Summer is here, so you may be planning an international vacation. But before you finalize your itinerary, you should check if any travel advisories exist for your intended destination.
Currently, the United States Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, deems 23 nations unsafe for U.S. citizens to travel to, placing those countries on the Level 4: "Do Not Travel" list.
We'll explain how travel advisories work, share which countries you should avoid and discuss what these advisories really mean for your travel plans.
How travel advisories work
The U.S. government publishes and regularly updates a list that classifies other countries based on their level of risk. The information in the list can help you decide whether or not to travel to a particular nation.
Countries can be classified as follows:
- Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions . The nation is generally safe, but you should stay alert and aware of your surroundings, just as you would at home.
- Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution . The nation is safe overall, but there may be crime or political unrest in your area, requiring extra vigilance.
- Level 3: Reconsider Travel . The nation is unsafe overall due to a high level of crime or terrorism. You may want to visit a safer country .
- Level 4: Do Not Travel . The nation is very dangerous and may have armed conflict. Tourists may be targeted, so you're advised to avoid traveling there.
The government factors in many criteria when classifying each country, such as crime rate, risk of wrongful detainment or kidnapping, presence of terrorism, armed conflict, or civil unrest and access to healthcare.
Country |
Advisory Reason |
|---|---|
Afghanistan |
Crime, civil unrest, terrorism, wrongful detention, kidnapping, natural disaster and limited healthcare facilities |
Belarus |
Civil unrest |
Burkina Faso |
Terrorism, crime, kidnapping and health issues |
Burma (Myanmar) |
Civil unrest, crime and health issues |
Central African Republic |
Crime, civil unrest, terrorism, health issues and kidnapping |
Chad |
Civil unrest, crime, kidnapping, terrorism and health issues. |
Democratic Republic of the Congo |
Crime, civil unrest, kidnapping, health issues and terrorism |
Haiti |
Kidnapping, terrorism, crime, civil unrest and health issues |
Iran |
Terrorism, wrongful detention, civil unrest and kidnapping |
Iraq |
Terrorism, kidnapping, civil unrest and wrongful detention |
Lebanon |
Crime, terrorism, civil unrest and kidnapping |
Libya |
Crime, terrorism, civil unrest and kidnapping |
Mali |
Crime, terrorism, health issues and kidnapping |
Niger |
Civil unrest, crime, health issues, kidnapping and terrorism |
North Korea |
Wrongful detention |
Russia |
War with Ukraine, civil unrest, terrorism and wrongful detention |
Somalia |
Crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping and health issues |
South Sudan |
Crime, kidnapping, civil unrest and health issues |
Sudan |
Civil unrest, crime, terrorism, kidnapping and health issues |
Syria |
Kidnapping, terrorism, civil unrest and crime |
Uganda |
Civil unrest, crime, terrorism and health issues |
Ukraine |
War with Russia |
Yemen |
Kidnapping, terrorism, civil unrest, crime, health issues |
You can read more about travel advisories on the U.S. Department of State website.
Potential impact on your international travel plans
While the government can strongly encourage you not to travel to a particular country, you can decide to ignore the warning and go anyway.
However, due to the risks, flights may not be allowed to enter a nation's airspace, limiting your travel options. You may also need a special visa validation to cross certain borders.
If you do plan to travel to a dangerous country, you should stay abreast of any developments by paying attention to global news and government alerts. You should also contact local authorities and the embassy for additional information.
A sobering reality: If you experience an emergency while traveling in some of these countries, the U.S. government may be unable to help you, leaving you stuck in a potentially life-threatening situation.
You're encouraged to update your will and obtain appropriate insurance coverage, including travel insurance, before starting your journey.
When shopping for travel insurance, however, keep in mind that many policies exclude coverage in countries that have a level 4 travel advisory.
If your destination wasn't on the list at the time you booked your trip, but it is now, you will usually still be covered in that scenario. But it's a good idea to call your insurer to make sure so you know where your coverage stands before you fly.
