Cooler but still well above normal this week

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

Some European countries, as well as Canada, are warning their citizens who travel to the United States to strictly follow the country's entry rules or risk detention as the Trump administration cracks down on immigration enforcement.

Denmark, the United Kingdom, Germany, Finland and Canada have revised their guidelines at a time when some travelers from these countries have been detained by immigration officials. 

Here is what to know about the advisories.

Why are these countries issuing warnings?

The heightened advisories come after citizens from European countries have been detained and deported by immigration officials while traveling to the United States. Some of the warnings also note that the State Department has also suspended its policy allowing transgender, intersex and nonbinary people to update the sex field on their passports — 

"We will enforce visa rules and other conditions of entry," a State Department spokesperson told NPR on Saturday. "Prohibiting travel into the United States by those who might pose a threat or violate conditions of their visa is key to protecting the American people." 

On Friday, Germany's Foreign Office adjusted its travel advisory after several of its citizens were reportedly arrested and detained by immigration authorities while entering the U.S., 

. The country is warning citizens that entering the U.S. through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) or a visa does not guarantee the right to enter the country.

 says that, because U.S. border officials have the final authority to make decisions about whether someone can enter the country, there's nothing that the German government can do to reverse a denial of entry. It recommends that travelers be able to provide proof of their return trip home, such as a plane ticket.

A German official on Saturday told NPR the country's consulates general are aware of cases of citizens being detained and are in contact with their families as well as U.S. officials.

The United Kingdom is also warning its residents to comply with all entry rules or they "may be liable to arrest or detention." The move comes after a tourist from the U.K. was 

 arrested and detained by ICE at the U.S.-Canada border earlier this month. 

Both Denmark and Finland have updated their travel guidance regarding people's gender markers on their travel documents.

Finland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, citing 

 that the U.S. now only recognizes two sexes, male and female, says if the gender listed on an applicant's passport does not match their gender assigned at birth, their travel permit or visa application can be denied.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Denmark updated its visa guidelines on Thursday with a similar warning, telling those applying for a visa or ESTA to the U.S. that the country only allows two gender options to choose from. For travelers whose passport has an X marker or one that's different than their assigned gender at birth, the ministry recommends that they contact the U.S. embassy for further guidance.

The country also warns Danes they risk being denied entry or expelled from the U.S. if they provide false reasons for visiting, overstay their visit or have a criminal conviction in the country.

On Friday, Canada also updated its travel guidelines for entering the U.S. Canadians and foreign nationals who visit the U.S. longer than 30 days "must be registered with the United States Government," the government's website warns — and that failure to comply could lead to "penalties, fines, and misdemeanor prosecution."

NPR reached out to Finland's and Denmark's ministries of foreign affairs for additional comment but have not received a response. The British embassy in Washington, D.C., as well as the Canadian government, have also not returned requests for comment. 

In the past few years, some countries have issued travel warnings for their citizens going to the U.S. — though they were related to gun violence.

After a string of mass shootings in the U.S. in 2019, Uruguay 

 its citizens traveling to the country "to take precautions against growing indiscriminate violence, mostly for hate crimes, including racism and discrimination." Venezuela also in 2019 advised people to postpone trips or take precautions "given the proliferation of acts of violence and crimes of indiscriminate hatred."

 to be "aware of the potential for gunfire incidents everywhere in the United States, a gun society, and continue to pay close attention to safety measures."

How could this have an impact on the U.S. economy? 

It's currently unclear how or if the travel warnings will have an impact on the economy. However, economists had previously warned that tariffs imposed by Trump, including on the European Union, could strain international relations and increase costs.

In 2024, more than 13 million people visited the U.S. from western Europe alone, 

according to a report from the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration

. And at least 1.5 million people have visited so far this year, 

 from the department's National Travel and Tourism Office.

Spending by those visiting the U.S. this year could also "fall by 12.3 percent, amounting to a $22 billion annual loss," according to a 

 by travel data company Tourism Economics.

"Travel from Western Europe, which represented 37 percent of overseas travel to the US last year, is susceptible to declines as a result of both tariffs and the administration's perceived recent alignment with Russia in the war in Ukraine as sentiment towards the US is damaged," the report says.

NPR's Scott Neuman contributed to this report.

Politics and Government News

Homepage

International

Chandelis Duster

Author

The advisories come after some citizens from European countries and Canada have been detained and deported by immigration officials while traveling to the United States.

Some European countries and Canada issue advisories for travelers to the U.S.

Go Deeper.

Like this?

News you can use in your inbox