This is about the new self-identification process that the DIA launched last week on the 15th, which makes it easier for people born in New Zealand to amend their registered sex on their birth certificate. They have removed the previous requirements of a trip to the Family Court and proof of medical treatment. It also now allows applicants to amend their registered sex to non-binary.
However, there’s still not a solution for those born overseas. The DIA is working on something, but it will likely not apply to asylum seekers until they’re accepted as refugees - which often takes many years. In the meantime, the mismatched name issue makes it very difficult for these people to get things like a bank account, an IRD number, a job, benefits, medication, etc. Which puts a lot of roadblocks in the way of these people becoming productive, happy, healthy members of our society.
As I understand it, typically prior to this change a passport (as an identity document rather than record of birth) allowed you to write the sex of your choice (I think there was a statutory declaration involved).
At what point can an asylum seeker get a passport? I’m going to guess it’s not when they arrive, not when they become a refugee, but probably 5 years later when they can apply for citizenship?
If that’s right, I guess my next question is; If someone is being persecuted for being trans, and they come to NZ… why can’t we just issue the identity document with the details they need in order to fit in here? If we must you can record original birth cert/ID document details in a backend system, but I can’t see a reason not to issue the document however they want to be known in NZ (and that applies to people who simply want a different name, even if not trans). If you’re worried about fraud, do your fraud checks when issuing the document.
Why do people keep referring to sex. It’s gender that’s being changed not sex.
