UK, Germany warn travellers to US: Follow rules or risk jail, deportation

British travellers that they could face arrest or detention if they do not comply with US entry rules, UK warned

The United Kingdom on Thursday issued updated guidance for citizens travelling to the United States, following Germany’s move earlier this week to caution its own nationals over increased immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump’s administration.

 

The advisory warns British travellers that they could face arrest or detention if they do not comply with US entry rules.

 

“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,” the advisory states.

 

Previous versions of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) guidance, including those from February, made no mention of potential legal consequences, according to archived pages reviewed by Reuters.

 

Increased scrutiny at US borders

 

The change comes amid a rise in reports of European travellers being denied entry or detained at US airports and border posts.

 

Germany has already updated its own travel advice this week, warning that having a visa or ESTA no longer guarantees entry into the US. The update followed several high-profile incidents involving German citizens.

 

Fabian Schmidt, a 34-year-old green card holder from Germany, was detained in Boston before being transferred to a facility in Rhode Island. His mother, Astrid Senior, said he was “violently interrogated”, stripped naked, and forced into a cold shower.

 

Jessica Brösche, 29, and Lucas Sielaff, 25, were also reportedly held and deported. Brösche was detained at Otay Mesa Detention Center near San Diego for over six weeks. Friends said she was placed in solitary confinement for nine days, although CoreCivic, which operates the centre, denied this.

 

Sielaff, who had entered the US on a tourist visa and later travelled to Mexico, was detained for two weeks before being sent back to Germany, his girlfriend told Swiss paper Tages-Anzeiger.

 

Germany’s foreign ministry said the advisory is not an official warning but a notice to help travellers understand the risks. It also noted that having a visa or waiver is no longer a guarantee of entry.

 

Indian nationals also affected, but no advisory yet

 

While the Indian government has not issued a formal advisory, incidents involving Indian nationals have also come to light.

 

Badar Khan Suri, an Indian post-doctoral fellow at Georgetown University, was arrested outside his home in Virginia on Monday night by what his lawyer described as “masked agents”. Suri has been accused of “spreading Hamas propaganda” and faces deportation, according to legal counsel.

 

Separately, Ranjani Srinivasan, a 37-year-old doctoral student in urban planning at Columbia University, left the US last week after their student visa was cancelled. The US Department of State cited security concerns linked to alleged participation in pro-Palestine protests. Their visa was revoked on March 5 for what authorities claimed were activities “supporting Hamas”.

 

India has not yet responded publicly to these cases or updated its guidance for citizens studying or working in the US.

 

US government maintains strict policy

 

The US Department of Homeland Security reported last month that 8,768 people had been arrested as of February 3. Among them were 332 Indian nationals deported in three separate groups.

 

A group of Indians expelled from the US was recently flown to Panama, which has agreed to act as a “bridge” country for deportees, according to President Jose Raul Mulino.

 

The US Department of State posted on X that visa holders are subject to ongoing scrutiny.

 

“The visa screening does not stop after a visa is issued. Visa holders are continuously monitored to ensure they comply with all US laws and immigration rules,” it said. The post warned that non-compliance could result in visa cancellation or deportation.

 

Immigration lawyers are warning those on temporary visas to avoid international travel if possible.

 

Kripa Upadhyay, an immigration attorney based in Seattle, shared concerns on the portal of US law firm Buchalter.

 

“Foreign nationals (especially those needing renewal of H-1B or F-1 visa stamps) really need to think twice about leaving the US right now,” she wrote.

 

Upadhyay said international students on F-1 visas applying for H-1B status would need to wait for a regular interview slot. Similarly, H-1B visa holders whose last visa expired more than 12 months ago are no longer eligible for the dropbox process and must schedule an interview.