I haven’t updated any of my documents yet, and I saw that the disgusting bill that’s pending in Indiana would make it impossible for trans people to change their gender marker. Although there has been an executive order stopping the department of health from processing court-ordered name changes there for the past year. I don’t think Indiana is ever going to do something that would help a trans person…
What are my options? Am I stuck with incorrect or mismatched documents forever?
Your birth certificate with your deadname combined with your court order for your name change legally satisfies the Real ID requirements. I’ve had a Real ID from 2 different states, and have had 0 issues when presenting that combination, along with my social security card for extra insurance.
You do have to specifically choose the Real ID paperwork at the DMV though, they can have different forms available for Real ID vs basic driver’s license.
It’s not sufficient in my state. They specifically need the birth certificate, passport, or equivalent proof of citizenship to match the name. Or for a marriage certificate or divorce decree to prove name change. Right now at least, court orders for other purposes than marriage or divorce are not accepted. Not sure if it’s something new, but it’s the current requirement.
Passport also requires gender match between document used for identification and the one used for citizenship proof, so I didn’t look at if that has the same name change documentation requirement. But either way, the birth certificate changes are holding up my ability to get either of them, currently.
If you don’t mind me asking, which state are you in? I’m 99% sure a court order name change certificate paired with a birth certificate should be sufficient to get a Real ID compliant ID in any state, even the ones especially hostile to trans people.
Edit: side note, I love your profile picture