"Update!" Program
Updating Legal Name,
Gender Marker, and
Legal Documents
About this Program
Our “Update!” program is here to assist Trans and Nonbinary people with updating their names, gender markers, and legal documents! Currently, we offer start-to-finish assistance for legal Name Changes and on-demand assistance with legal document updates (like Social Security, Drivers License, State ID, Birth Certificate, and Passport).
We provide guidance, advocacy, legal assistance, and financial support (if needed). These programs are provided in-office or virtually, and support is on a “first come, first serve” basis.
Eligibility
To be eligible, you must:
- Be a Trans or Nonbinary person.
(Parents or guardians of a Trans or Nonbinary minor, or someone assisting a Trans or Nonbinary person, may fill out this application on their behalf.) - Live in KENT COUNTY, MI.
Applicant info will be kept confidential.
Name Change Assistance
We generally recommend you start here.
For Name Changes, you will need to have lived in Kent County for one year or longer, in order to submit your paperwork to the court.
***PLEASE READ: As of April 1, 2025, new amendments to MI law (MCL 711.1.amended, 711.3.amended) will make changing your name easier, cheaper, and safer. Fingerprinting and background check are no longer required for anyone, publication will no longer be required for Trans people, and a court hearing may also be bypassed (at the Judge’s discretion).
If you are looking to navigate this process solo, please refer to our Kent County (MI) instruction guides linked below.
However, if you need more in-depth guidance, assistance with paperwork, and/or financial aid, please 1) fill out the intake form below, and then 2) sign up for a mini-workshop (linked at the end of the intake form).
Legal Document Updates
If you have completed updating your name (or are not planning on doing so), you may move onto updating and/or securing your legal documents.
If you are looking to navigate these solo, we’ve linked our guide below. This includes guidance for:
- Social Security Card
- MI Drivers License / ID
- MI Birth Certificate
- Passport (new or renewal)
- Checklist of other places to update your name and gender marker
However, if you need more in-depth guidance, assistance with paperwork, and/or financial assistance, please 1) fill out the intake form below, and then 2) attend a Passport or Legal Doc walk-in day, hosted on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of every month from 1-5pm. See our calendar for more specifics.
Please direct any questions or concerns to <Update@GRTransFoundation.org>.
SPONSORS FOR "UPDATE!" PROGRAM
Mikita Kruse
Law Center
