Following similar actions by Germany, Denmark, and Finland, three additional European countries have now issued updated travel advisories for citizens travelling to the United States. The directories are specifically target LGBTQI+ individuals as the Trump administration has changed its policy for sexual minorities.
As of 20 January 2025, the Trump administration has enacted a decree stating that the US government will henceforth only recognise the gender assigned to a person at birth. This means individuals can no longer declare a different gender or select ‘X’ to indicate a non-binary identity.
Previously, Germany and Finland had already warned their citizens that those identifying as non-binary or those who have changed gender since their birth may face difficulties when trying to enter the United States. Denmark went even further, stating transgender people could be barred from entering the U.S. Now, three other European countries have adapted their travel advisories for LGBTQI+ people specifically.
Trump says they're only 2 genders, male and female … and idiots still wonder why he is loved worldwide by anyone with common sense pic.twitter.com/dMQ7uo9DIu
— 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒂𝒍𝒕 𝑶𝒇 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑬𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒉 (@Shadaya_Knight) January 21, 2025
France
France has updated its travel advisory for individuals travelling to the United States. It now specifies that applicants are required to state their “gender assigned at birth” when completing visa or ESTA applications. Additionally, potential visitors are strongly advised to regularly consult the website of the US Embassy in Paris for updates or new measures that may be introduced.
Belgium
Belgium’s foreign ministry and its diplomatic missions in the United States are continuously monitoring the situation. Currently, the advisory notes varying attitudes towards LGBTQI+ people across the US and refers travellers to the Human Rights Campaign for further information.
However, an update is in progress, according to the Belgian news agency Belga. It highlights “tightened border controls” and increasing challenges faced by transgender individuals specifically, and the LGBTQI+ community more broadly. The revised advisory is expected to include details on the legal status of LGBTQI+ rights across different US states, including marriage equality, anti-discrimination laws, and levels of social acceptance in both urban and rural areas.
The Netherlands
While the Dutch travel advisory for LGBTQI+ individuals previously stated that laws in the United States were comparable to those in the Netherlands, that guidance has now changed. The current travel advice reads:
“US authorities only accept an M or F (male or female) as a gender statement. This was determined by the US government on 20 January 2025.”
Furthermore, Dutch authorities note that US laws and customs regarding LGBTQI+ people may differ significantly from those in the Netherlands.
