On Tuesday, I received my very own Certificate of Identity. This came almost three months after IRCC received my application, so way past their last known published service standard. And some people did tell me that I wouldn’t be able to get this document. Some of them, because they don’t see the harm in travelling on a false passport. Or they refuse to accept the fact that yes, a passport that misrepresents a trans woman’s sex as “male” is false. After all, the reason why I need it is uncomplicated: the Trump administration has made it clear that they won’t issue accurate passports to trans people. I need an accurate passport to both travel internationally and return to Canada via air. Hell, the specific tenor of the correspondence from IRCC was preparing me to expect a refusal and to start rattling the sabre. Years of dealing with IRCC have created a sort of… adversarial tension between the agency and me.
Thankfully, it turned out for the best. No, I do not know why. And honestly, I was kinda hoping for a battle. Mostly because the agency’s public-facing advice on this topic is lacking and I want judicial recognition of the abysmal state of human rights for trans people south of the border. After all the bullshit I had to deal with fighting my own refugee case and making predictions that are continuing to be proven right? It’d be nice to be fighting a battle against IRCC where they have to face me under regular Judicial Review instead of the much more prejudicial ALJR process.
Can I travel to the United States on it?
LOL, no.
Oh, you want a fuller explanation than that? Well, as a US citizen, I’m not allowed to enter the United States without a US passport. And Canadian policy mandates that travel documents issued to non-Canadians include a restriction from travelling to your country of origin. This is true for both Refugee Travel Documents and Certificates of Identity. So, even if I wanted to return to the United States, the answer is no. It is unlikely that I would be able to return until 2029 at the earliest. For multiple reasons. And most assuredly not on this travel document.
How long is it valid for?
For me, they issued it for five years. It’s valid until 2031. Most assuredly much more validity than I need, as I intend to apply for citizenship the second I qualify. However, there is no public-facing indication how long they guarantee the validity for. It’s up to the discretion of the officer. It’s unlikely they would issue it for longer than five years, though.
So, what’s next?
The first thing I plan to do is write a post telling all of you how I did it. Let me be clear, the specific fact pattern I argued from is for transgender US citizens who are permanent residents of Canada and cannot obtain a passport from any other country. Some of the facts might be relevant to you. Others might not. Also, I’m not an attorney, so please don’t take this as legal advice. It’s not. I’m not a lawyer, I’m just someone who probably earned a couple grey hairs because I fought IRCC for years. 0/10, would not recommend.
After that? Probably voice feminization surgery in South Korea. After all, I was originally planning on going in 2019 but my escape to Canada largely disrupted that. Now, it’s time to pull the trigger and make this happen. Maybe some travelling for the first time in so long. Hell, I’m thinking les Utopiales or les Imaginales in France. Or Carnevale in Venice. According to the correspondence I’ve been having with the Mexican consulate in Vancouver, it’s likely I won’t need a visa to travel to Mexico. Or Chernobyl if Russia ever stops fucking with Ukraine.