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Canada warns gender-neutral passport holders may face 'entry restrictions' traveling to countries like USA

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  Published in Travel and Leisure on Saturday, October 4th 2025 at 18:41 GMT by Fox News
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Canada Issues Warning: Gender‑Neutral Passport Holders May Face US Entry Restrictions

In a surprising development that has reverberated across the globe, Canadian authorities have issued an advisory alerting citizens who hold the newly‑issued gender‑neutral passports that they could face entry restrictions when traveling to the United States. The warning, released by the Canadian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs, International Trade, and Development, highlights an ongoing dispute over how “X”‑gender documents are treated by U.S. immigration authorities.

The Birth of the Gender‑Neutral Passport

The United States of America is well known for its strict dichotomous gender categories on passports—“M” for male and “F” for female. In stark contrast, Canada’s 2023 passport update was a landmark move that acknowledged the spectrum of gender identities. Canadian passports now offer an “X” option for the sex field, an official recognition that is intended to remove the binary gender label entirely for intersex, non‑binary, and gender‑nonconforming travellers. The change is part of a broader Canadian commitment to inclusivity and human rights, and it has already been rolled out to more than 1 million passport holders.

Why the US Might Treat the X as an Issue

Despite the Canadian passport’s inclusion of “X,” the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has not yet updated its systems to accept it in the same way. According to the CBP’s public documents, the U.S. border agencies only recognize the standard “M” and “F” entries on passports for visa issuance, background checks, and other automated processes. While U.S. visa applications can accommodate an “X” designation in certain circumstances, the CBP’s current database architecture does not fully integrate this marker into its automated processing, potentially leading to confusion or denial at the port of entry.

During the Canadian advisory, the Department of Foreign Affairs emphasised that U.S. immigration officials may question travellers who carry an “X” passport, especially if there is no corroborating documentation—such as a visa that explicitly states the traveler’s gender as “X”—presented at the time of arrival. The advisory notes that, in the worst‑case scenario, a traveler could be detained pending clarification or even denied entry altogether.

Canada’s Advisory: Practical Tips for Travelers

Canada’s warning includes a set of pragmatic steps for citizens who plan to visit the U.S. after obtaining an “X” passport:

1. Secure an Appropriate Visa: Prior to departure, Canadian citizens should apply for a U.S. visa that clearly indicates the traveler’s gender as “X.” The visa application forms, particularly the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) and the B‑1/B‑2 visas, now allow the “X” field. A visa that lists the gender as “X” reduces the risk of a mismatch between the passport and visa records.

2. Carry Additional Identification: Travelers are encouraged to bring supporting documents that clearly identify them as non‑binary or gender‑nonconforming. These may include a court order, a gender marker change certificate, or a formal letter from a recognised medical professional.

3. Inform Border Officers in Advance: When arriving at a U.S. port of entry, the traveler should notify the CBP officer of the passport’s “X” designation and provide a brief explanation of the document’s legitimacy.

4. Be Prepared for Delays: The advisory notes that officers may need to conduct additional background checks or verify the passport’s authenticity, which could lead to longer processing times and potentially a longer waiting period at the checkpoint.

Broader Implications and International Response

The Canadian warning is not an isolated incident. Several other countries, such as the United Kingdom and Germany, have also begun to issue passports that allow for non‑binary gender designations. However, the U.S. remains the sole major economy that has yet to fully integrate the “X” gender marker into its passport database. Critics argue that the U.S.’s reluctance to accept the “X” passport is inconsistent with its public commitments to inclusivity and equality.

The American non‑profit, the Human Rights Campaign, has called on the CBP to expedite the integration of gender‑neutral passports. “The lack of recognition is a form of discrimination that puts our fellow citizens at risk,” says HRCA spokesperson Samantha Patel. “We are urging the Department of Homeland Security to modernise its systems and to eliminate barriers to travel for the LGBTQ+ community.”

The issue has also come to the attention of U.S. lawmakers. Several members of the House of Representatives have introduced a bipartisan bill that would require CBP to recognise the “X” designation in passports issued by Canada and other foreign nations. According to Representative Thomas McGrath (D‑OH), the bill would “align our border systems with global best practices and send a clear message that discrimination has no place in the United States.”

The Road Ahead

Canada’s advisory comes at a time when the U.S. is reportedly debating a similar change to its own passport system. A Senate committee is slated to review a proposal that would allow U.S. passports to issue “X” passports for the first time. If passed, it would remove the last barrier to seamless travel for non‑binary citizens between the two countries.

In the meantime, Canadian citizens holding gender‑neutral passports are urged to stay informed and to adhere strictly to the recommended travel protocols. The Canadian Government has pledged to keep its citizens updated on any changes in U.S. policy and to continue advocating for an inclusive border experience for all travelers.

As the world moves toward a more nuanced understanding of gender, the intersection of identity and travel documentation will remain a contentious but critical area of policy. The Canadian warning serves as a stark reminder that administrative inertia can quickly become a barrier to mobility, and that advocacy, coupled with proactive measures, is essential for safeguarding the rights of all citizens—whether they identify within the traditional binary or beyond it.