CBP passenger-data systems reject X markers; airlines required to transmit M/F only

Guidance/memoCBP

Date
Actor
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (DHS)
Agency
Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
Type
Guidance/memo
Section
IDENTITY DOCUMENTS AND FEDERAL WORKFORCE

Summary

Per reporting, in September 2025 CBP's Advance Passenger Information System stopped accepting passenger records transmitted with a nonbinary ("X") sex value, and as of October 14, 2025 airlines are required to submit "M" or "F" in the sex field for international itineraries — forcing travelers holding valid X-marker passports (U.S. or foreign) to book under a binary marker that does not match their travel document, creating document-mismatch risk at check-in and border inspection. (See also section 7.)

Status

In effect per Lambda Legal's 2026 identity-document guidance; no litigation identified.

As recorded in the data of . Check the sources for anything newer.

Sources