Leaving the United States: Birth Certificate and Social Security

It’s official. I have everything ready, except my passport. As-such, I can write an article about these things, and what the process was like.

Updating Birth Certificate (Illinois)

This was a relatively straightforward process, albeit most likely the longest one. The process also varies significantly by state. I was born in Illinois, so this section will focus on the process for those also born in Illinois.

You will need the following (Information gathered through Illinois Department of Public Health):

1. To fill out a notarized Affidavit and Certificate of Correction Request. Even if you are not located in Illinois, it should still be possible do get it signed and notarized with a local notary public.
2. A Certified Copy of Court Order of Legal Name Change, assuming that you are updating your legal name, and not just your sex designation on your birth certificate
3. A photocopy of both sides of your Driver’s License or other Photo ID
4. $15 in either cash or a cheque, with $2 each for any additional copies

Once you have these, you will need to mail them to the address listed on the Affidavit (item 1 on the above list). You can do this from your local post office. Then, you should expect at most a 6 week wait, which is roughly how long it took for me.

As I stated before, if you were born in a state other than Illinois, you may have to go through a different process, and changing your sex designation may not be an option. For more information, I recommend checking the Advocates for Trans Equality’s documents center, which provides detailed information for each state.

Updating Name with Social Security

Unlike with the previous section, this part, being for a federal agency, does not vary depending on state, so this should apply to anyone in the US with a Social Security number.

As of the time of writing, it is not currently possible to update your sex designation with the Social Security Administration. However, it is possible to update your name, and you should, since it’s a prerequisite for updating your name for a lot of other things, such as your bank and State ID or Driver’s License. Here’s how to do it.

Firstly, you will want to fill out the form here, and begin your application online. After answering the few questions, you’ll want to click the Start application button.

Then, you will want to save a copy of the webpage after you finish. I recommend printing as a PDF.

Afterwards, you will want to gather the documents listed on that page, and head to your local Social Security office. Afterwards, you will have to wait an estimated 2 weeks to receive your new Social Security card. In my case, I was able to get a new Social Security Card in 6 days, which was a pleasant surprise. Then you can move on in the list, updating your state ID and Passport.

The (Updated) List

Finished

• Change my name and gender via court order (2 weeks)

• Update my name and gender in birth certificate (6 weeks)

• Update my name with Social Security (6 days)

To-do

• Update my ID Card
• Get a Passport
• Get my birth certificate apostilled.
• Take a “holiday” to Amsterdam (Some time around August, 2025, or as soon as all the previous entries in this list are finished)
• Fill out the application and mail it to Dutch immigration service
• Find a place to live
• Make an appointment with the city of Amsterdam to get my citizen social service number
• Book a biometrics appointment with the Dutch immigration service
• Register a business with the chamber of commerce
• Get a business bank account
• Deposit my initial investment
• Get my opening balance sheet reviewed by an external expert
• Submit all supporting documentation to the immigration service
• Wait for my application to be processed

Conclusion

It’s not too much longer until I can finally leave the United States, and I will be able to work on obtaining Dutch residency. I will keep updating this series until I have obtained Dutch residency.