The U.S. State Department has announced it will halt the processing of all passport applications that seek to change sex markers or request an “X” sex marker. The decision follows a directive issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as outlined in a memo reviewed by NBC News.
The move comes in response to a new executive order signed by President Trump shortly after his inauguration. This order mandates the U.S. government will strictly recognize just two sexes: male and female. It states that “these sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality,” being “immutable biological classifications.”
“The executive order specifies government-issued identification documents shall refer to an individual’s immutable biological classification as either male or female,” Rubio wrote in his memo. “In agency documents ‘sex’ and not ‘gender’ shall be used. Further, it is specified that the policy of the United States is that an individual’s sex is not changeable.”
Effective immediately, the State Department will no longer issue U.S. passports or birth records featuring an “X” sex marker. Additionally, processing of all current and future applications requesting an “X” marker or a sex marker change will be suspended until further guidance is provided by the State Department.
The memo also indicates that specific instructions regarding passports that currently feature an “X” marker will be issued through separate communication channels.
In an emailed statement to NBC News, a State Department spokesperson confirmed that it is "no longer issuing U.S. passports with X markers" and has "suspended processing of all applications seeking a different sex marker than that defined by the terms" of Trump’s aforementioned executive order.
However, the spokesperson did not address whether existing passports with an “X” designation remain valid or what travelers holding such passports should expect. They did, however, provide assurances that updates are coming soon and will be made available on its official travel website as soon as possible.
This executive order reverses policies established during the Biden administration, which had introduced more inclusive options for gender markers. Under the previous administration, transgender individuals could update their passports to reflect their gender identity without needing to provide proof of their transitions. Additionally, applicants who identified as intersex or nonbinary were permitted to select an “X” marker.
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