New “X” gender designation coming to IRCC documents
Backgrounder
As of August 31, 2017, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is providing interim measures for individuals requesting an “X” in the sex field in their Canadian citizenship and/or immigration document, passport, or other travel document. These interim measures will be available until the Department is able to print an “X” in these documents.
Until the Department is able to print and issue these documents with an “X,” anyone with an existing designation other than female (“F”) or male (“M”) in their identity documents (such as a birth certificate, and/or passport or other travel document issued by another country), must choose either “F” or “M” when applying for an IRCC document.
Read the instructions on how to request an “X” in:
- Canadian passports and other travel documents, and
- Any other IRCC document.
Requesting “X” when applying for a new passport or other Canadian travel document
What do I do?
- Select either female or male in the sex field of your application.
- Fill out the request form and submit with your application for a new travel document.
- You can choose to have an observation text added in your travel document, free of charge.
What do I get?
- Your new travel document with your chosen “F” or “M” in the sex field.
The following optional observation text added to one of the pages in your travel document:
The sex of the bearer should be read as “X”, indicating that it is unspecified.
Requesting “X” when renewing your passport or other Canadian travel document
What do I do?
- In the sex field of your application, select the sex matching your previous travel document.
- Fill out the request form and submit with your application to renew your travel document.
- You can choose to have an observation text added in your travel document, free of charge.
- Note: If you wish to change the sex in your next travel document from female to male, or vice versa, read about how to change the sex on your passport or travel document
What do I get?
- Your renewal travel document with the same sex in the sex field as your previous document.
The following optional observation text added to one of the pages in your travel document:
The sex of the bearer should be read as “X”, indicating that it is unspecified.
Requesting “X” on your existing passport or other Canadian travel document
What do I do?
- Fill out and submit the request form along with your valid travel document to have an observation text added in your travel document, free of charge.
What do I get?
- Your existing travel document returned to you.
The following observation text added to one of the pages in your travel document:
The sex of the bearer should be read as “X”, indicating that it is unspecified.
Requesting “X” on a supporting citizenship or immigration document
What do I do?
- Once your document has been issued to you, fill out the request form.
- Select the sex matching the identity document(s) submitted with your application.
- Search the document checklist associated with your application for the list of required identity documents.
- If your identity document has a sex other than female (“F”) or male (“M”), choose either “F” or “M” in the sex field of your application until the “X” is available.
- Submit your completed request form to IRCC.UnspecifiedX-Xnonspecifie.IRCC@cic.gc.ca
- Note: If you wish to change the sex in your citizenship or immigration document from female to male, or vice versa, read about how to change the sex on your application or document.
What do I get?
A supporting citizenship or immigration document with the following text:
The sex of the bearer should be read as “X”, indicating that it is unspecified.
Please Note:
- The female or male sex chosen in your application will be the sex printed in your document.
- For citizenship and immigration documents, you can only apply for a supporting document once IRCC has processed your application and you have been issued your document.
- More information will be provided when IRCC is able to issue documents with an “X” in the sex field. Sign up to receive an email notification when the “X” becomes available.
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