The British Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for citizens heading to the United States, reminding them that violations of entry rules could lead to arrest or detention.
The reminder comes after a series of immigration-focused executive orders by US President Donald Trump, who took office on January 20. These measures insist on much tighter border security, stricter visa vetting, and a clampdown on undocumented foreigners.
The updated guidance, now live on the Foreign Office website, states: ‘You should comply with all entry, visa and other conditions of entry. The authorities in the US set and enforce entry rules strictly. You may be liable to arrest or detention if you break the rules.’ Archived versions of the same website showed that at the beginning of February, the guidance had only stated: ‘The authorities in the US set and enforce entry rules.’
All countries increasing travel warnings
The change matches similar moves by other nations. On Wednesday, Germany revised its US travel advisory after several German nationals were detained at the border, stressing that a visa or entry waiver does not guarantee admission. The British Foreign Office declined to specify the timing or reasons for its update, saying only that travel advice is regularly reviewed to assist travellers.
The change in tone comes amid reports of stricter enforcement. Earlier In March, a British woman was detained for over 10 days at the US border for a possible visa breach. The Foreign Office confirmed it provided support, and she has since returned home. Travellers are urged to heed the new warnings and make sure they get all their paperwork in order before travelling to the States.
