Ireland has joined the UK, Germany, Denmark, and Finland in updating its travel advisory for citizens visiting the United States. The updates warn transgender travelers that U.S. ESTA and visa applications require the biological sex assigned at birth, advising those with differing gender markers on their passports to contact the U.S. Embassy. This follows a series of executive orders by President Trump restricting transgender rights. Several other European nations are also expected to issue similar travel advisories. Failure to comply with U.S. entry requirements may lead to detention.
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Following suit with Germany, France, Finland, Denmark, the UK, and Canada, the Netherlands and Belgium are updating their travel advisories for LGBTQ+ citizens visiting the United States. The Netherlands’ updated advisory notes discrepancies between U.S. and Dutch LGBTQ+ laws and customs, while Belgium’s forthcoming advisory will address tightened border controls and varying regional acceptance levels. These changes highlight concerns regarding stricter U.S. entry requirements, including gender declaration mandates, potentially leading to arrest or detention for non-compliance. The advisories underscore the evolving challenges faced by LGBTQ+ travelers in the U.S.
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Following similar advisories from Germany and Finland, the Danish foreign ministry updated its U.S. travel guidance for transgender individuals. The updated advisory recommends that transgender people, particularly those with a gender designation of “X” in their passport or those who have changed their gender, contact the U.S. Embassy before traveling to the U.S. This recommendation stems from the U.S. government’s restrictive policies on gender markers in travel documents and its binary definition of sex. The change comes after the U.S. stopped issuing passports with an “X” gender marker and prevented gender changes on existing passports. This action could lead to entry denials for transgender travelers.
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John Q. Hosedrinker