Transition
Documentation
May 2003
Robyn Walters
secretary@ntac.org
So Youre in Transition
For the MTF: What & When?
Old
Gender/Old Name
TS
Diagnosis Letter
I have diagnosed Suzie Q as a transsexual
Name
Change
The court changes John
Does name to Suzie Q
Get female drivers
license
HRT
Letter
I recommend Suzie Q for
estrogen therapy
Change Social Security
Records (Disallowed as of
October 2002)
Real
Life Experience
Change work and
financial records
I recommend Suzie Q for
SRS
SRS/New
Gender
I have performed sex
reassignment surgery on Suzie Q
Change the rest of
your documentation, including
Legal Name Change (Washington)
Obtain Petition for Name
Change from District Court Clerk
Obtain a court date
(process varies by court; ask Court Clerk)
Appear before Judge in
open court
After Court Clerk types
petition
Answer pro forma
questions under oath
Request not made for
illegal or fraudulent reasons
Judge signs petition
Pay clerk for court and
auditor fees and several certified copies of the name change and pay for the
County Auditor to record the change
$41 Filing + DRC fees +
$6 per certified copy
$20 Auditors fee
Can then change name
on Washington birth certificate if born there
Department of Health
Center for Vital Statistics
1112
SE Quince Street
Olympia, WA 98504-7814
Legal Name Change (British Columbia)
Obtain
name change from provincial Department of Vital Statistics.
Place
a classified ad in the local newspaper announcing the proposed name change for
1 day.
Papers
have a standard format.
Cost
is about 35.00 Canadian dollars.
Send
part of the Vital Statistics form to the B.C. Government Newspaper Publication.
Cost
is about 47.00 Can.
Clip
a copy of the 2 newspaper ads with the application form to the Department of
Vital Statistics.
By
mail or to the local Government Agent.
Cost
is about 124.00 Can.
The
Department of Vital Statistics mails a
"Certificate of Legal Name Change."
Drivers License
Washington
ό
Send letter requesting
name and gender change with
v
Certified copy of name
change court order and
v
Counselors TS diagnosis
letter
To:
Department of Licensing
PO Box 9030
Olympia, WA 98507-9030
Att: Ms. Denise Movius
v
For Help: Ms. Kristin Partain
(360)
902-3850 Voice
(360)
586.8351 Fax
kpartain@dol.wa.gov
ό
Take
authorization letter and $2 to local licensing office
California
(2001)
ό
Submit DMV Form DL 328, Change of Name and Gender,
with input by licensed California
Physician and $12 for Temporary License in new name and gender.
v
Permanent License will
not be issued until name on DMV and Social Security records match. The
sex flag is not compared.
v
For Help: Sally Walker at DMV
(916) 657-4484
ό
Change name with Social
Security.
v
Bring old Social Security
card, proof of old and new identities, & temporary drivers license
ό
With name match, DMV will
issue Permanent License
Oregon
DMV requires:
ό
An original or certified copy of the court order for your
name change.
ό
An
original letter from your SRS surgeon (or an original court order for the
change of sex designation, or
ό
(Pre-op) A letter from a qualified therapist stating
the applicant is living full-time as the desired gender as part of gender
reassignment therapy). Some offices tend to
be more trouble than others.
Reference: CHANGE OF SEX Policy as of
06-01-00 Chapter 18-05
Social Security
Now a 2-step process
Name change (preop)
Gender change (postop
only)
Visit or send
letter/Form SS-5 to a local office requesting a new Social Security Card to
reflect new name and gender (only after SRS), enclosing
Current Social Security
Card
Documentation that shows
your old name and your new name; e.g.,
a certified (not notarized) copy of court order changing name
Notarized letter from
your surgeon stating that you have undergone SRS. (This more restrictive requirement was initiated in October
2002.)
Your Social Security
number remains the same
Call 1 (800) 772-1213
for the nearest SSA office, or look in phone book under Federal Government
<www.ssa.gov>
Work and Financial Records
Real Life Experience:
living and working in your new gender.
Change company records to
new name to match Social Security
Cannot change gender
until postop
If a government
contractor or employee, update (Industrial) Security Clearance: Show company
security officer
Certified copy court
order for name change
TS diagnosis letter
Change name on bank
accounts
Show certified copy of
court order for name change
Change name on mutual
funds, brokerage accounts, etc.
By letter with guaranteed
signature (not notarized) of both old and new names
Susan Z. Que formerly
known as John Doe
Post-SRS: Birth Certificate
New or Amended Birth
Certificate
Details by state and
Canadian province, including drivers license changes, can be found at
Kindred Spirits:
<http://www.kindredspiritlakeside.homestead.com/BirthRecord.html> *
In general, one needs to
send
Certified copy of the
name change court order
Certified copy of the
gender change court order (only in some states)
Original or certified
copy of the surgeons SRS letter
Some amount of money
Idaho, Ohio, and
Tennessee do NOT change or amend birth certificates.
* With thanks to DaleLynn Sims
KEEP THE OLD CERTIFICATE
for an audit trail should your survivors need it
US Passport
Find
directions & rates and download forms from
<http://travel.state.gov/passport_services.html>
To
modify/renew an old passport:
Fill
out form in new name and gender and include
Old
passport
New
passport photos
Certified
court order for name change
Surgeons
SRS letter
Payment
For
first-time passport:
Fill
out form in new name and gender and include
New
birth certificate
New
passport photos
Payment
Preops: 1-year temporary passport based on surgery
date letter from surgeon
What Else?
Department
of Veteran Affairs
Regional
and local hospital/clinic will change name based on court order and change
gender based on SRS letter
Department
of Defense (Military Retirees)
Change
name for ID card, DEERS, & pay based on court order
Gender
change.
Petition
for change of records based on SRS letter
Board
orders a Statement of Service but cannot change DD-214
Must
change Pay Records as well as DEERS.
Will need Help Desk override if marriage is now same sex
Federal
Aviation Agency
Change
pilots license and aviation medical name based on court order
Change
aviation medical and license gender based on SRS letter and surgical records,
therapists records, and psychiatric evaluation
Important: The Audit Trail
When you or your spouse
die, there may be questions about the legality of your marriage for insurance
or Social Security benefits.
Recommendation: Seal
a set of dated documents that can trace you back to your original identity and
show that the timing of transition resulted in a legal male/female marriage.
Original birth
certificate
Original Social Security
card
Marriage Certificate
Name change document
SRS letter
New birth certificate
In addition, an original
birth certificate currently allows post-op transsexuals to marry genetic same
sex spouses in Kansas, Ohio, and some parts of Texas.
Other Thoughts
The
Bush administration is making transition harder
Archconservative
politicians want to drive us back into the closet and keep us in legal limbo
Some
Gay organizations want us to disappear
The
religious right sees us burning in hell and wants to speed our journey.
In
85% of the United States, we have NO right to employment, housing, public
accommodation, or protection from harassment or other hate crimes.
Your
vote and your outspoken support can help turn the tide