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Several European countries and Canada have alerted their citizens about tightened restrictions for travellers entering the United States, warning they risk arrest if caught breaching new requirements under President Donald Trump.
Among the measures, travellers who have changed sex or identified themselves as non-binary with an X on their passports could face detention or expulsion under the White House’s policy of recognising only two sexes, sealed by a decree on January 20.
Here is a roundup of the new advice issued by six countries in rare updates to their US travel guidance.
– Britain: arrest warning –
Britain’s Foreign Office recently updated its US-bound travel advice to read: “The authorities in the US set and enforce entry rules strictly. You may be liable to arrest or detention if you break the rules.”
The warning followed reports that a British tourist had been detained at the US-Canada border.
– Canada: shorter stays –
Canadians were previously allowed to stay up to six months permit-free in the United States but Ottawa warned on March 21 that this has been shortened.
“Canadians and other foreign nationals visiting the United States for periods longer than 30 days must be registered with the United States government,” it wrote in an update to its travel guidance.
“Failure to comply with the registration requirement could result in penalties, fines, and misdemeanor prosecution.”
– Denmark, Finland: gender issue –
Denmark’s foreign ministry explicitly warned travellers in an update on March 21 that trans or binary travellers risked difficulties when travelling to the United States.
“If you have given X as your gender on your passport or if you have changed sex, you are recommended to contact the US embassy before travelling to confirm what rules apply,” the ministry told AFP.
Finland warned travellers that they could see their visa or travel request refused if the sexual designation on their passport did not match their sex at birth.
– France: seek advice –
France’s foreign ministry published updated its guidance on Tuesday, urging travellers to monitor advisories by the US embassy and ask their airlines about changes to entry requirements.
For US visas and visa-waiver certificates, it told them to “note that a section has been added that requires you to indicate your sex at birth” under the January decree.
– Germany: follow immigration rules –
Germany issued new guidance after US immigration authorities detained several of its nationals trying to enter the United States.
“A criminal record in the United States, false statements on the reason for visiting, or exceeding even slightly the permitted length of stay can lead to arrest, detention and expulsion when entering or leaving the country,” it said.
It also advised travellers whose gender is marked as X, or who have a different sex on their passport from that assigned at birth, to contact US authorities in Germany before travelling.
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