外国人在中国 / Foreigners in China
This article describes the process for foreigners in China.
Change your legal gender
In China, your legal gender is determined by the gender that is on your passport. To update derivative records, such as your residence permit or ID card, you will need to first contact the embassy or consulate of the country you are a national of. Then, you can update your Chinese records.
Every embassy will have different rules, however, you should expect that the laws of your home country will determine what rights you have as a transgender person.
Once your gender is updated on your passport, the relevant authorities should recognize your new gender on your passport. Each institution will have a different process for doing this. Some institutions may have more friction than others.
Below is the level of gatekeeping across different countries:
Blue: allows gender self-identification
Green: legal process required
Yellow: SRS surgery required
Red: no gender change
Note: Despite what is shown in the picture, the United States does not allow gender identification on passports, regardless of the state you were born in. You must use your "biological" sex at birth. This information is current as of April 2026.
You may be able to do this process remotely, or you may need to return to your home country first. In certain situations, you may also need to hire a lawyer in your home country. When you are given a replacement passport, the embassy or consulate will usually issue a linkage letter or endorsement linking your old passport to your new passport.
X Gender Marker
Some countries issue passports with an X gender marker. Pursuant to ICAO regulations, this is valid. However, China generally does not recognize a third gender. If you are intersex or non-binary, you will generally need to select a binary gender, but some institutions may also allow you to select X as a gender.
Discrimination
Generally, China does not discriminate against transgender people. However, you may be detained, harassed, or arrested in the border control of other countries if the sex marker on your passport does not match your actual appearance. Some countries may impose punishments up to the death penalty for those who are caught being transgender. If you choose to travel outside of China, this is at your own risk. However, you will be safe in China.
Gender Segregated Institutions
Gender segregated institutions in China use your legal gender. If you live in a country that does not allow you to update your legal gender, it would be best to avoid these. You may be able to ask for accommodations if you are unable to update your legal gender, but this is not guaranteed.
If you participate in an institution for males while presenting as a female, you may run into trouble. So, it is best to avoid this.
Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan
These regions of China have different processes, so you will need to contact the local authorities to determine how to change your gender.
Medical Treatment
Once your legal gender is changed, you can see the process on the Chinese language sections for further information. These do not have English translations at the moment.
China generally follows the transmedicalism model of transgender healthcare. However, restrictions have been lifted over time. The model of transgender healthcare used in China is heavily adapted from WPATH Version 6, published in February 2001. Additional requirements have been added, such as a requirement for consent from family members before SRS surgery can begin.
The gatekeeping requirements were mostly removed in WPATH Version 8 from September 2022. However, China has kept most of the requirements from WPATH Version 6 as of this current time. It is possible that China may remove gatekeeping requirements in the future to match WPATH 8.