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Trans travellers get new passports
http://www.starobserver.com.au/news/2009/03/18/trans-travellers-get-new-passports/4996
The Rudd Government has reinstated gender-neutral identity documents and passports to help transgender people travelling overseas for surgery.
The decision follows an Administrative Appeals Tribunal ruling last year that transgender married couples were entitled to be issued new passports with their correct gender and existing marital status.
The policy review recommended those applications by people who are legally married and in a same-sex relationship should be determined on a case-by-case basis.
“Since the AAT decision, five passports have been issued to married sex- and gender-diverse persons,†the Department of Foreign Affairs stated in response to Senate questions.
A new limited-validity passport will be available to applicants who wish to travel overseas for gender re-assignment surgery.
Transgender people who have not legally changed genders will also be allowed to apply for an internationally-recognised document of identity (DOI) with the gender field left blank.
Applicants who wish to travel overseas for gender reassignment surgery may be eligible for a limited-validity passport in their intended gender.
Gender Centre spokeswoman Katherine Cummings said gender-neutral documentation wasn’t quite good enough because it draws attention to the traveller. She said the Gender Centre was not consulted when the re-introduced documents were first removed under former foreign minister Alexander Downer, nor were they consulted as part of the recent review.“Transgender people deserve the right to show whatever correct gender on the documents they carry,†she said.
“I don’t think anyone should have to travel on documents that draw attention to them, usually adverse attention from people who are not aware of the true situation of transgender.â€The Department advised transgender people using gender-neutral documentation to check with their destination before travelling.
“While no complaints have been received from persons actually encountering problems when travelling on Australian DOIs, the letter and acknowledgement receipt have been amended to advise applicants that they should check with the relevant country’s diplomatic representation prior to departure from Australia, as to whether a DOI will be accepted for entry to and exit from the country concerned.†-
6 Replies
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hi amy i think, i think its a non issue because people travelling 0s to do grs its a one off thing, if the imm officer at the airport ,asks anything ,most people to be happy and proud to say they are here to do grs surgery, after that you can apply to change the gender in you r passport, ..so whats the issue hun?….. i dont see it. regards, sarah, xxx
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Well, I’m glad to see they’re undoing the change to passport policy that was made by the previous government, and giving us back the right to get a temporary passport for that little trip to Thailand for surgery. That’s a start.
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For travel to Thailand, this may be a good idea. You do have to check your destination before you leave. This is the last thing that I would want on my passport if I had to travel in the middle east. Personally I think that the removal of the gender question from the passport application would be a much better move.
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I really do belive that there should be other ways to test gender other than SRS (GRS).
There are a lot of girls out there that do not want or can not get SRS for many reasons. They should be allowed the same right as the ones that can afford and or are able to have SRS.
For one of many examples, is SRS going to be the option for the medium or rich, and the poor just have to miss out, thus having the poor members of our group been stuck as either male or a blank for their future travaling ID.
They must be some way of getting letters from the right amount of profreesional doctors in the gender issues to put forward a case to have your passport changed to female with out SRS.
Just my thoughts.
xxxx
Kelly Jones
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I agree Kelly, full time ts girls should be able to have appropraite travel documents…end of story….those who don’t get that don’t get trans identities. I’m not sure what to do about that as they are so abumdant.
Take care
Gwen -
Quote:..so whats the issue hun?….. i dont see it
I don’t have an issue hon, (why do you assume I do?) I just posted it on here in case people missed it in the news, that’s all
Amy
xx
