Several European countries have adjusted travel guidelines for citizens seeking to enter the U.S. as the Trump administration has implemented several rollbacks on transgender rights.
The big picture: Finland, Denmark and Germany urged cautionary planning for trans and nonbinary travelers seeking to enter the U.S. following an executive order requiring the federal government to recognize only two sexes: male and female.
- The advisory changes come as citizens from several European countries and beyond have been detained by U.S. immigration authorities over issues with travel visas.
Driving the news: “If your passport has the gender designation X or you have changed gender, it is recommended to contact the US embassy prior to travel for guidance on how to proceed,” the Danish foreign ministry’s page, updated Thursday, now reads.
- It makes no specific mention of Trump’s executive order but notes that there are “there are two gender designations to choose from: male or female” when applying for a visa or Electronic System for Travel Authorization approval.
- The change on Denmark’s travel page came around one week after Finland made a similar update, the Hill reported.
- “If the gender listed on the applicant’s passport does not match the gender assigned at birth, the US authorities may deny the application for a travel permit or visa,” the Finnish page reads, citing Trump’s order.
The German Federal Foreign Office also notes on its updated page that travelers to the U.S. must state “either ‘male’ or ‘female’ on ESTA or visa applications.”
- It advises travelers with the gender marker “X” or those whose gender does not reflect the one assigned to them at birth to check with U.S. authorities about entry requirements before entering the country.
Context: Trump’s Jan. 20 executive order directed the secretaries of State and Homeland Security to implement requirements that U.S. government-issued IDs like, passports and visas, “accurately reflect the holder’s sex,” which the administration says is “not changeable.”
- Hunter Schafer, one of the stars of “Euphoria” and a trans actress, revealed last month that her new passport had been issued with a male gender marker.
- Her case represents just one in hundreds of thousands of trans and nonbinary Americans who could be impacted by the order.
Zoom out: The Trump administration has made rolling back rights for transgender Americans a key priority of its early days in office, targeting military service, gender-affirming care, sports participation, federal recognition and other aspects of everyday life.
- References to trans Americans — and other minority groups — have been wiped across federal websites.
- However, many of the administration’s measures have hit legal barriers in court.
Catch up quick: The United Kingdom and Germany also adjusted their guidelines this month to emphasize the importance of compliance with U.S. customs and immigration laws.
- The U.K. government’s “foreign travel advice” page for the U.S. warns travelers to “comply with all entry, visa and other conditions of entry.”
- It continues, “The authorities in the U.S. set and enforce entry rules strictly. You may be liable to arrest or detention if you break the rules.”
- The German page stresses that visas and entry waivers do not guarantee entry to the U.S. and that the final decision regarding entry is made by US border officials.
Zoom in: Rebecca Burke, a British artist from Wales, was reportedly detained in late February after trying to cross into Canada.
- She was held in a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) center for 19 days, the BBC reported, before being reunited with her family in mid-March.
- At least three Germans have also been detained.
Flashback: The U.S. has been the subject of international travel warnings in recent history, though those followed mass shootings and were tied to the threat of gun violence.
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