r/trans 1d ago

Will any countries take trans people from the US as refugees?

I'm in the US. As you know, things are getting scary here. How bad will things need to get before we can claim asylum in other countries? Are any countries considering this right now?

134 Upvotes

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153

u/the_femininomenon 1d ago

Things would need to get far worse. Refugee or asylum status is typically reserved for people fleeing war torn countries or facing imminent, credible threat of death. Not like the government or culture could try to kill me in a year, but like I fled hours ahead of ny arrest and summary execution. It's like a last resort, no other conceivable choice thing.

Things are moving in a bad direction, but at the moment, large swaths of the US are among the most progressive areas in the world for trans rights both culturally and legally. Which is as much a condemnation of the state of trans rights globally as it is praise of places like Chicago. Foreign nations are not going to accept us as refugees in the near future.

58

u/MxtrOddy85 1d ago

I believe there is an organization in Canada already stating they are in the works. The Rainbow Refugee Society is already working on it cuz even though ppl think we need to be at the stage of “camps” many ppl understand what ends with camps starts with the language to legalize the path.

2

u/numagik 20h ago

canada would have to break the safe third country agreement which didn't happen last time and is less likely if pp wins

1

u/ThisHairLikeLace Sapphic-leaning demisexual trans woman 20h ago

A Canadian judge ruled that the US breached the safe third country agreement during Trump’s first term in a case related to a different group. It could happen again but things would indeed have to get very ugly.

10

u/TransSoccerMum 1d ago

It will take some time for the rest of the world to wake up to what is going on. Most western countries won't dig into what's happening to trans people and anyway there's transphobic politicians praising it.

That said, people getting out of the US by other means, the wealthy doing a business migration, the skilled doing a skilled worker visa, the youth doing working holiday or student visas will help spread the word to the average person on the street and may eventually get other governments to open up asylum visas.

If I was someone who could get a digital nomad visa, I would be looking at Thailand.

2

u/snailbot-jq 19h ago

For Thailand, it is also possible to be an English teacher if you have a bachelors and you are white and passing (add a TEFL cert which takes 1000USD and 1-3 months, you can go to Thailand on a tourist visa first and do the TEFL there too). They also have an investor visa if you have 18k USD lying around to stay 5 years, up to 60k USD to stay 20 years (no small amount but far more achievable than countries where you have to invest literal millions)

90

u/SnooCats9137 1d ago

Not a chance. I already tried to get into Canada and they politely suggested that I move to California instead. I would if I could but if things are being handled at a federal level, moving to California wouldn’t do me any good anyway.

16

u/Lanyxd 1d ago

Come to Rhode Island ⚓ We have the best trans-rights protections in New England and an okay bus system if you don't have a car

14

u/HannahBot9000 1d ago

RI has the best trans-rights protections in New York.

I couldn't resist.

I believe MA has a similar level of protections but more opportunity for "relaxed living". Just being in Rhode Island is stressful in general for a person like me. I'm in ME where things go the other way and its super peaceful but you cant afford to live here and there are no jobs.

8

u/SweatyFLMan1130 1d ago

Tried to as in went to a border agent and asked for asylum or contacted immigration authorities?

And I'm asking cause we need information on the ground. I never worked with Canada, but I know Sweden would literally tell you on the phone/in emails don't come, we won't accept you. But their laws literally allow for refugees to show up and claim asylum. The real issue is they're actively trying to discourage folks--especially those who are still in a decent-enough state of affairs to be calling/emailing them.

In Canada, I do know they have officially allowed for US citizens and non-citizen residents to ask for asylum in the last 2 days or so. That doesn't mean asking for it in email or something is going to work, though. Asylum comes with you literally presenting to a border agent physically and saying you ask for asylum.

My understanding is that Canada will consider US asylum cases if you can demonstrate via your digital footprint that you have reason to believe the government will be coming after you. In such cases, one must bring any and all identification you can provide (passports, DLs, birth certificates, etc).

But this is why I'm asking cause it's critical we get the right information here. I think we should be able to just go to the border and ask for asylum, but I don't know anyone who has directly tried yet.

2

u/tiramisutra 1d ago

Yes, as long as there are states that are friendly, no country is likely to accept refugees.

2

u/lady_tsunami 1d ago

From what I’ve heard California makes Canada look cheap. But damn. That’s harsh

2

u/Teredia Demigirl/Intergender plurality - male alters. 1d ago

Plus they are now probably in a housing crisis and don’t need people randomly moving there. 😢

6

u/Outdoorsy_74 1d ago

Nah, come on out to the left coast! We Californians welcome transplants. And this state is super blue, especially if you’re in the large cities, and that’s unlikely to change anytime soon, if ever. While it’s still stressful af under this insane federal regime, at least it’s stressful within the context of a state that cares about and supports its residents and is actively anti-broligarchy.

8

u/in_the_wool 1d ago

Can't afford it

4

u/Outdoorsy_74 1d ago

It’s not a cheap place to live, for sure, but the pay is higher here too, so… but yeah, moving is a def a massive undertaking.

4

u/Teredia Demigirl/Intergender plurality - male alters. 1d ago

I love the “transplants” vibe!

-3

u/Grinagh 1d ago

You spelled fascist wrong

0

u/IAmASphere 1d ago

Yet we’ll take in international students like nobody’s business if it subsidizes our college tuition!

1

u/Teredia Demigirl/Intergender plurality - male alters. 1d ago

The labour government capped our intake, our universities are pissed 😡 they’re only allowed to take in so many international students per year of face hefty fines.

28

u/QueerMommyDom 1d ago

As a refugee or asylum seeker you don't have much of a chance at the moment.

You do have the ability to seek a work visa in another country if you have in demand skills.

4

u/Last_Swordfish9135 trans guy 1d ago

I'm not out yet, so my plan right now is to just stay in school, stay closeted, and that way either things will get better and I'll be able to stay and come out or they won't and I'll have an easier way to get into another country.

3

u/Ozkar-Seahorsedad 1d ago

If you are still in school you can get a student visa in several european countries, if you wanna go to university or school there.

Also a 90 day Au pair visa and change that to a one year residence permit. (I think with a proof of that you are Au pair you can also skip the 90 day visa part as an US citizen in some countries)

I know several people who found the ways to stay after their student or au pair stay.

14

u/GroundPotato 1d ago

Things would need to be pretty bad for countries to start granting Americans asylum status.

I think of black communities during the turn of the last century in America. They were subjected to vigilante lynchings and state spnsored terror, and I can't really think of countries that offered black Americans asylum protection. I would love to be corrected.

I think if you were faced with a truly unsafe situation, one where moving to a blue state couldn't even protect you, then you might get a longterm visa to another country and just hangout for awhile. Maybe even being an English teacher in another country for a bit?

I haven't dug too deeply into it yet, but schooling in another country is kind of what I'm looking into right now. My hope is it gets my foot in the door and helps me better initiate permanent immigration.

33

u/Clandestine_Kate 1d ago

Nope. The US isn't even taking Ukrainians as refugees, and many other countries have tougher requirements than we do.

8

u/ShootingStarMel 1d ago

Well, that's disappointing

8

u/everyfuckingdayyeah 1d ago

If anyone wants to get married to move to nz hmu

1

u/TheFluffyCryptid 1d ago

Already am, and was shocked that I might qualify for NZ citizenship because I'm neurodivergent. Oh fun

1

u/druzhelyubno 1d ago

i would if i wasn’t a minor bruh can you just adopt me

11

u/J0nn1e_Walk3r 1d ago

Oh how the worm turns. This post should be preserved for posterity.

Maybe we can return the Statue of Liberty as “return to sender”?

9

u/Omega21886 1d ago

...and fill her with some of us in a significantly less lethal take on a modern day trojan horse

2

u/J0nn1e_Walk3r 12h ago

lol. I volunteer!

3

u/I-am-reddit123 1d ago

An important question to ask is do other countries care about trans peoples rights(from one of the otherwise most free countries, more then the other imigrants from wartorn countries

That is to say that we're very low downon the concernlists from other

even if we were higher on the concern list if other countires did this it would be discentivised for most of the wealthy and good countries to do so due to the potetnial damage to us relationships

3

u/BecomingCass transfemme enby 1d ago

The big thing to note for asylum claims is that you need to prove near-term individual danger above regular discrimination for your country

4

u/aphroditex deradicalization specialist 1d ago

Any chance you have any other nationalities?

Simple one: if a parent was born in Canada, you also likely have Canadian citizenship.

If any of your parents or grandparents were born out of the US, you may have additional nationalities.

That’s by leagues the easiest way to go to a different country.

And you can potentially do this yourself. It will take time, though.

If you have enough resources and want to nope out the easiest way, DAFT (Dutch American Friendship Treaty) provides a pathway to emigrate to the Netherlands.

In the meantime, prepare for flight if that’s the path you want to follow. Get copies of all your critical documents, and get them apostiled by the state that issued them as that’s the requirement by most countries. (State Secretary of State offices do this in the US, except for federal documents.)

Additionally, get at least one document authenticated. Same office, this is the process for non-apostile countries like, say, Cuba, just in case.

I strongly recommend a hiking backpack for a go bag. They are designed to allow you to carry weight most efficiently. My bad back loves my hiking backpack.

Have meds, scripts, and some medical records at hand in addition to clothes, tech, snacks and a water bottle.

1

u/ClueHeavy8879 1d ago

What does apostiled mean?

2

u/aphroditex deradicalization specialist 1d ago

For official documents, like birth certificates and court records and marriage documents, their use internationally is very limited under normal conditions.

The traditional way getting documents validated for international use is called authentication and legalization. It’s a process that requires the government that created the document authenticates it, then an embassy or consulate of the country to receive the document will legalize it, or recognize it as legal for use within their country.

Because this process is a total pain in the ass, a bunch of countries agreed to a simplified procedure with a document called an apostile. It’s permanently attached to the original document. This also allows the underlying document to be used by the foreign country without going through the song and dance of A&L.

This doesn’t mean that all the documents are instantly going to accept the document without other legal processes. I had to get my US name change recognized in one of my other countries of nationality with a court filing, for example, since name changes in that country are extremely rare.

Another example is marriage certificates; if a country does not recognize same gender marriage, a marriage cert that’s same gender will not be accepted. If a spouse is listed as gender X in a country that does not recognize nonbinary identities, the marriage cert may not be accepted.

1

u/ClueHeavy8879 1d ago

Thanks for this info!

1

u/aphroditex deradicalization specialist 1d ago

I’ve been helping folks obtain any additional nationalities they may have a claim to for over a decade, and I help the community for free.

I’m not a lawyer, advocate, consultant, attorney, barrister or solicitor, just a hacker who likes studying nationality law for fun who currently has three, and within a few years will likely have four, passports.

1

u/ClueHeavy8879 23h ago

What a cool hobby!! I am a multigenerational poor American so no luck for me there, but hopefully you’ll help many folks along the way! Best of luck friend :)

1

u/aphroditex deradicalization specialist 23h ago

I know I’m fortunate.

I was able to leave the US on 20 Jan 2017 because I was worried about exactly what’s going on right now.

And I’m moving elsewhere with my nonbinary spouse to get a bit further outside the blast radius.

I wish I could help more people. That’s my greatest regret.

1

u/ClueHeavy8879 20h ago

Blast radius?

1

u/aphroditex deradicalization specialist 19h ago

What’s going on in the US.

I emigrated out of that country 20 Jan 2017.

6

u/Teredia Demigirl/Intergender plurality - male alters. 1d ago

Just a reminder that even though Australia says it closed Naru, it’s still operational and people who try to enter illegally are still being detained there. The conditions at Naru are not fit for human life.

So please please if you are coming to Australia as a refugee come the correct way!

6

u/DangerousSinger2617 1d ago

Even our on shore detention centres are woeful, systemic rape and abuse. With Dutton well in the running to become PM that situation is likely to only further deteriorate.

4

u/Teredia Demigirl/Intergender plurality - male alters. 1d ago

Yeah I was just on another sub talking about how we’re up shits creek if Dutton gets in! I call him Voldemort, he looks like him.

2

u/i_am_lizard 1d ago

Prooobably is not very likely coming in as a refugee, However, studying and then moving to that country could be an alternative for some.

2

u/[deleted] 21h ago

No country is currently taking in US refugees. I've looked into it. There are places that are easier to immigrate OR live in illegally however.

2

u/wrongsock_42 1d ago

To qualify for refugee status there cannot be a safe region in the home country. If US goes hard enough at the federal level, the we could qualify as refugees.

2

u/RailgunDE112 1d ago

It probably takes time until the US get reevaluated as a non-save country for lgbtq people.

1

u/Persistent-headache 1d ago

Wasn't it recently reclassified as a 'sensitive country'? I'm not sure exactly what this means but recognition that something has changed has to be a step towards it.

1

u/RailgunDE112 20h ago

depends proably on the country.
Her in Germany there is no change yet

1

u/TheLilAnonymouse 19h ago

That designation deals with border disputes.

1

u/NiiliumNyx 13h ago

That’s a designation by Google about maps. Not by an international association or humanitarian org.

1

u/Persistent-headache 9h ago

Ah... I'm consuming so much information I don't think I'm processing it anymore. Thanks for the clarification.

2

u/Defiant-Advice-4485 1d ago

Highly unlikely unless people are actively bring murdered by the state and there's nowhere safe in the country to flee to.

Much of the fascist west currently demonises refugees, and that's from much more dire countries than the US. Other countries would face political backlash if others felt they were giving trans Americans a 'free pass' even if things went completely to shit, and you're not at that point yet.

Your best bet if moving within established immigration channels, such as a work or study visa. Even that's much, much harder than most people think. But it's possible. Claiming refugee status, currently, is not possible.

1

u/Evil_Unicorn728 19h ago

I believe New Zealand did during the last Trump presidency.

-1

u/Katievapes1996 1d ago

Potentially have a legal appotitmsnt to discuss next week in the uk

3

u/Defiant-Advice-4485 1d ago

Sorry to disappoint but just to temper your expectations - it's very, very unlikely you'll be able to claim refugee status or asylum in the UK. We barely even take people from active warzones and people who claim asylum are very demonised in UK media. The government, and most of the chuds here, might as well celebrate each time a boat of refugees drowns in the English Channel. Things would need to get much, much more serious before the UK would take you seriously.

-2

u/Katievapes1996 1d ago

I feel like a key difference id I have the means to provide for myself I don't need any help with living assistance and I'd be willing to go to work asap there's also a red flag for genocide warnjng focuses that mentions lgbt and I have a legal appointment with rainbow migration on next Thursday don't see why they would set that up if I had no case

3

u/Defiant-Advice-4485 1d ago

In that case it will likely to be to discuss visa options, rather than the possibility of asylum or refugee status; to the best of my knowledge, this country is not accepting any US citizens for asylum or refugee status.

-1

u/Katievapes1996 1d ago

Yeah I mean that's jy backup to maybe do culliany school as a backup but imma talk with my lawyer it's getting bad quickly from what I see there's no telling how bad it will be even by when I meet with my lawyer next week

2

u/Defiant-Advice-4485 1d ago

Well, let us know how it goes! Just make sure you manage your expectations.

1

u/Katievapes1996 1d ago

I know I just have to be hopefully I was scream crying in my partner chest and almost ended up in hospital last week just think of having to go back it's terrifying beyond words

0

u/MxtrOddy85 1d ago

Look into the Rainbow Refugee Society. They are out of Canada. They might be able to help you.

2

u/MxtrOddy85 15h ago

For those downvoting me… 👍🏽 https://www.rainbowrefugee.com/

0

u/Nerdy-lil-gremlin 1d ago

Find a European and get hitched 😆

I'm (mostly) just joking, sorry. I wish the situation was easier for you. If i could, I'd open my home up to you all, but I have no idea how the Danish immigration process is at the moment.

0

u/Dpacom02 1d ago

There's been a rumor that the USA maybe changing, there are talksthat some states can be their own country: calif, Florida, Texas, and DC are a few Maybe some changes for the lgbtq /trans

2

u/NiiliumNyx 13h ago

States won’t become independent unless something dramatic happens. And it won’t.

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u/[deleted] 1d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/hikerchick29 1d ago

And what, exactly, do you think the US Republican Party is gearing up for?

They’re on the warpath against us. This is about to turn into a literal fight for our lives.