US Immigration and flying pretty

[jazzysherry]

I have been flying pretty for many years and am traveling to JFK from the united Kingdom in a few days time. I wanted to fly pretty on this flight but am nervous about the immigration people.

I have been in contact with CBP and asked questions around a trans status and they said I may be asked for some 'extra' documentation. I have a letter from my doctor stating that I attended consultation presenting as a female.

I am also a member of CBP's Global Entry program under my male ID which may or may not help.

I did fly transatlantic once before but swapped my wig for a baseball cap just before leaving the aircraft so I feel I cheated!

Does anyone have experience or advice on this?

[Rogina B]

"They' may take you into a more private space and have you lift your wig as sort of proof that it is you under it. No big deal..You will be on your way quickly..They may ask you "Why are you presenting this way? " All within their rights based on your ID. Nothing is a problem,unless you make it one.

[jazzysherry]

Thanks and fingers crossed all will be ok. X

[chelyann]

good luck , let us know how it goes

[Sami Brown]

I don't have any advice but want to say that I admire your courage. I am too much of a scaredy cat!

Sami

[Richelle]

I am a US citizen so it might be a little different for me. But I have flown multiple times overseas as my femmin self. I did not have problems coming back in from Europe or China, even though my passport has my mail name and gender marker of male.

Richelle

[jjjjohanne]

Please consider that if someone here gives you advice that it might be one-sided. You are going to deal with safety/security people from two different nations. There may be differences in how they respond to you. Transpeople, etc. are not new to security in my domestic air travel (I travel as a man in a dress when I can.)

[jazzysherry]

Had no issues travelling from UK, domestic US and departing from various airports to come home. TSA officers have always been most respectful. My only nervousness is about how CBP officers might react.

Hopefully all will be well (or I’ll trade the wig for a ball cap at the last minute again!

[faltenrock]

A few years ago, when I arrived in Newark, coming from Germany, there was a CD/transgender person in the line of immigration/customs. She presented clearly as female and didn't seem to have any problem.

[Rogina B]

All you may be asked to do is lift your wig front in private and answer "Why are you presenting this way ?"..Passport pic differs from who is in front of them... No big deal if you can handle it !

[jazzysherry]

Ladies, thank you for the advice. I dressed down and with light make up and had a lovely flight over from London. Arrived NY and kept the wig on this time. Made my way to the Global Entry kiosks in JFK Terminal 4 and in a minute I was cleared and the CBP guy collected my receipt and didn’t even want to see my passport. Relieved and happy that I can fly this way!

[gailprice]

I travelled from the UK to San Francisco in October this year pretty and had no problems. However, I think I may have had a close call at passport control in San Fransisco. The imigration agent had a very close look at me twice and asked more questions than normal about my stay in the US. I did start to stutter my answers to him and that did not help. Lastly he pondered for sometime over the photo he took of me with his little desk camera.
But all was cool and i enjoyed my visit to the US as always..

Gail xxx