In response to Executive Order 14168, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has updated requirements for reporting sex markers in the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS), a system used by airlines to share traveler information with the federal government prior to international flights to and from the United States.
As of October 14, 2025, CBP will only accept “M” (male) or “F” (female) designations for the sex field; other values, such as “X” (typically used to indicate transgender, nonbinary, intersex, or unspecified gender), will result in an error and require resubmission.
For university business-related travel, Collegiate Travel Planner (CTP) profiles are populated from U-M’s HR records. Sex markers cannot be manually updated by CTP, so this information will be sent directly to the airline upon booking.
How will this affect individuals who do not identify as male or female and are traveling internationally?
- Airlines can submit only “M” or “F” for the sex marker through APIS.
- New, renewed, or replaced passports issued after the policy change can only reflect “M” or “F.”
- Existing valid U.S. passports with an “X” marker will remain valid until they expire.
- Travelers whose passports reflect the “X” sex designation may encounter delays or questions due to the discrepancy between travel documents with APIS/CBP data.
- Travelers affected by this policy are strongly encouraged to arrive at the airport early and be prepared for potential delays or additional screening at immigration when returning to the United States.
Support at U-M:
To help affected travelers, several U-M offices are collaborating to host a Trans and Nonbinary Passport Info Session and Clinic on Friday, November 21 from noon to 3:30 p.m.
Given recent policy changes and lawsuits, the first part of this event will be a virtual information session with a legal expert who will discuss the rights of and considerations for trans and nonbinary individuals who are considering applying for a passport and/or traveling. This will be followed by an in-person passport clinic where the Washtenaw County Clerk’s office will assist individuals in applying for, renewing, or making changes to their passports, including a name change or updated gender marker. The passport clinic is hosted to assist individuals needing a name change or gender marker change, but all individuals applying for a new or updated passport are welcome to attend.
For personal and private support or guidance, you can contact:
- U-M Spectrum Center
- If U-M students or employees are seeking support navigating these changes, they may email Spectrum directly or sign up for Spectrum’s virtual office hours.
Additional resources:
Note: This is a rapidly evolving issue, and the guidance in this message reflects the latest known developments, at the time of publication—Thursday, November, 13, 2025.