June 11, 2025
International Community

Stars, Stripes & Red Flags: Belgium Warns Queer Travelers Heading to the U.S.

By Iker Del Rio / March 26, 2025

Belgium’s Foreign Affairs office is preparing to update its travel advice for citizens visiting the United States — and this time, LGBTQ+ travelers are a key concern. The reason? A growing wave of hostility toward queer people in several U.S. states, coupled with increasingly strict border controls.

Though the update is still in the works, officials confirmed they are following the lead of countries like Finland, Denmark, and Germany — the latter reacting after several of its citizens were reportedly detained at U.S. borders.

Belgium’s current website already notes that attitudes toward LGBTQ+ people vary widely across the U.S., but the new advisory will go further, explicitly addressing the risks — especially for trans and non-binary individuals — who may face discriminatory laws or hostile treatment, including from authorities.

It’s a significant step in acknowledging the very real dangers some international travel can pose to queer people. Because even with an ESTA in hand, traveling to the U.S. as an LGBTQ+ person is no longer a neutral act.

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