US issues highest travel warning for over 20 countries: What it means | Check full list

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The US has issued a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for over 20 countries, including Afghanistan, Russia, and Iran, due to extreme safety risks and limited US government assistance. Americans in these countries are urged to leave if possible.

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The United States has issued its highest travel warning, a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory, for more than 20 countries, urging American citizens to avoid these destinations entirely because of extreme safety risks and limited ability of the US government to provide help.

Under the US State Department’s four-level travel advisory system, Level 4 is the most serious category. It is applied to countries facing conditions such as active conflict, terrorism, widespread violence, political instability or a breakdown of basic services. In many of these places, US diplomatic presence is either very limited or absent, making consular assistance difficult or impossible during emergencies.

The advisory is not only meant for Americans planning international travel. US citizens already present in Level 4 countries are strongly advised to leave if it can be done safely. Officials stress that in these locations, evacuation options may be restricted and assistance during crises may be unavailable.

Countries under Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory

The countries currently classified under Level 4 include:

Afghanistan

Belarus

Burkina Faso

Burma

Central African Republic

Haiti

Iran

Iraq

Lebanon

Libya

Mali

Niger

North Korea

Russia

Somalia

South Sudan

Sudan

Syria

Ukraine

Venezuela

Yemen

The State Department assigns Level 4 status based on multiple risk factors. These include armed conflict, terrorism, high levels of crime, civil unrest, kidnapping threats and the collapse or severe strain on healthcare and emergency services. In several of these countries, ongoing wars or internal instability have made normal travel extremely dangerous.

US officials emphasised that travel advisories are reviewed regularly and can change as conditions evolve. However, they warned that situations in high risk countries can deteriorate rapidly, sometimes without warning.