Amsterdam will cover cost of changing one's gender on documents

The benefit will last until the Dutch parliament adopts the transgender law

Currently, debates on the Transgender Act have been suspended in the Dutch parliament. However, the City of Amsterdam has decided to show its unequivocal support to trans, non-binary and intersex people by announcing that until the law is adopted, the city’s residents will be able to change the gender on their birth certificate and Basic Registration of Persons (BRP) free of charge.

The Amsterdam authorities have made a statement that taking that step is important because having an ID that reflects your identity is essential to protecting equal rights and a sense of inclusivity in modern society.

The city will reimburse administrative costs

The city promises to reimburse the costs incurred by residents who have decided to change their gender on their birth certificates and BRPs. This applies to both the change from 'man' to 'woman' and from 'woman' to 'man'.

What’s more, the local government will also reimburse (part of) the costs of a new passport, identity card or driver's license. Applying to have an ‘X’ as a gender in one’s passport for non-binary people requires going through court.

In order to finance this measure, Amsterdam City Hall has set aside 60,000 euros until 2026.

The amount of compensation can be no more than 550 euros per person, including costs for new passport photos, expert statements and legal assessments.

Requesting a change of gender on one’s birth certificate or BRP can actually be done online at the municipal website. The only condition is that the applicant is 16 years or older of age. Applying for reimbursement is only possible for registered residents of Amsterdam.