#Passports

[mapsontheweb]

Which countries have the most powerful passports?

[passportsfortraveltoplanetearth]

PASSPORTS REQUIRED FOR TRAVEL TO THE PLANET EARTH

[follow-up-news]

Americans can now renew their passports online, bypassing a cumbersome mail-in paper application process that often caused delays. The State Department announced Wednesday that its online renewal system is now fully operational, after testing in pilot programs, and available to adult passport holders whose passport has expired within the past five years or will expire in the coming year. It is not available for the renewal of children’s passports, for first-time passport applicants for renewal applicants who live outside the United States or for expedited applications. “By offering this online alternative to the traditional paper application process, the Department is embracing digital transformation to offer the most efficient and convenient passport renewal experience possible,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. The department said it estimated that about 5 million Americans would be able to use this service a year. In 2023, it processed 24 million passports, about 40% of which were renewals. After staffing shortages caused mainly by the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in lengthy passport processing delays, the department ramped up hiring and introduced other technological improvements that have reduced wait times by about one-third over last year. It says most applications are now completed in far less than the advertised six weeks to eight weeks and the online renewal system is expected to further reduce that.

[anulight]

Passports! John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Stuart Sutcliffe!

[gwydionmisha]

Passport Links for Americans

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Erin Reed at Erin In The Morning:

In the wake of Donald Trump’s election as president, transgender people are left wondering what lies ahead. For this vulnerable community, a Trump administration signals potential disaster: the candidate just won his election after $215 million in anti-trans ads targeting this small minority—a staggering amount that eclipsed spending on other issue-based ads. Now, transgender individuals are searching for ways to protect themselves under a federal government that may view them as top “enemies from within,” a term Trump has used to describe those on the left. I spoke with experts in transgender care and dozens of transgender individuals to identify steps the community can take now to prepare for a Trump presidency. Trump has pledged numerous actions against transgender people, from investigating educators to banning gender-affirming care for youth and ending legal recognition for transgender individuals. While some of these measures may take time to implement, others could happen swiftly. For instance, the upcoming December budget negotiations are likely to include anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ+ amendments, which Democrats may accept to avoid a government shutdown. For transgender people and their supporters, being prepared is essential. Here are practical steps the community should consider in the coming weeks to safeguard themselves against these anticipated challenges.

Obtaining or updating your passport. Obtaining a federal passport is a crucial step for transgender individuals, as it serves as a valid ID in most places and is necessary for international travel. Passports also let you change your gender marker via a simple selection checkbox, making the process of having your official gender marker hassle-free. This last point is especially important—anticipated federal crackdowns could soon make it impossible to update your gender marker on federal documents and might even affect state IDs. Passports are valid for ten years, and some states allow you to align your gender marker with the one on your passport, making this action essential, even if you don’t plan to travel internationally. And should the need for travel arise, you’ll be grateful you took this precaution.

Many transgender people I’ve spoken to have already begun this process. One family, hoping to secure a passport before federal rules change, opted for the expedited service. Ellie, the mother of a transgender teen, shared, “I’m determined to keep my son safe and alive, and we will do everything humanly possible to make that happen.” She noted that they are researching options for moving internationally if gender-affirming care is banned federally, with Spain as their top choice. For transgender individuals, expedited passports are an important consideration to ensure they receive their documents before Trump’s inauguration. Although they cost a bit more, expedited passports are processed much faster. Some observed a rise in the number of LGBTQ+ people seeking passports in the election’s immediate aftermath. Andromeda, a transgender woman, noted, “At the post office, there were five people in line for passports. Four of us were trans.” She described the atmosphere as “very sullen,” adding, “We were all very nervous but being very strong about it.”

Updating state documents and IDs. This step is crucial, as transgender people will need as many documents as possible that reflect their correct gender marker to navigate potential laws and regulations targeting them. Although most anti-trans laws specify that legal recognition of sex must align with the sex recorded at or near birth, enforcing these provisions is often challenging. In practice, having licenses and IDs that display an accurate gender marker can help transgender individuals avoid negative interactions and even defuse tense situations with officials. Additionally, obtaining such documentation may become more difficult in the future—Trump could, for instance, leverage laws like the Real ID Act to push for bans on correct gender markers on driver’s licenses. Many transgender individuals have started this process quickly, anticipating that their opportunity to do so may soon disappear. One such person in South Dakota, Cole, shared, “I need to get my name and marker officially changed before I am barred from the chance.” In South Dakota, the process is particularly onerous, requiring a court order or a signed affidavit from a physician. Cole is concerned that completing it may become impossible once Trump takes office.

Maintaining a supply of medication. Some individuals are taking steps to secure their access to gender-affirming medications, though this approach carries potential legal challenges. The Trump administration has indicated plans to sue pharmaceutical companies providing gender-affirming care, making medication access disruption a real possibility. Additionally, federal funding bans, threats, and investigations could further complicate access. States like California have announced intentions to enact laws protecting LGBTQ+ individuals from such federal actions. For individuals, practical methods to maintain a medication supply include underdosing to build an emergency reserve, working with a physician willing to prescribe extra medication, or obtaining hormones through online sources, though it is important to note that these steps are not without legal or personal risks.

[...]

Make decisions around staying or going “stealth.” A recurring topic in discussions about preparing for a Trump administration is the role that going or staying “stealth” may play in ensuring safety. For transgender individuals, “stealth” refers to living in one’s gender identity without disclosing that one is transgender. For many, this involves extra attention to makeup and voice training to pass as cisgender and blend in. For transgender youth, it often means not informing school officials about their gender identity. Such steps may become critical, as schools could feel pressured by the Trump administration to enforce restrictions on trans youth, even in blue states. For trans adults, staying stealth could also offer a measure of safety in the face of increasingly common bathroom regulations. Many transgender people I spoke with had mixed feelings about going “stealth” under a Trump administration. Some have concluded that it’s the safest option for them, while others have chosen to remain visible, believing that visibility will be essential in the fight for transgender rights. Still others feel that stealth simply isn’t an option for them.

Relying on local community allies. One essential action transgender people and allies can take is to support community organizations, legal funds, and other resources. Historically, when restrictive laws have targeted the LGBTQ+ community, it has been crucial to connect with groups of LGBTQ+ individuals who can provide mutual support and safety. When choosing organizations to support, state and local groups are particularly valuable, as they offer the most current information on relevant laws and can advise on the best ways to address new challenges under a Trump administration. These organizations are also well-positioned to navigate the specific legal processes and advocacy opportunities within local communities.

Erin Reed has a handy guide for trans people to prepare for the coming Trump Regime crackdowns on trans rights and trans existence.

See Also:

The Advocate: 7 steps for transgender people preparing for federal crackdowns under Trump

[stimboardboy]

the last of us

ellie’s lantern | ellie’s bracelet | ellie’s backpack

joel’s passport | birthday cassette | ellie’s journal

joel’s watch | firefly keychain | joel’s mug

[meret118]

You have to.pay more of course. :/

[thatheathen]

Erin in the Morning

[chterzidislaw]

Another one success for our Law Office in Administrative Law!

🏛️ The Court remits the case for a new, duly reasoned judgment!

Explore our website and learn more about us and the legal services that we offer!

or ...

Check out our legal wins in several fields of law!

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Anne Lister Italia latest article

But what exactly did Anne Lister and Ann Walker look like? We know it from their passport, the one with which they travelled on their honeymoon in 1834. Unfortunately, we have no portraits of Ann Walker so far, and all we know about her comes from Anne's journals. Of Anne, there are at least those few portraits that have survived (the most famous being the posthumous one hanging in Shibden Hall) and the more 'heartfelt' description by Edward O'Ferrall in his letter. You can find more about the identikit of Anne and Ann on our website, in the article that examines the entire passport. You can also find the link to the article on Edward O'Ferrall's letter in bio.

[mapsontheweb]

World Map of Passport Colors using actual shades

[news4dzhozhar]

I would expect something like this from the US or Germany. Kinda surprised that Canada would pull this. Are people going to start burning old maps, books and almanacs? Israel has already done a great deal to destroy official Palestinian records. This is Canada's complicity in literally erasing an entire land and its people.

[markcoatney]

One of the subtler themes of Abrahamian’s book is her understanding of the hidden globe’s denizens as not just wealthy individuals but parties to a tribe of elevated hunter-gatherers. They are united in their prerogatives. They don’t want total lawlessness; they would like their property rights to be construed as broadly as possible, and they will pay for enforcement. But they share above all a willingness to pick up their ball and go home—wherever that happens to be at any given time. They have resources, leverage, and a kind of honor among thieves. They vote with their feet, as Srinivasan likes to say, and, if Cyprus isn’t game, Palau will be. The beneficiaries are in London, anyway, and their kids are at boarding school in Switzerland. They are, in every sense of the term, duty-free.

This review, of Atosa's book, is so good

[girlactionfigure]

[westeroswisdom]

It's probably not a great idea to name kids after TV characters.

A woman was left "devastated" after her daughter's passport application was rejected because she was named after a Game of Thrones character. Lucy, 39, from Swindon in Wiltshire, said the Passport Office initially refused the application for Khaleesi, six. Officials said they were unable to issue a passport unless Warner Brothers gave permission because it owned the name's trademark. But the authority has since apologised for the error. "I was absolutely devastated, we were so looking forward to our first holiday together," Lucy said. After planning and saving up for a 'dream' trip to Disneyland Paris, Lucy, who works in Cirencester, applied for a passport for Khaleesi. "But then I had a letter come through from the Passport Office, saying her name is trademarked by Warner Brothers," she said. "It was the first I've heard of such a thing - I was astonished." After seeking legal advice, her solicitors discovered that while there is a trademark for Game of Thrones, it is for goods and services - but not for a person's name. "That information was sent to the Passport Office who said I would need a letter from Warner Brothers to confirm my daughter is able to use that name," she said.

This incident reminds me of a comment made by Peter Dinklage after the Game of Thrones series finale:

"I know a lot of people were supposedly surprised by the ending, but if you paid attention, the clues were there. We told you not to name your dog Khaleesi."

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