Passport Application Ramblings

• Posted by Rachel Maxwell June 16, 2015 3,369 views
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  Dear Reader,
  
  I changed my name back in November of 2014, which happens to be last year. I have been living with this name since then. Well, at least in Norway. It wasn't until today that I officially sent in for my new US passport. Hopefully, they will accept the new name. I sent them an official and notarised document that this is my identity in Norway. Of course, it sucks to see "Sex: MALE" but what can you do? My gender won't be recognised in Norway until I have SRS/GRS (whatever term you prefer). Otherwise, despite how I may look or speak, I will be male to the country. It's dumb and it is backwards. What is a bit more funny, is how I'm supposed to handle that when it comes to it. Hopefully, by then I will have Norwegian citizenship, and they will give me that nice F (actually the Norwegian one might have a K for Kvinne). But that isn't here nor there.
  
  I have been putting off doing this for a while. I should have done it back in March or April. However, I was just sort of in pause mode. I was stressing too much about it. I needed to get my US Passport changed to have Rachel  on it. Having a legal name in one country, isn't always the same as the one in your passport. But I think there was more to it than that. Deep down, I was holding off on doing this. but I knew why.
  
  Was it because I doubted that I wanted to transition? Well, partially yes. Some people might think that once you decide to do something you have to stick to it. I was actually trying to think of a way out of all of this just last week. It isn't because I want to do this. I just don't see that I have much of a choice. But I still felt like maybe just maybe I am wrong about all of this and that it is only just in my head.
  
  The funny thing is, that is exactly where it is. It's how I identify myself with the world. Now, I know that many people are trained by society to believe that boys and girls have to act a certain way and that men and women also have to behave a certain way. Girls are supposed to like dolls and clothes, shoes and make up, and generally that sort of thing. Boys are supposed to like cars and muscles, figurines (dolls) and sports. I can't say I ever really cared for dolls or clothes or shoes or make up. But neither did I care for the things "boys" likes. I played with the things that I was supposed to because I was lead to believe that is how things had to be. But it's one of those things, where it is easy to project my views today onto the way I felt or thought when I was little.
  
  It was the fear of changing my Legal US name that caused me difficulties. I wonder if it isn't going to bite me. You see, I receive a pension from the US Government. In my old name. Since this was the name on my passport, It had to be this way. This means that when I contact the US Embassy to ask them to change my name, it might take up to several months before they do that. Of course, there is the bank in the US that also might give me problems. Since there is no way I can show up in person to do that. Unless someone wants to loan me about $1500 USD? Does anyone fancy a trip and a very short stay in Newark, NJ or New York City, NY?
  
  I did it though. Despite any of the possible problems that I might encounter. In the worst case, I have to keep that old name as an Alias. AKA old name. Fine by me, I suppose. At least until I can change it in person. I need to just ask someone at the bank, in an email. Explain the situation. Maybe they will accept a copy of my passport as proof. Anyway. In about 5 weeks I should hear something back. I hope it goes well.
  
  I had to run to the Tax Office to ask if they would sign a document that I translated. They told me "No". However, the man was helpful enough to tell me that they had a form called a "Proof of Identity". So I took that and headed on over to the Courthouse about 10 minutes walk away, and got it notarised. Then I posted all that I had. Application, Forms, Bankremissé, and self-addressed stamped envelope.
  
  Sorry for the length of this. Some people know how to use fewer words to write something, as for myself, I need about a football pitch length of paper to write it down. Brevity is never my strong point. I will keep everyone updated of course. Maybe this will be of help to someone else who lives overseas. Of course the US is a bit different with about a thousand million forms to sign and go through were as here, I didn't even have to show any ID. Some people might be bothered by that. I'm not. Why someone would claim to be me, I have no idea.
  
  Thank you dear reader for letting me express my thoughts. Externalise things. Also thanks to the Transtastic team for providing such a great platform for allowing this as well! Thanks to my friends. If I jump around a bit, it is just habitual. My disorganised mind or something.
  
  Love you all,
  Rachel