EU countries alert trans travelers heading to the US
Transgender and nonbinary individuals have been advised to reach out to their local US embassy prior to traveling to the United States. Countries such as Finland, Denmark, and Germany have issued warnings regarding travel to the US for transgender...
TroibNews 
Transgender and nonbinary individuals have been advised to reach out to their local US embassy prior to traveling to the United States.
Countries such as Finland, Denmark, and Germany have issued warnings regarding travel to the US for transgender and nonbinary individuals following a policy established by President Donald Trump, which recognizes only two sexes.
Since taking office, Trump has enacted several orders reinforcing this policy and has instructed the US Health Department to clarify definitions based on sex. The new directive defines sex as an immutable biological characteristic, stating that individuals must be classified strictly as either male or female.
An update on the Danish Foreign Ministry’s US travel page released on Thursday suggests that transgender individuals should contact the US embassy in Copenhagen before their trip.
“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 states.
This update from Denmark follows a similar advisory from Finland a week earlier. Although it does not directly reference Trump’s executive order, the advisory notes that “there are two gender designations to choose from: male or female” when applying for a visa or Electronic System for Travel Authorization approval.
The German Federal Foreign Office has also updated its travel guidance, warning that US visa and ESTA applications require applicants to select either “male” or “female.” They further advised individuals whose gender is marked X or who have a gender different from that assigned at birth to consult American authorities regarding entry requirements before traveling.
The advisory arrives at a time when the US State Department has paused a policy that allowed transgender, nonbinary, and intersex Americans to update the sex designations on their passports. Previously, passport holders had the option to self-identify their sex, including the choice of the letter X to indicate an unspecified gender.
In recent years, the US had moved toward more inclusive gender identity standards, including replacing terms like ‘mother’ and ‘father’ with ‘parent one’ and ‘parent two,’ and providing protections for transgender rights and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives under the administration of former US President Joe Biden. Last year, the Vermont Department of Health even encouraged the use of gender-neutral terminology such as ‘child’ or ‘kid’ in place of ‘son’ or ‘daughter’ to foster inclusivity.
However, since taking office, Trump has rolled back many protections for transgender rights and terminated federal support for medical procedures related to sex reassignment for minors, citing a need to protect them from “chemical and surgical mutilations.”
Through a series of executive orders, Trump has also prohibited “radical gender ideology” within the military and has barred trans women from competing in female sports. Plans are underway to prevent transgender athletes from participating in US-hosted events, including the 2028 Olympics and World Cup.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
Countries such as Finland, Denmark, and Germany have issued warnings regarding travel to the US for transgender and nonbinary individuals following a policy established by President Donald Trump, which recognizes only two sexes.
Since taking office, Trump has enacted several orders reinforcing this policy and has instructed the US Health Department to clarify definitions based on sex. The new directive defines sex as an immutable biological characteristic, stating that individuals must be classified strictly as either male or female.
An update on the Danish Foreign Ministry’s US travel page released on Thursday suggests that transgender individuals should contact the US embassy in Copenhagen before their trip.
“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 states.
This update from Denmark follows a similar advisory from Finland a week earlier. Although it does not directly reference Trump’s executive order, the advisory notes that “there are two gender designations to choose from: male or female” when applying for a visa or Electronic System for Travel Authorization approval.
The German Federal Foreign Office has also updated its travel guidance, warning that US visa and ESTA applications require applicants to select either “male” or “female.” They further advised individuals whose gender is marked X or who have a gender different from that assigned at birth to consult American authorities regarding entry requirements before traveling.
The advisory arrives at a time when the US State Department has paused a policy that allowed transgender, nonbinary, and intersex Americans to update the sex designations on their passports. Previously, passport holders had the option to self-identify their sex, including the choice of the letter X to indicate an unspecified gender.
In recent years, the US had moved toward more inclusive gender identity standards, including replacing terms like ‘mother’ and ‘father’ with ‘parent one’ and ‘parent two,’ and providing protections for transgender rights and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives under the administration of former US President Joe Biden. Last year, the Vermont Department of Health even encouraged the use of gender-neutral terminology such as ‘child’ or ‘kid’ in place of ‘son’ or ‘daughter’ to foster inclusivity.
However, since taking office, Trump has rolled back many protections for transgender rights and terminated federal support for medical procedures related to sex reassignment for minors, citing a need to protect them from “chemical and surgical mutilations.”
Through a series of executive orders, Trump has also prohibited “radical gender ideology” within the military and has barred trans women from competing in female sports. Plans are underway to prevent transgender athletes from participating in US-hosted events, including the 2028 Olympics and World Cup.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
