Transgender, intersex and gender diverse Victorians will no longer be forced to divorce if one partner wishes to change the sex on their birth certificate under a new bill.
The Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Amendment Bill 2016 is to be introduced in parliament on Thursday.
The amendments would remove the need for applicants to undergo sex affirmation surgery before being able to apply for a new birth certificate.
It would also stop the forced divorce of married couples when one partner applies to amend their birth certificate.
"Nobody should be forced to undergo major surgery or choose between maintaining a legal relationship with their spouse just to get a birth certificate that reflects who they are," Attorney General Martin Pakula said in a statement.
Under the changes, an applicant will be able to nominate the sex descriptor in their birth registration as male, female or specify a gender diverse or non-binary descriptor.
Parents and guardians will be able to apply to alter the sex recorded on their child's birth registration with the child's consent.
Applications for children must have a supporting statement from a doctor or registered psychologist confirming the child has the capacity to consent and that the change is their best interests.
Children over the age of 16 will be assumed to have capacity to consent.
The amendments were a Labor election promise.
