OTTAWA — The Canadian government has issued a travel advisory cautioning citizens who use gender-neutral (‘X’) passports when traveling to the United States and other international destinations.
While Canada issues passports with the ‘X’ gender marker for non-binary citizens, the travel warning states that the acceptance of these documents for entry or transit through other countries cannot be guaranteed.
The advisory comes amid growing uncertainty regarding various countries’ stances on gender-neutral passports. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) notes that the ‘X’ gender identifier may not be recognized by many international governments and travel companies. Travelers may, in some cases, be required to provide a ‘Male’ or ‘Female’ identifier.
The CBSA strongly advises travelers to contact foreign representatives of their destination countries to confirm entry requirements before embarking on their journey.
The report also recalls that the use of gender-neutral markers on US federal documents and passports faced setbacks following an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump shortly after he took office.
Furthermore, while Canada has been expanding gender-neutral options in other areas, certain services remain limited. Earlier this year, Canada stated that non-binary and transgender citizens who are NEXUS cardholders are unable to select the ‘X’ gender marker for their cards.
