Mastodawn

Kyanite Nov 7, 2024

Note to USA folks, ❗trans folks especially❗.

A passport is:
- Fundamentally useful
- A federal ID
- Recognized in most state/local level contexts
- *You can change your gender marker on it through pure self ID, with nothing medical required*. "X" is an option. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/selecting-your-gender-marker.html
- Normally 4-6 weeks to process (faster if u pay extra); that means if you apply for one this week, you easily get it before Jan 20.
- Lasts 10 years

Perhaps apply for one (or renew it, to reset yr 10 years) soon.

Selecting your Gender Marker

Information about how to select a new gender marker on your U.S. passport.

mcc Nov 6, 2024

One other thing. There are two forms of passport, a "passport" and "passport card". The passport is normally what you want. But the "card" is interesting because (1) it's cheaper; you can get it for as little as $30 (2) it looks like an ID and fits in a wallet. The downside is the "card" only works in North America and parts of the Caribbean (and is unusable with air travel). If you're willing to pay more, you can get both (but if so, be sure not to lose either— you'll need both at renewal time)

mcc Nov 6, 2024

The reason I say all this is that after Jan 20, there is no guarantee whether any of the old procedures will change, or how fast. What I know is that Trump ran on a campaign of unmitigated hatred of trans people and last time he was President, there were reports of fucking with passport gender changes:

https://www.axios.com/2018/07/28/trans-women-passport-issue-state-department-trump

I never heard how this incident turned out.

Possibly nothing will change. But if you get an passport for unnecessary reasons, hey, at least now you have a passport.

Report: State Department retroactively revoking passports from transgender women

Officials are requiring documentation of surgery.

Axios

mcc Nov 6, 2024

Realizing I should also mention.

You *can* also change your gender on file with Social Security—again currently this is via self ID, no med documentation: https://www.ssa.gov/personal-record/change-sex-identification

There aren't specific advantages to this. But I recommend *whatever document you use to verify citizenship when applying for a job, have that gender marker match your SSA gender*. You *can* use a passport to verify right-to-work; so if you plan to do this, change your SSA gender too (it's easier/faster than passport).

Change sex identification

Update the sex identification on your Social Security record.

Social Security

Itamar Turner-Trauring Nov 6, 2024

@mcc Also worth noting that the voter ID bill that Trump was pushing would require many voters to get a passport in order to vote.

https://missouriindependent.com/2024/07/10/u-s-house-passes-bill-requiring-proof-of-citizenship-to-vote-in-federal-races/

U.S. House passes bill requiring proof of citizenship to vote in federal races • Missouri Independent

WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Wednesday that would require individuals registering to vote to provide proof of citizenship to participate in federal elections. The legislation, passed 221-198, would also require states to check their voter rolls for registered noncitizens. The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or SAVE, is intended to prevent […]

Missouri Independent

Jen, MPH has moved see bio Nov 6, 2024

@mcc if getting a passport is now important to you, I would get both a passport and a passport card! A passport card is easier to carry on your person, like a drivers license. Especially for those who are POC, this may become relevant.

Andreas K Nov 6, 2024

@tweetsjen @mcc
It is also an implicit proof of citizenship.

A driving licence is not, as it's issued to any resident who takes the test.

Matthew Miller Nov 6, 2024

@yacc143 @tweetsjen @mcc

A passport is an _explicit_ proof of citizenship. (In the US at least, even an expired one.)

Andreas K Nov 6, 2024

@mattdm @tweetsjen @mcc

Not necessary. I get a passport, claim I lost it, then I lose the citizenship, in whatever way, then I still have that passport in my hands that fraudulently proves a citizenship that does not exist.

But implicitly, if you wave around a passport, you should have a legal assumption that you are a citizen till proven otherwise. Like some documents showing your denaturalization after it was issued.

Jen, MPH has moved see bio Nov 6, 2024

@yacc143 losing citizenship is not exactly common or something that authorities would consider by default at present time. Currently, a passport or passport card functions as explicit proof of citizenship in the US. Drivers licenses do not, which is why I recommend getting a passport card. I didn’t realize that part possibly needed clarification.

Andreas K Nov 6, 2024

@tweetsjen @mattdm @mcc
Ah, you missed the ramblings of the new Strongman of the USA, and considering that he'll be having the support of the full Congress and SCOTUS, his fever dreams of "Citizen is who I say that citizen is" (no that's not an Adolf quote, that's a paraphrase of Lueger's quote about Jews, a generation or so earlier of antisemite here around.)

Jen, MPH has moved see bio Nov 6, 2024

@yacc143 I probably missed some of them, but it’s also why I said currently. Part of Trump’s immigration policy seems to be to make the US such a shithole country that it will be undesirable to immigrants.

Matthew Miller Nov 6, 2024

@yacc143 @tweetsjen @mcc

Explicit doesn't mean infallible. A US passport is explicit documentation of US citizenship.

mcc Nov 6, 2024

@yacc143 @mattdm @tweetsjen I'm not sure I understand what is being proposed in this last post but I think I recommend against it. Note there is a method for renouncing US citizenship, but it I hear it is somewhat expensive.

Andreas K Nov 6, 2024

@mcc @mattdm @tweetsjen No my point was, it's quite possible, at least in theory to have a passport for a citizenship that one does not have anymore. Because authorities cannot collect a passport from you if you claim to have lost it.

That why having a passport from country X is not a 100% proof.

(Plus in the past at least, some countries issued passports, marked as such, to foreigner, literally called “foreigners passports” as ID documents.)

Matthew Miller Nov 6, 2024

@yacc143 @mcc @tweetsjen

I don't really want to argue about the meaning of words today.

Badtux the Snarky Penguin Nov 6, 2024

@yacc143 @tweetsjen @mcc A RealId driver's license is issued only to people who are either a) citizens, or b) authorized to be in America (green card or etc.). But yes, a passport card is explicit: you are a citizen.

Andreas K Nov 6, 2024

@badtux @tweetsjen @mcc Ah, but the non-citizen statuses are way easier to lose, if memory serves, even a green card is automatically gone if you stay 12 months outside the USA.

@tweetsjen @mcc get both because you'll not be able to cross every border with just one.

Ideally get more than one!

Jen, MPH has moved see bio Nov 7, 2024

@kkarhan right, I’m saying to get both the book and the card. However, if you need to only pick one then get the passport book - the book is accepted for crossing any international border.

The passport card is limited with regards to the borders it is accepted at. But, it is still useful to have as an extra form of ID that proves citizenship and is easier to carry because it fits in your wallet (drivers license sized).

@tweetsjen @mcc OFC the full passport is better.

If one can afford it I'd recommend to get at least two of each to have one as backup (cite: "conflicting visas" as reason to get more than one)...

Jen, MPH has moved see bio Nov 7, 2024

@kkarhan just wanted to clarify for anyone reading along that you only need the book if you have to pick one. The State Dept website can be confusing!

I’m unsure if you are saying to get more than one of each version? In case anyone reads it as such, it would not be advisable to do that.

owls Nov 6, 2024

@mcc dunno if it’s different for new vs renewal

but I renewed recently and was in my hands exactly two weeks later. a regular renewal, no expedite fee.

they’re zooming right now. maybe this info helps someone.

Xerz 💗Nov 6, 2024

@mcc just curious: do you know if the new administration could just say passports with X (or from trans people in general) are invalid and must be renewed with the letter on the (original) birth certificate?

mcc Nov 6, 2024

@xerz I didn't talk about this in the thread because (1) I don't and probably can't know and (2) limited space. But

I would be legitimately concerned about this were I considering getting a X passport. I would also be concerned that a local or state institution might not know what to do with the X or might not believe it is real. Moreover, the Social Security administration never added an X option, and now maybe it never will; I don't know the implications of that.

I can't tell you what to do.

mcc Nov 6, 2024

@xerz (That last note is to say: Gender self ID is *also* available for social security cards. But I didn't mention this above because based on Bush era precedent I would not suggest allowing your social security gender marker to differ from your state level identification. Maybe it's a good idea. I wouldn't suggest it.)

Simon Zerafa Nov 6, 2024

Absolutely a good idea.

What does a US Passport cost to obtain? 🤔

mcc Nov 6, 2024

@simonzerafa $130 USD.

From your profile it seems you are asking out of curiosity only, so I won't bother sending the link with the details. It is easy to find on google tho.

Richard W. Woodley ELBOWS UP 🇨🇦🌹🚴‍♂️📷 🗺️Nov 6, 2024

*You can change your gender marker on it through pure self ID, with nothing medical required*. "X" is an option. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel

Suggest folks do that before Inauguration Day

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mcc Nov 6, 2024

@the5thColumnist My suggestion is inauguration day minus six weeks. Probably there is more slack than that but that is my recommendation.

Julian ♪🌻🥥🌴♫Nov 6, 2024

@mcc So here's the thing, I never applied for a US passport because, well, I'm living in Germany and I don't have any imminent travel plans. Also, I don't know where my birth certificate is that proves I'm a dual citizen (thanks, mom). Should I rush to get one now?

If anything, this election is keeping me from wanting to go to the US...

tova Nov 6, 2024

@TFFPrisoner @mcc you can request new copies of your birth certificate. they usually cost a little money but it's a pretty simple process

Keenan Nov 6, 2024

@mcc received my passport with X gender marker a few months ago and now considering filing for a “corrected” one with an M, just in case.

Joseph Shoer Nov 6, 2024

@mcc At least for now, passport renewals can be done fully online, too. I got my new one 10 days after submitting.

Doodles Nov 6, 2024

@mcc So glad I renewed mine last year.

Michael T Babcock Nov 6, 2024

@mcc I was a little shocked actually when I saw a recent statistic on how few Americans have passports.

@mikebabcock @mcc

We usually don't need them, because the US is so big and vast and varied that we can travel to a million unique things without ever leaving the country.

@mcc I looked into this. You can only renew online if yours was issued between 2009 and 2015. If you got yours later (like I did), you'll have to do it by mail, which requires that you mail in your existing passport, leaving you stuck in the country for a bit.

I am concerned the new administration is going to use those X markers to "root out subversives." We're in survival mode right now. Maybe don't give them an easy way to find you.

mcc Nov 7, 2024

@lockelyfox I think there are several practical and procedural issues around the "X" passports that, were I nonbinary, I would be concerned about. I'd want to think out which places or countries might doubt the document because of it.

I think that avoiding interacting with the government because of the paper trail making you stand out is not … that specific thinking can mislead you quick. If government services are denied to you because of who/what you are that's living in fascism already.

cathos Nov 7, 2024

@mcc some states (like Colorado) will allow you to update gender markers (and possibly other fields) on a birth certificate as long as you have a passport that matches what you want to change it to.

TSchmittner Nov 7, 2024

@mcc If you want to travel to Europe, please make sure that the passport is signed.

SabrinaDent Nov 7, 2024

@mcc I mean, for now.

mcc Nov 7, 2024

@sabrinadent My theory is that a passport obtained now will remain good for ten years even if it would have been impossible to obtain eight months later.

SabrinaDent Nov 7, 2024

@mcc Or 10 years later :(