Trump revokes ‘X’ gender for Canadians on Nexus cards

Canadians can no longer mark their gender as “X” on new or renewed Nexus travel cards, following a change tied to an executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Source: Reddit

Canadians can no longer mark their gender as “X” on new or renewed Nexus travel cards, following a change tied to an executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump that restricts federal recognition to only two genders: male and female.

The Canada Border Services Agency confirmed the policy update applies to all Nexus applicants, even if they hold a Canadian passport with an X designation.

Current Nexus cards issued with an X remain valid; however, all future applications must align with U.S. gender identification rules, selecting either male or female designation.

“New applicants are able to apply using a passport with the ‘X’ gender identifier; however, they will be required to select ‘male’ or ‘female’ for the purposes of their Nexus membership,” CBSA spokesperson Rebecca Purdy said in a statement.

The Nexus program is jointly administered by the CBSA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, allowing pre-approved, low-risk travellers to fast-track their travel between Canada and the United States at certain border crossings.

Nexus card holders can use exclusive lanes at border crossings, which include facial verification machines that hasten the entry process.

The CBSA said approximately 550 Nexus applications have been submitted using the X gender marker between January 2022 and March 2025.

The U.S. will continue to accept Canadian passports with the X marker for general travel; the bilateral nature of the Nexus program means eligibility criteria must satisfy the requirements of both governments.

The CBSA confirmed its policy change following Trump’s executive order.

Internal emails obtained through an access-to-information request by researcher Ken Rubin show Global Affairs Canada officials discussed whether to issue a travel advisory in response to the change. However, Canada’s current travel advisory for the U.S. does not mention the Nexus program’s gender policy.

A Nexus card is valid for five years and can be used in lieu of a passport for express entry at certain border crossings.