There was no change to the advisory level. Armed conflict risks were updated under “unrest” indicator. Advisory summary was updated.
Advisory summary
Do not travel to Ukraine for any reason due to the Russia-Ukraine war.
U.S. embassy operations
U.S. government employee travel restrictions
- U.S. government employees need special authorization to travel outside of Kyiv due to safety risks.
- Due to safety risks, the State Department does not authorize family members to join U.S. government employees in Ukraine.
- U.S. citizens in Ukraine are advised to take the same precautions.
Armed conflict
The Russia-Ukraine war continues, and non-frontline regions are also subject to Russian indiscriminate missile and drone attacks.
- The security situation can change quickly, and travelers should be prepared to depart immediately with little to no warning.
- Travelers should react to air alerts and seek appropriate shelter.
- Closed airspace restricts travel options, and non-frontline regions are subject to martial law restrictions, such as a nationwide curfew.
- U.S. government employees are subject to movement, curfew, and activity restrictions that may be more limited than Ukrainian government restrictions under martial law.
- All U.S. citizens should carefully monitor U.S. government notices and local and international media outlets for information about changing security conditions and alerts to shelter in place.
- U.S. citizens in Ukraine should stay vigilant and take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness in the event of military attacks.
- Download and turn on notifications for free mobile applications – which U.S. government personnel in Ukraine are required to have and monitor – that announce air alerts in real time, such as Air Raid Siren and Alarm Map.
- The U.S. Embassy does not have the ability to provide real-time alerts to the general U.S. citizen community of air threats.
- Always know the location of your closest shelter.
- In the event of mortar, artillery, missile, drone, or rocket fire, follow instructions from local authorities and seek shelter immediately.
- If you feel your current location is no longer safe, you should carefully assess the potential risks involved in moving to a different location.
State of emergency
On February 24, 2022, the Ukrainian government declared a state of emergency. Each region (oblast) decides on measures to be implemented according to local conditions.
Measures could include:
- curfews
- restrictions on freedom of movement
- ID verification
- increased security inspections
- other measures
- Follow any oblast-specific state of emergency measures.
Dual nationals
While Ukrainian law does allow dual nationality, Ukraine will not recognize your U.S. citizenship if you are also a citizen of Ukraine.
- Dual citizens will be treated as Ukrainian citizens while in Ukraine and will be required to use a Ukrainian passport upon entry and exit of the country.
- Men aged 23-60 with Ukrainian citizenship are also subject to exit restrictions and possible mobilization during the period of martial law.
- The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv has received numerous reports of dual U.S.-Ukrainian citizens encountering significant difficulties both entering and exiting Ukraine.
- Travelers with family ties to Ukraine should consult the nearest Ukrainian Embassy or Consulate regarding potential citizenship obligations before entering Ukraine.
- For more information on traveling with dual nationality, please visit our Travelers with Dual Nationality page.
Aviation safety
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) prohibiting U.S. aviation operations into, out of, within, or over Ukraine. For more information, U.S. citizens should consult the FAA’s Prohibitions, Restrictions, and Notices.
Risks in specific areas
Occupied and conflict-affected regions of Ukraine
Russia exercises de facto control over areas it occupies, including Crimea and parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya, Sumy, Mykolaiv, and Kherson regions. Fighting and security dangers continue in these areas. Do not travel to these regions. If you still choose to go to these areas, please be aware:
- U.S. government employees are not permitted to travel to these areas. This includes Crimea and the parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya, Sumy, Mykolaiv, and Kherson that Russia occupies or where fighting is happening. The U.S. government cannot easily help U.S. citizens in these places.
- These areas are very dangerous. There are active military operations, checkpoints run by Russian forces, unexploded ordnance, limited access to medical care, and the risk of arbitrary detention. There is also extremely limited consular help due to safety and security risks.
- There is extensive Russian Federation military presence in many parts of these oblasts. Abuses against foreigners and the local population by the occupation authorities occur in these regions. There are instances of Russian forces and their proxies singling out U.S. citizens in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine for detention, interrogation, or harassment because of their nationality. U.S. citizens have also been singled out when evacuating by land through Russia-occupied territory to Russia or Belarus.
For U.S. citizens in Ukraine
- Download free mobile applications to alert you of air alerts in your area such as Air Raid Siren and Alarm Map.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to get important updates and alerts from the U.S. embassy or consulate. Enrolling helps the U.S. embassy or consulate contact you or your emergency contact in an emergency.
- Review the Country Security Report for Ukraine.
- Review our information on Travel to High-Risk Areas.
- Have a plan to leave in an emergency that does not depend on U.S. government help. Review our information on Crisis and Evacuation.
- Familiarize yourself with information on what the U.S. government can and cannot do to assist you in a crisis overseas.
- Prepare a will and designate appropriate insurance beneficiaries and/or power of attorney.
- Discuss a plan with loved ones regarding care and custody of children, pets, property, belongings, funeral wishes, etc.
- Share important documents, login information, and points of contact with loved ones so that they can manage your affairs if you are unable to return as planned to the United States.
- Leave DNA samples with your medical provider in case it is necessary for your family to access them.
- Establish your own personal security plan in coordination with your employer or host organization or consider consulting with a professional security organization.
- Develop a communication plan with family and your employer or host organization so that they can monitor your safety and location as you travel through high-risk areas. This plan should specify who you would contact first and how they should share the information.
- Monitor local media for breaking events and adjust your contingency plans based on the new information.
- Avoid demonstrations and crowds.
- Ensure travel documents are valid and easily accessible. Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for the latest Travel Health Information for Ukraine.
- We highly recommend that you buy travel insurance before you travel. Check with your travel insurance provider about evacuation assistance, medical insurance, and trip cancelation coverage.
