Transitioning and the Border

[Guest ValerieD]

I have one or two trips to Canada this summer and I'm curious how transitioning affects crossing the border (by land) since I'll be going full time in a week and a half. I don't know when my name change will go through so there's the possibility of crossing without any documentation updated (especially since getting all documentation updated is going to take a long time, since some things have to be done sequentially) or missing a trip. Also, I was thinking about upgrading my driver's licence to an enhanced one and not updating the passport as the state department will only issue provisional two year ones and it would be expensive and a hassle to have to update it every other year! Would that be an issue?

[Guest Donna Jean]

.

I don't even want to address all the questions you've asked...

Just.....You know that you need a passport to go to Canada now, eh?..

Huggs

Dee Jay

[Guest ValerieD]

I've read that an enhanced DL works for land crossings (note: only a few states have these, and all have land borders with either Canada or Mexico), which is all I've ever used.

I do plan on contacting customs for both countries in any case, but I was wondering if anyone here had experience.

[Guest amanda_s]

Hi donnajean "EH" LOL don't forget to pack for snow its cold up here and be nice to the polar bears

Amanda

[Guest Donna Jean]

.

I was just kidding...I used to live in Ohio and could be in Canada over the "Peace Bridge" in a couple of hours...

Not that way anymore..,,

Dee Jay

[Guest ValerieD]

Depends on the crossing and time of day/year. The last time I was in Canada I crossed at the Ogdensburg-Prescott bridge and it wasn't long, though it was outside of tourist season and all the crossings in northern NY with the exception of the Thousand Islands Bridge and I-87/A-15 are pretty minor.

It gets pretty cold in Potsdam too! I guess that's what happens when a place is within a half hour of the border.

[Drea]

I don't know what that "two year provisional" thing is about on the passport that you mention. As far as gender markers go a full passport is now possible.

If you have a passport, that is the best bet. Whatever your legal name is, that is what your gonna have to travel accross the border under.

I did overseas travel mid transition with passport photo that looked absolutely nothing like me. Got some triple takes but it worked. Those were pre 9/11 days however and things have gotten more stringent.

Best bet is to be up front, have documentation to cover yourself. You try pulling something sneaky and they pick up on it, it will be much worse.

[Guest KarenLyn]

I've been across the border several times and they didn't even blink at the mismatched gender markers. I had plenty of time so went with the passport instead of the enhanced drivers license.

Karen

[MackenzieB]

I don't know what that "two year provisional" thing is about on the passport that you mention. As far as gender markers go a full passport is now possible.

If you have a passport, that is the best bet. Whatever your legal name is, that is what your gonna have to travel accross the border under.

I did overseas travel mid transition with passport photo that looked absolutely nothing like me. Got some triple takes but it worked. Those were pre 9/11 days however and things have gotten more stringent.

Best bet is to be up front, have documentation to cover yourself. You try pulling something sneaky and they pick up on it, it will be much worse.

"In June 2010, the State Department announced a new policy to issue passports in a person’s current gender when either a previous passport or other personal documentation presented by an applicant reflects a different gender. Under the new policy, a transgender person can obtain a passport reflecting his or her current gender by submitting a certification from a physician confirming that he or she has had appropriate clinical treatment for gender transition.

Under the new policy, you can obtain a passport with an updated gender if you have had clinical treatment determined by your doctor to be appropriate in your case to facilitate gender transition. It does not matter whether or not you have previously obtained a passport listing another gender. If you are just beginning transition and need to travel abroad, you can obtain a two-year provisional passport. (The State Department calls it “limited validity” though it has all the force of a regular passport but is only good for two years.) Once your doctor and you believe you have had clinical treatment appropriate in your case, you can obtain a full, regular passport."

(Per TS Roadmap. I didn't check the State Department's site.)