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By Shane Croucher and Jasmine Laws
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Portugal said it has updated its travel advice for the U.S. to reflect tighter entry conditions and changes around gender recognition. The Portuguese foreign ministry confirmed the changes in a statement to Newsweek.
Why It Matters
Portugal is now one of a growing number of European countries that have updated travel advice for the U.S. as America's stricter immigration and enforcement practices under President Donald Trump have caused global concern.
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It comes following a number of U.S. border-entry incidents that have happened in recent weeks, including a French scientist being denied entry after border officials searched his phone and found messages that were critical of Trump, and U.K. tourist Becky Burke also being detained at border control.
What To Know
So far, Portugal, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Germany, France and the U.K. have all issued new travel guidance for those wishing to travel to the U.S.
The Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs updated its guidance on March 25, and warned travelers that "possession of an ESTA or a visa does not constitute an automatic right of entry to the USA," as the acceptance of entry is determined "by the border agent upon arrival in U.S. territory."
ESTA, or Electronic System for Travel Authorization, is an automated system that determines the eligibility of visitors to the U.S. under its visa waiver program, and is valid for visits up to 90 days.
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Other European countries have also given the same warning - that official travel documents are not a guarantee for entry into the U.S.
The Portuguese foreign ministry also said that travelers should not make any false statements about the purposes of their stay, for example, saying they are coming for tourism when they are actually trying to enter the country for work-related reasons.
Portugal also cautioned its people from going into Canada or Mexico if they intend to leave from the U.S. afterwards, as "their re-entry may be questioned."
The European country also advised citizens who identify as non-binary to fill out forms upon arrival with the gender they were assigned at birth, something other nations have also specified after Trump signed an executive order in January saying the federal government will only recognize two sexes, male and female.
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What People Are Saying
Paul Statham, a professor of migration at the University of Sussex, England, previously told Newsweek: "Groups who may feel targeted by Trump rhetoric and policies – trans people, in particular, may feel less safe and fear intrusive inspections and questions at the border."
Alex Nowrasteh, the vice president for economic and social policy studies at the CATO Institute, previously told Newsweek: "It's unclear how much these warnings will affect tourism and immigration, but it can only be negative."
What Happens Next
It remains unclear if these advisories will impact travel volumes between the U.S. and Europe or prompt any formal response from American authorities.
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