The home ministry has informed the Delhi High Court that the government will create a policy that will allow Indians who undergo gender affirmation treatments abroad to get new passports reflecting their gender and name changes without any problems.

The ministry claimed in an affidavit that it already had passport holders’ biometric information. “A mechanism/policy may be developed by MEA (ministry of external affairs), as the biometric records (of Indian citizens) are available with MEA/RPO (regional passport office), to verify their identity before issuance of new passports, since the biometrics are not liable to change after undergoing such medical procedures,” the ministry stated in a document dated October 4 and signed by the deputy secretary in charge of immigration.

The letter was sent to the court in response to a request made by Anahita Chaudhary, a transgender woman, asking that the government grant her a new passport with updated information, such as a new name and gender.

In the US, she underwent a gender identity and name transition from 2016 and 2022. She then obtained a court order to legally change her name and gender. However, Chaudhary said in her petition that it took six months for the changes to happen after she applied for a new passport with the Indian authorities.

Source- Hindustan times