just make up something plausible and innocuous?

We got our pictures done at AAA. I would assume that anywhere which advertises passport photos must *take* acceptable photos, but I don't know for sure. As for the travel plans, I just filled in "none" and got no hassle for either of us. Technically we were doing it at that precise moment so as to get her to Montreal/Brassard, but I wasn't going to say THAT!

It sounds like you should be able to submit everything you have and be just fine. Do make sure you compare the surgeon's letter with the template, though - it requires a bunch of not necessarily obvious stuff, like the doctor's DEA number, and if you're missing anything they'll send it back and say to try again.

Ha, I was about to suggest AAA. They're great if you're already a member. I got my last photo taken at a mail receiving place--most private mailbox companies take passport photos. So Postal Annex, UPS Store, places like that.

I don't know whether the State Dept. would give you a hard time about the photo. If you think it's way too grainy, you might take it back to Walgreen's, along with the receipt, and ask them if they usually take such grainy pics. How does it compare with your current pic?

Blueconstancy is right on target about the letter. I got my first letter before the State Department published specific guidelines, so it didn't have the right information. In fact, it wasn't even the right kind of doctor, since the State Department doesn't include surgeons in the list of acceptable physicians. I was assembling my materials right when the new guidelines were published. So I had to start all over again and go to my GP. But it all worked out in the end.

A lot of people change or update passports without having any travel plans. I put down "none" for that myself.

You might actually prefer to submit your materials in person. If you think you might need particular documents but you aren't sure, bring 'em anyway. The people there can tell you whether you have filled everything out properly and submitted all the right stuff. But if you follow the directions to the letter, you ought to be okay. Maybe have a smart friend look everything over.