Data shows a drop in people from some European countries visiting the U.S. amid several of them issuing new travel advice about America.
The Context
Germany, the United Kingdom and France are among several European nations that have updated their travel advice for the U.S. in recent weeks, warning of potential arrest or detention if travelers fail to comply with entry requirements.
It comes amid President Donald Trump‘s large-scale crackdown on illegal immigration, which has included pledges to carry out mass deportations of individuals living in the U.S. without legal status.
Earlier this month, three German nationals were detained – two of these cases have been resolved, with those affected returning to Germany, according to Reuters, but the third case was being handled with the consulate general in Boston involved.
Germany said that neither approval through the U.S. ESTA system nor a U.S. visa means people will be granted entry every time.
“The final decision on whether a person can enter the U.S. lies with the U.S. border authorities,” a spokesperson for Germany’s foreign ministry said. But they also stressed that this change does not count as an official travel warning.
France updated its travel guidance this week, warning travelers are now required to declare their gender assigned at birth when completing visa or ESTA applications. Other European countries, including Germany and Finland, have suggested that transgender people may face difficulties when trying to enter the United States.
What To Know
There was a -1.6 percent difference in the number of people visiting the U.S. from Germany in January 2024 and January 2025 (94,886).
Comparing February 2024 and February 2025 (96, 975) shows the biggest difference by far—8.5 percent.
Likewise, there was a 3.9 percent drop in people from France traveling to the U.S. when comparing January 2024 and January 2025 (87,127) and a -5.6 percent difference when looking at the month of February in both years.
While the rest of Western Europe saw a 0.5 percent increase in people visiting the U.S. when comparing January 2024 and January 2025, it saw a 3.9 percent decrease in February.
Spain also had mixed results—a 5.3 percent increase when comparing January 2024 and January 2025 (55, 915) but a 1.9 percent decrease among February figures (52, 636 in 2025).
Italy and the United Kingdom both saw increases. There was a 5.2 percent increase in people from Italy going to the U.S. when comparing January 2024 and January 2025 (69,462) and a 0.1 percent increase when comparing February (58,337).
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom saw a 3.7 percent increase in people visiting the U.S. between January 2024 and January 2025 (235, 115) and a 6.9 percent increase between February of both years (280,586 in 2025).
The data is based on preliminary figures from the International Visitor Arrivals Program, run by the National Travel and Tourism Office.
What People Are Saying
The U.S. Department of State previously told Newsweek: “The majority of German nationals seek admission to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program and obtain an electronic travel authorization (ESTA) prior to being granted boarding.
“We will only issue U.S. visas with a male or female sex marker that matches the applicant’s biological sex as defined in E.O. 14168.”
The French Foreign Ministry spokesperson told Newsweek: “We have adapted our online recommendations to take account of changes in US regulations, in particular the Presidential Decree of 20 January 2025. At this stage, we are not aware of any difficulties with French citizens.”
What Happens Next
At this point, it is difficult to say for certain whether these travel warnings are behind drops in visitors. It remains to be seen whether there will be any long-term impacts.
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