Denmark and Finland have issued travel advisory warnings to transgender and nonbinary-identifying citizens seeking to travel to the United States.
On Thursday, the Danish foreign ministry updated its website regarding a travel advisory for the U.S., urging transgender individuals to contact the U.S. embassy in Copenhagen before planning their visit.
This recommendation comes in light of recent policy changes under the Trump administration, which only recognizes people by their biological sex and not their gender identity.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on January 20 declaring that the U.S. only recognizes two sexes — male and female.
Following Trump’s executive order, the State Department halted a policy that permitted transgender, nonbinary, and intersex people to change the sex designations on their passports. Under the Biden administration, the Department allowed U.S. passport holders to choose their sex designations, including an “unspecified” gender marker represented by the letter X. This policy change has sparked confusion and concerns for transgender travelers about whether it’s safe for them to fly.
“If your passport has the gender designation X or you have changed gender, it is recommended to contact the U.S. embassy prior to travel for guidance on how to proceed,” the advisory from the Danish foreign ministry states.
A week earlier, Finland issued an advisory to its transgender citizens seeking U.S. visas.
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“If the gender listed on the applicant’s passport does not match the gender assigned at birth, the US authorities may deny the application for a travel permit or visa,” Finland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, citing Trump’s executive order. “Please check the entry requirements with the US authorities in advance.”
Other European countries, including the United Kingdom, France and Germany have also issued travel advisories to their citizens in light of reports of the United States detaining citizens, signifying a shift in how the U.S. government is executing its immigration policies.
