Name & gender change on Indian passport in the USA.

Kabirj

Hey,
I’m from India but right now in the USA for my education. I will be undergoing my transition here in the USA for which I might have to change my name and gender on the passport. How do I change these details on my passport or is a medical certificate enough to show at the airport as I might have issues at the security check in.? Please let me know what are my options as I’m in a fix.
Thank you,
Komal

orange

Hi Kabirj ,
Not sure how it work in USA, and how it differences from India.
Did you already see those articles? https://transgenderindia.com/transition-transit-passing-airport-security/

Kabirj

Hey thanks but I’m worried more about the immigration people they check everything so really need to get my documents changed maybe. Thanks for your help I appreciate it.

Megha

Kabirj can you please elaborate a little more, it's not much clear to me. You can get name and gender change notification published in central gazette staying in US only, then on basis of central gazette get it changed in passport. But is it possible to change name in passport while risiding in another country?

Kabirj

That is what I am concerned about. You can change name but not sure about gender. I tried to contact the embassy they asked me to contact CKGS. Now I’m trying to contact CKGS but they are not very helpful so I’m trying to find some way out. Do they let international students on F-1 visa change their name through the gazette.

DivyaLele

Hello Kabirj ,I think you will have to contact Ministry of External affairs. Did you write to them already.

luminer

Kabirj I am on the same boat. I contacted the consulate in Houston and this is what they informed me (see the post linked below):
#19143

"Change of sex" is a medically vague term so I believe we have to contact the MEA or embassy officials to see what they can do for us. From my conversations with the consulate in Houston, I don't think they have any clear policy of what constitute a sex change and how 2014 NALSA effects passport gender change. If you can get more information then please post here.

Sara15

Does anyone have any update on this?

iamcapricious

I think the only way to go for legal changes is you must come down to india and get the changes done you want. And you will only get Female gender in india if you have been through SRS. It's a tricky situation. I dont know how can it be possible to change the documents in US because arenot they very different then indian documents. Yo cant get the changes done in Adhaar, Pan card etc. In india you have to get these changed then only you will be granted permission to change in passport. I got everything done.

Sara15

iamcapricious Were you also in US? Were you able to come to India to get changes done and then go back without much problem? If we get Adhaar, PAN, etc. changed in India, can we immediately go back to US with the old passport to get the passport updated at the Indian embassy in US? I am asking because, I may not get too much time to come to India? I plan to get SRS within 2-3 years. I am right now trying to figure out the process for all this. How does the new Transgender Act of 2019 affect all this?

iamcapricious

Sara15 Considering your situation, since you will get srs done after 2 years, i suggest do the legal changes after the srs. No I have not been to the US.
You may go back to the US with the old passport but im not very sure so cannot say.