Passport Day 2013
On March 9, 2013 from 10 am – 3 pm, U.S. citizens may apply for or renew their passport book or passport card at any of these passport agencies and centers that are open to the general public. Normally you would need to have an appointment but on March 9 you can walk right in and apply. http://travel.state.gov/passport/npic/agencies/agencies_913.html
Updated Forms for LGBT Families
This year the Bureau of Consular Affairs is focusing on family travel, and this includes LGBT families. Updated forms for parents applying for a child’s passport (DS-11 form) have been released. The Bureau has also redesigned the Consular Report of Birth Abroad (http://travel.state.gov/travel/living/living_5497.html). Both of these forms were updated to provide a gender-neutral description of parents that recognizes the many types of family structures, including same-sex parents.
Stay informed
The Bureau of Consular Affairs also has useful travel information for LGBT travelers. You can access this information here (http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/tips/registration/registration_4789.html).
The U.S. Department of State also publishes an annual report on human rights, including the human rights of LGBT people. This report is good to read before you travel to a new country. You can find the report for 2011 (released in 2012 ) here (http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm#wrapper). You can also “build” an individual report that focuses on sexual orientation and gender identity concerns by clicking “Build a Report.” Section 6 contains information on “Societal Abuses, Discrimination, and Acts of Violence Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity,” and you can then narrow your focus by geographic region or country. The Council for Global Equality has been analyzing the report since 2009, and you can find copies of earlier reports on the annual analysis on the Council for Global Equality’s website (http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm#wrapper).
The 2012 report will be released this spring.
Traveling with HIV
Currently there are 44 countries, territories and areas that impose some form of restriction on travelers who are living with HIV. You can download a list of those countries, compiled by UNAIDS, here.