Nexus card applicants in Canada are no longer allowed to select an 'X' non-binary gender marker option.
The application process for Nexus travel cards, which are designed to speed up border crossings between Canada and the United States, has undergone a change due to an executive order issued by U.S. President Donald Trump in early 2025. This order mandates that the American government only recognises binary gender markers, male or female [1][2].
As a result, Canadians applying for or renewing Nexus cards must select either "male" or "female" for their Nexus membership, even if their Canadian passport shows an "X" gender designation [1][2]. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has confirmed this change, stating that the Nexus program is jointly managed with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, but the application system runs on U.S. federal infrastructure, which enforces this binary-gender-only policy [1][2].
Existing Nexus cards with an "X" marker remain valid until they expire, but new or renewal applications require selecting a binary gender option [1][2]. Canada continues to recognise the "X" gender identifier on passports, but cannot guarantee that other countries will, especially under the current U.S. policy, which impacts entry and transit [1][2].
Canadian officials have discussed issuing travel advisories concerning this change but have not yet done so [1][2]. The policy shift has raised concerns among LGBTQ2S+ advocates and immigration experts regarding compatibility with Canadian human rights protections [2].
It is essential to note that the validity of current Nexus cards is not affected by the change in gender marker recognition [1][2]. Nexus cards identifying current members by a gender other than "male" or "female" will remain valid [1][2]. The Nexus memberships are valid for five years.
This report was first published on Aug. 6, 2025, by The Canadian Press, authored by Catherine Morrison [1].
[1] - https://www.thecanadianpress.com/business/travel/nexus-travel-card-application-process-no-longer-allows-x-gender-marker-due-to-us-executive-order-2668349 [2] - https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trump-executive-order-nexus-passports-gender-1.5652776
- The policy change for Nexus travel cards, rooted in U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order in early 2025, has sparked discussions among Canadian officials regarding potential travel advisories due to the restriction of gender markers to only "male" or "female" for Nexus card applications, a change that contradicts Canadian passports' recognition of the "X" gender designation.
- The ongoing policy-and-legislation controversy surrounding the new Nexus card application process, which mandates binary gender markers, has raised concerns among LGBTQ2S+ advocates and experts in politics and general-news domains, questioning its compatibility with Canadian human rights protections.
