Summer is considered the busiest travel season of the year—especially for international travel. If you're vacationing abroad this year, you can expect increased airport congestion and long lines at security checkpoints. However, a surge in tourism can also lend itself to rising threats of crime and terrorism. For these reasons, the U.S. Department of State is continuously updating its "Do Not Travel" advisory list, which now exceeds 20 countries. Here's everything you need to know about where you shouldn't be traveling to as an American this summer and why.
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The U.S. issues advisories based on a risk indicator ranking system
The State Department’s travel advisory system takes into account a range of safety and security concerns—including crime, terrorism, civil unrest, health, the likelihood of a natural disaster, and current events—to determine a country’s numerical ranking.
Here are the four different levels of safety that a place can be classified as:
- Level 1: Exercise normal precautions
- Level 2: Exercise increased caution
- Level 3: Reconsider travel
- Level 4: Do not travel
A country with a Level 2 to Level 4 ranking means department officials have identified “one or more established risk indicators” there for U.S. citizens.
These risk factors fall into eight distinct categories:
- Crime — widespread violence or organized crime is present
- Terrorism — It's occurring or there is a threat of terrorist attacks
- Civil unrest — This includes political, economic, religious, and/or ethnic instability
- Health — Any disease outbreaks or "a crisis that disrupts a country's medical infrastructure"
- Natural disaster — There's a current disaster or locals are dealing with the aftermath
- Time-limited event — Such as elections, sporting events, and other short-term activity
- Kidnapping or hostage-taking — Rates of Americans being unlawfully seized, often for ransom, coercion, or another criminal purpose
- Wrongful detention — Americans are imprisoned or held by a foreign government without due process or on politically motivated charges
It’s possible for a country to have varying advisory levels, depending on localized risks. “For instance, we may advise U.S. citizens to ‘Exercise increased caution’ (Level 2) in a country, while also advising them to ‘Reconsider travel’ (Level 3) to an area within the country,” says the State Department.
However, in the event of a Level 4 advisory, “The U.S. government may have very limited ability to provide assistance, including during an emergency. The Department of State advises that U.S. citizens not travel to the country or to leave as soon as it is safe to do so. We advise that you write a will prior to traveling and leave DNA samples in case of worst-case scenarios,” per the website.
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These 21 countries are under a Level 4 travel advisory:
As of this reporting, the State Department has issued a Level 4 advisory to 21 countries.
Travelers are strongly advised to avoid these places “due to greater likelihood of life-threatening risks.”
The department’s Do Not Travel list includes:
- Afghanistan
- Belarus
- Burkina Faso
- Burma (Myanmar)
- Central African Republic
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Haiti
- Iran
- Iraq
- Lebanon
- Libya
- Mali
- North Korea
- Russia
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Syria
- Ukraine
- Venezuela
- Yemen
Ahead of the summer travel season, some popular destinations are at a Level 2 or higher
Before solidifying your summer vacation plans, check to see if your destination has been put under a travel advisory.
On May 8, the U.S. government issued a Level 2 advisory for the U.K. due to increased risk of terrorist violence and potential attacks.
The U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas released an alert warning travelers of increased cases of violent crime, including robberies and sexual assaults. The acts are being carried out by Nassau jet ski operators near Paradise Island beaches and on isolated islands near New Providence. The embassy is asking travelers to “avoid renting jet skis in The Bahamas and stay alert in public restrooms near Nassau beaches.”
Countries including Italy, Costa Rica, Turks and Caicos, and France are also at a Level 2 travel advisory amid threats of increased crime, terrorism, and civil unrest.
