We will post updates to Travel Advisories and Alerts to travel.state.gov and send them to U.S. citizens who choose to receive updates by enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP.state.gov). Some Travel Advisory updates may be sent out via social media. Follow us on Twitter (@travelgov) and Facebook (facebook.com/travelgov). Learn about more ways to stay connected.

We consider many factors to determine the Travel Advisory level for each country, including crime, terrorist activity, civil unrest, health, natural disaster/weather, and current events. We clearly explain the reason for the Travel Advisory level and describe the safety and security concerns. 

The information used to formulate Travel Advisories is collected from a range of sources, such as crime statistics and other information that is publicly available, information gathered from U.S. government sources, as well as assessments by our embassies and consulates. Travel Advisories also take into account decisions made to protect the security of U.S. government personnel overseas and ensure that U.S. citizens receive appropriate security information. This analysis is undertaken without regard to bilateral political or economic considerations. Travel Advisories represent our commitment to protect U.S. citizens traveling and residing abroad by providing them important safety and security information.

We will review and update a Travel Advisory as needed, based on current security and safety information. At minimum, we will review Level 1 and 2 Travel Advisories every 12 months and Level 3 and 4 Travel Advisories every six months. 

We would like all U.S. citizens to review our information before deciding on travel to or within any foreign country, not just the ones considered the most dangerous. With that goal, we issue Travel Advisories for all countries and assign levels of advice to allow U.S. citizens to make more informed travel decisions. This helps travelers see specific areas where extra precautions may be necessary and what actions they should take.

Most Travel Advisories are at Level 1 – Exercise Normal Precautions – or Level 2 – Exercise Increased Caution. Travel Advisories at Levels 2 - 4 provide clear reasons for the advice, use common risk indicators, and state specific actions U.S. citizens should take if they decide to travel to or reside in that country. The new format highlights areas within a country that are of particular concern and provides specific advice for U.S. citizens who decide to travel to those areas.

The safety and security of U.S. citizens abroad is a top priority. When transitioning from Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts, we did away with Regional Travel Alerts so that each country has a Travel Advisory with the most relevant information for that particular country. 

Information previously covered in Regional Travel Alerts is included in appropriate Travel Advisories or on country information webpages found on travel.state.gov. Travel Advisories allow us to be more specific about where there are conditions that might pose risks to U.S. citizens and what actions U.S. citizens should take. An interactive map visually depicts Travel Advisories around the world. 

We work directly with experts to consider many factors to determine Travel Advisories, including crime, terrorist activity, civil unrest, health, natural disaster/weather, and current events. We clearly explain the reason for the Travel Advisory level and describe the safety and security concerns. We consult closely with personnel in embassies and consulates throughout the world, security and intelligence experts, and with other agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control.  

Our mission and our priority is the safety of all U.S. citizens abroad. We provide an assessment about the conditions in any given location in the world based on the threat to U.S. citizens, without regard to other countries’ assessments for their citizens.

We will review and update a Travel Advisory as needed, based on security and safety information. At minimum, we will review Level 1 and 2 Travel Advisories every 12 months and Level 3 and 4 Travel Advisories every six months. 

Travel Advisories are based on safety and security conditions that could affect the lives and interests of U.S. citizens abroad, not on political considerations.

The safety and security of U.S. citizens and their interests abroad are a top priority for the Department of State. Travel Advisories are based on conditions in a country that could pose risks to the safety and security of U.S. citizens. Travel Advisories also take into account decisions made to protect the security of U.S. government personnel overseas and ensure that U.S. citizens receive appropriate security information. This analysis is undertaken without regard to bilateral political or economic considerations.

After a careful review of the security situation, we advise U.S. citizens not to travel to a country as U.S. citizens face a greater likelihood of life-threatening risks in that country. In some countries with a Level 4 Travel Advisory, we have no U.S. embassy or have a very limited diplomatic presence, so our ability to help U.S. citizens is limited. We advise U.S. citizens who decide to travel to a country with a Level 4 Travel Advisory to write a will, have custody arrangements for children, prepare security contingency plans, and have plans if taken hostage or detained. For more information, see Travel to High-Risk Areas on our travel.state.gov website. 

Effective September 1, 2017, the U.S. Department of State placed a geographical travel restriction on all U.S. citizen nationals' use of a passport to travel in, through, or to the DPRK (North Korea). Individuals seeking to travel to North Korea for certain limited humanitarian or other purposes may apply to the Department of State for a special validation passport.

There are currently no other restrictions in place for U.S. citizens’ travel abroad, but the State Department advises against travel to countries with a Travel Advisory of Level 4 as a matter of safety and security. If a U.S. citizen decides to travel there anyway, we strongly urge them to read our information on high-risk travel and heed our advice on how to prepare.

As part of the Department’s efforts to provide U.S. citizens traveling and living abroad with information about safety and security events, we produce the Worldwide Caution with information on universal travel risks, including the threat of terrorism against U.S. citizens and interests abroad. The Worldwide Caution is available here  in a more streamlined format while the Travel Advisories will provide more detailed information.

The safety and security of U.S. citizens is a top priority of the Department of State. On April 9, 2019, the Department of State introduced a new “K” risk indicator for kidnapping and hostage taking as part of our ongoing efforts to provide clear and comprehensive safety and security information to U.S. citizens traveling and living abroad. For purposes of the Travel Advisories, kidnapping or hostage taking is defined as follows:

Criminal or terrorist individuals or groups have threatened to and/or have seized or detained and threatened to kill, injure or continue to detain individuals in order to compel a third party (including a governmental organization) to do or abstain from doing something as a condition of release.

Our Travel Advisories have already included information on kidnapping and hostage taking. The “K” indicator was added to more clearly communicate this risk to U.S. citizens. The “K” indicator informs U.S. citizens that there have been incidents of kidnapping/hostage taking within a country and that there is a continuing risk of kidnappings/hostage takings. We constantly update the information we provide to U.S. citizens to ensure they can make informed travel decisions.  

The safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas is a top priority of the Department of State. On July 19, 2022, the Department of State introduced a new “D” risk indicator for wrongful detentions as part of our ongoing efforts to provide clear and comprehensive safety and security information to U.S. citizens traveling and living abroad. For purposes of the Travel Advisories, wrongful detention is defined as follows:

The risk of wrongful detention of U.S. nationals by a foreign government exists.  Wrongful detentions are determined by the Secretary or Deputy Secretary in accordance with applicable law.

Our Travel Advisories have already included information on unjust detentions.  The “D” indicator was added to highlight for the traveling U.S. public the elevated risk of the wrongful detention of U.S. nationals in particular countries overseas whose governments have engaged in that practice.