Germany – The German government has taken a bold step in response to the discriminatory policies of the Trump administration, particularly regarding transgender and nonbinary people. On March 5, the German Federal Foreign Office issued a travel advisory warning that individuals with non-binary gender identities, or those who’ve legally changed their gender, should be aware of potential difficulties when entering the United States.
The advisory comes after President Trump’s executive order, which bans the State Department from issuing passports with an “X” gender marker, further complicating travel for transgender and nonbinary people. The German Foreign Office’s notice reads, “The relevant gender identity of the applicant at the time of birth is the relevant one.”
This effectively means that travelers who have a gender marker of “X” or whose gender identity differs from their birth sex should contact a U.S. diplomatic mission in Germany before attempting to enter the country. The warning reflects the continued erosion of rights under the Trump administration and its exclusionary policies.
While Trump’s discriminatory actions, such as his February executive order banning trans women and girls from participating in female sports teams, have drawn global outrage, the situation surrounding the passports is another glaring example of the administration’s harmful stance toward the LGBTQ+ community.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s directive instructing State Department personnel to suspend applications for passports with an “X” sex marker has only added to the uncertainty, as has the vague and restrictive language surrounding visa applications for transgender individuals. This move is more than just bureaucratic red tape—it’s a direct attack on the dignity and identity of trans and nonbinary people, who already face enough challenges navigating a world that often refuses to recognize their rights.
In addition to the passport directive, Rubio’s February 24 directive also stated that consular officials should apply lifetime visa bans to individuals deemed to have misrepresented their sex on applications. By invoking the “fraud bar,” which permanently excludes people from entering the U.S., the Trump administration is sending a message that the identities of trans and nonbinary people are not valid, at least in the eyes of the U.S. government.
The Lesbian and Gay Federation of Germany (LSVD), an LGBTQ+ rights group, issued a statement strongly condemning these actions, noting that such policies not only erase the legal recognition of trans identities but also jeopardize the safety and rights of transgender individuals. The LSVD emphasized that this travel advisory was necessary but not sufficient. The organization urged Germany and the European Union to take stronger action against the U.S. government, pushing for policies that affirm LGBTQ+ rights and protect asylum seekers, while also demanding that trans rights be respected worldwide.
Germany’s travel advisory is a welcome gesture of solidarity, but it must be part of a broader, more comprehensive response to the rollback of LGBTQ+ rights. As the U.S. continues to target the most vulnerable members of its population, the world must unite in defending the basic human rights of all people, regardless of gender identity. The fight for trans rights is a fight for all human rights, and the international community must stand firm against policies that seek to undermine them.