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Everything you need to know about State Department travel advisories

When traveling abroad, the top concern for many Americans is safety.

Whether it is due to ongoing conflict, special events such as the 2024 Paris Olympics , natural disasters like a volcano currently erupting in Iceland or an uptick in crime , conditions of countries can change rapidly, affecting both travelers and locals.

To help keep American travelers safe, the U.S. Department of State issues and maintains travel advisories for U.S. citizens based on current circumstances.

These advisories can be particularly helpful for first-time and younger travelers, though the agency encourages all people to review them for their desired destination ahead of travel.

What are travel advisories based on?

Although travel warnings originate from the State Department and live on its website , they are a joint effort between the State Department's Office of Overseas Citizens Services and U.S. consulates and embassies worldwide.

"We've got our diplomats and consular officers on the ground in all those places, who have more up-to-date information than anyone in Washington could have," said Angela Kerwin, deputy assistant secretary for Overseas Citizens Services, during a Zoom interview Thursday. "But we use a variety of information in order to look at the criteria that go into our travel advisories around the world."

In addition to crime reports, nongovernmental organization reports and those from international organizations such as the United Nations, the government considers nine risk factors in determining the level at which each country's advisory should be set:

• C — Crime : Widespread violence or organized crime is present in areas of the country. Local law enforcement may have limited ability to respond to serious crimes.
• T — Terrorism : Terrorist attacks have occurred and/or specific threats against civilians, groups or other targets may exist.
• U — Civil Unrest : Political, economic, religious and/or ethnic instability exists and may cause violence, major disruptions and/or safety risks.
• H — Health : Health risks, including current disease outbreaks or a crisis that disrupts a country's medical infrastructure. The issuance of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Travel Health Notice may also be a factor.
• N — Natural Disaster : A natural disaster, or its aftermath, poses danger.
• E — Time-limited Event : Short-term events, such as elections, sporting events or other incidents that may pose safety risks.
• K — Kidnapping or Hostage Taking : 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.
• D — Wrongful Detention : The risk of wrongful detention of U.S. nationals exists.
• O — Other : Potential risks are not covered by previous risk indicators. Read the country's travel advisory for details.

Although the most recently added category, Wrongful Detention, only applies to a handful of countries, it's an important criterion for travelers to note when a country has detained a U.S. citizen without cause.

Level 1 to 4 tiered warning system

Based on that nine-rubric system, plus reports and input from U.S. consulates and embassies in these countries, the agency assigns each country a Level 1 to 4 tiered warning , with 1 being the lowest level, indicating relative safety, and 4 being the highest, meaning travelers should not visit.

Level 1: Exercise normal precautions

This is the lowest level a country can achieve, making it among the safest for Americans to visit. As with any travel, there is always some risk, so every country will always have at least a Level 1 advisory.

Level 2: Exercise increased caution

Under a Level 2 designation, a country has increased safety or security risks, but they likely won't preclude you from traveling there.

Level 3: Reconsider travel

A Level 3 advisory tells travelers to potentially defer trips to the country in question, as serious potential risks exist.

Level 4: Do not travel

The most serious advisories are Level 4 recommendations, which alert you to avoid travel to designated countries and areas due to a greater threat of potentially life-threatening risks and limited resources to help Americans.

What else to know about travel advisories

In addition to the State Department's general travel advisory, a country's information page will also provide any timely alerts from the corresponding U.S. embassy and/or consulate to consider.

There are also certain countries where the agency can provide "carve-outs" to communicate information related to specific areas or regions within a particular country.

"Perhaps the country itself is a Level 3 country, but there is one particular border area that has ongoing kinetic activity of some sort, and we'd say that would be a Level 4," Kerwin explained.

These carve-outs are most often found in Mexico , as the U.S. shares a border with the country and more Americans travel to Mexico for tourism than elsewhere.

"Mexico is a special case. We also have more U.S. consulates than we do in any other country in the world, and for that reason, we are able to provide state-by-state travel advisory levels in Mexico," Kerwin said. "[With] other countries around the world, [we] just simply don't have the ability to have that level of detail; the specificity is greater for Mexico."

Because data is the main source of information for crafting these advisories, not all alerts can be created equally.

"It is impossible to say that we can apply all nine criteria exactly the same in country A as we do in country B. You're going to have more statistical data of a reliable type for ... Germany than you would Chad," Kerwin explained. "So to compare the exact same report for Germany with the exact same report for Chad is not something that makes sense because it's generally not going to be available."

In those cases, the government relies on its embassies and consulates, which are present in most of these countries, to help inform its alerts.

"We've got people on the ground who are often best positioned to help us evaluate the number of kidnappings, the level of civil unrest, how many terrorist attacks reported or not reported," she said.

Note that a lack of readily available or accurate data doesn't make the country inherently riskier or more dangerous for travelers.

"It just means that we don't have the exact type of data that we would have in another country," Kerwin said. "We would have to rely more heavily on embassy reporting and our folks there, but it does not necessarily mean it is a more dangerous country."

Does a Level 4 alert mean I should avoid traveling there?

In short, the answer is yes.

At the time of publication, there were 19 countries with Level 4 alerts, per the State Department.

"These are the places we deem as the most dangerous for U.S. citizens to travel to, and we would really like U.S. citizens to look at other destinations," Kerwin said. In part, that's because of the limited consular or embassy services available in these places should an American need help.

"Every U.S. citizen gets to make up their own mind on where they want to travel. That's all we can do as a government," she continued. "If a U.S. citizen finds themselves in a situation where they need to travel to one of these countries for whatever reason, we would ask that they look at our travel advisories in advance, read our country information sheet. We would certainly recommend if we have a functioning embassy, that they save that information on their phone so they can contact the embassy if necessary."

But overall, travelers should avoid traveling to Level 4 countries if possible.

"Each of these Level 4 countries will tell you what our concerns are with these countries and [that] our criteria has been met," Kerwin said. "We believe it is quite dangerous to go there."

How often are State Department travel advisories updated?

When viewing a travel advisory, you'll note at the top the date it was last updated, as alerts are updated on a rolling basis.

Generally speaking, Level 4 and Level 3 alerts are updated at least once every six months, while Level 1 and Level 2 alerts are examined at least once per year, pending evolving circumstances.

"If something changes or some precipitating event, we would do it earlier as needed," Kerwin said.

For example, on Thursday, the U.S. Embassy in Reykjavik issued its own alert regarding a volcanic eruption in southwest Iceland that morning. When embassy alerts are issued for isolated events in a particular region of a country, it does not necessarily reflect the overall level of the country as a whole.

Despite the volcano warning, Iceland remained at Level 1 , as it has since July. If it had been a more widespread eruption affecting general European air travel, that would have prompted the agency to update the travel advisory as a whole.

"Right now, by sending out that security alert, we're saying stay away from the volcano, but if you wanna go have dinner in Reykjavik, follow our regular information we have on our travel advisory," Kerwin said.

That volcano alert also went out via the agency's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program , which sends relevant security updates from the nearest U.S. Consulate, and which Kerwin advised travelers to enroll in as another way to stay safe abroad.

"So anybody who is registered in STEP traveling to or who is living in Iceland would've gotten an email to say, 'Hey, be aware the volcano erupted again today, we're watching it closely; pay attention,'" she explained. "We have those various security alerts that we can send out at any time in a country based on late-breaking events."

Special events, such as the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics, will also trigger additional and/or more frequent alerts.

"We will be paying special attention to that. We expect there will be a large number of U.S. citizens that are headed in that direction to cheer on our team, and we want to make sure that we are giving them the best information we can about their time when they're traveling," Kerwin said.

Other things to consider when traveling abroad

As with travel in general, the State Department advises Americans heading overseas to prepare in advance.

"We have a slogan we've been using, and I like it; it's called 'travel smart from the start,' and that starts even before you decide what destination," Kerwin said. That slogan applies to details like checking that you have enough validity on your passport (most countries require six months at the time of entry) and buying travel insurance.

Kerwin also advises procuring the contact information for the nearest U.S. government presence (i.e., the embassy or consulate) via the State Department's list of U.S. embassies and consulates .

"Jot down on paper, take a picture on your phone and save the U.S. Embassy/Consulate phone number or email address so you can get in contact with us if there's a problem," she said. "And always be aware of your surroundings ... a heightened level of awareness ... is important for travelers no matter where they're going."

Bottom line

With travel comes an inherent risk, and the government aims to help travelers remain safe domestically and abroad.

While the decision to travel is ultimately up to the traveler, these travel advisories should be taken seriously.

"Our goal is to always provide the best advice and information we can for U.S. citizens so they can make their decisions as to where they wish they travel," Kerwin said.

Therefore, heed these travel warnings from the State Department via U.S. embassies, consulates and the department's STEP program.

"The final thing — and this is an important one — is to have fun," Kerwin added. "Travel is fantastic — you get to see new cultures, and you get to experience new languages and beautiful countries and beautiful cities. We want U.S. citizens to travel and have fun on their adventures around the world."

Related reading:

• Cancun travel advisory: State Department issues warning to US travelers heading to Mexico
• The difference between CDC and State Department travel warnings
• US issues worldwide travel advisory — here's what you should know
• Finally: US passport processing back to pre-pandemic time frame

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Is it safe to go there? The U.S. travel advisory system, explained

If you’re planning an international trip, here’s how to use the State Department’s country-by-country guide to minimize your risk of encountering crime, violence, or civil unrest.

On October 19, the U.S. Department of State issued a rare advisory that Americans overseas “exercise increased caution” due to heightened tensions and chances of terrorism around the world, spurred by the Israel-Hamas war. It’s part of a system of travel warnings that’s been around in some form since 1978, designed to help citizens assess how safe a destination might be at a given time.

The current version of the system, which launched in 2018, gives fluid rankings from Level 1 (exercise normal precautions) to Level 4 (do not travel), indicating how risky countries (and in some cases, regions) are for Americans to visit. Rankings are based on factors such as crime rates, civil unrest, and the threat of terrorism. They are meant to give “clear, timely, and reliable information about every country in the world so they can make informed travel decisions,” says a State Department spokesperson.  

Not surprisingly, on October 14, the State Department moved Israel and the West Bank to Level 3 (reconsider travel) and Gaza to Level 4.  

Here’s how the advisories work and how to use them.

What is a travel advisory?

The U.S. State Department inaugurated the travel advisory system in 1978, initially aiming warnings at airlines and travel companies. The system was scrutinized after the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am flight from London to New York , which exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland , killing all 259 passengers and crew plus 11 people on the ground.  

Investigations found U.S. authorities had been aware of a credible threat to a Pan Am flight but hadn’t informed the public. In response, the media and consular offices began issuing travel warnings. In 2018 the U.S. introduced its current four-tier advisory system. There are near-identical versions in Canada , Australia , and New Zealand .

To determine rankings, the State Department considers a nation’s political volatility, crime trends, medical care standards, and the threat of kidnappings or terrorism. (Politics also ends up playing an unspoken role.) Some countries, such as Russia , receive a Level 4 ranking partly because the U.S. government may have limited ability to assist citizens there. Others rise to Level 4 due to a crisis, such as the military coup that recently rocked Niger .  

When the travel advisory system relaunched in 2018, it also included state-by-state evaluations for Mexico , which draws more than 11 million American travelers a year. “Some Mexican states are quite safe for U.S. tourists, while others are riskier due to narco-trafficking violence,” says Ryan Larsen , executive director of the Institute for Global Engagement at Western Washington University. Yucatán and Campeche states are currently at Level 1, while six other Mexican states are at Level 4, including Sinaloa.

( Solo female travelers share tips for staying safe on the road .)

Epidemics and natural disasters also can prompt a travel advisory number to rise. Americans may be prompted to reconsider visiting a country recovering from a tsunami or major wildfires, since their presence could hinder rehabilitation efforts. This occurred after the February 2023 earthquakes in Turkey . Such advisories can remain in place for weeks or months.

The strictest-ever advisories came in April 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic , says Larsen, who did a thesis   on U.S. travel warnings. At that time, about 80 percent of the world’s countries were at Level 4.

At press time, about 70 percent of the world’s countries were rated Level 1 or Level 2 by the State Department, indicating they’re relatively safe. There are currently 21 countries at Level 3 and 21 at Level 4.

How to use travel advisories

Before booking an international trip, consult the State Department website to see where your destination ranks. While Level 1 and 2 countries are considered relatively safe, you should still register with the U.S. Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) . This lets Americans overseas use their smartphone to receive travel advisory updates and alerts about emerging dangers in their destination (protests, extreme weather).

Level 3 countries are considered more dangerous for foreign visitors, who should “reconsider travel,” according to the State Department. If you are headed to a Level 3 country, which currently includes Pakistan and Colombia , do wider research on its safety and on the places you’ll visit there, advises Jun Wen , a professor of tourism at Australia’s Edith Cowan University. For instance, while some remote areas in the Colombian Amazon still suffer from drug-related violence, cities such as Cartagena and Medellín are relatively safe. Going on a fully guided group or individual tour can also help you navigate destinations where political unrest or crime might impact your safety.

Travelers should study not only the advisories provided by their own country, but also by the U.S., United Kingdom, and Australia to broaden their understanding of the risks in Level 3 countries, Wen says. As for Level 4 countries, that “Do Not Travel” advice couldn’t be any clearer.

Other countries also issue warnings to their citizens about visiting the U.S. Canada recently informed its LGBTQ travelers they may be affected by laws in certain U.S. states. Australia, meanwhile, cautions its citizens visiting the U.S. to be wary of higher crime rates and gun violence, and even to learn safety strategies for active shooter scenarios.

People who visit countries with Level 3 or Level 4 travel advisories don’t just risk their safety. They also may have travel insurance complications, says Linchi Kwok , tourism management professor at California State Polytechnic University Pomona.

( How travel insurance can—and can’t—help when your plans change .)

They must pay much higher premiums, and their insurance can be invalidated if the advisory for their destination is elevated. “Medical coverage can be minimal, too, particularly if the travel advisory is put up against a disease or an outbreak,” says Kwok. “I encourage Americans to think twice before they travel to Level 3 and especially Level 4 destinations.”

Warnings and their impact on tourism

Travel advisories can be biased, Larsen argues. His research found that, while the U.S. didn’t often overstate the risk of travel to countries with which it had poor relations, it did often understate the danger of visiting nations that were its close allies. Elevating a travel advisory can stoke diplomatic tensions between two countries. Once a country is raised to Level 3 or 4, many tourists will avoid visiting, and many American universities won’t let students join study abroad programs.

The economic ramifications of a level change impact individual businesses such as hotels, restaurants, and travel agencies. For instance, J 2   adventures , a Jewish-focused tour company, saw most of its fall group trips to Israel canceled after the start of the Israel-Hamas war (and the higher advisory level), says cofounder Guy Millo. “This is not just because of the violence on the ground, but because of practical considerations like accessibility of commercial airline flights,” he says. “Most tourists from North America and places around the globe simply couldn’t get here even if they wanted to.”  

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See travel advisories and register in STEP

Find out about travel advisories abroad before you plan your trip. Learn about the benefits of the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) and how to register.

Check for travel alerts in other countries

Before planning your trip abroad, you can find out if there are any travel advisories in your destination country. These advisories are issued by the U.S. Department of State and include 4 levels of increasing risk:

• Level 1 - Exercise normal caution. This is the lowest level of risk. But be aware there is some risk with international travel, and safe conditions in some countries may differ from the U.S.
• Level 2 - Exercise increased caution. A level 2 alert means you should be aware of heightened risk when you travel.
• Level 3 - Reconsider travel. There may be serious risks involved when you travel to countries under a level 3 alert. 
• Level 4 - Do not travel. In countries under a level 4 travel advisory, there is a higher chance you may encounter life-threatening risks. The U.S. government may also not have the ability to assist you if you experience an emergency.

These travel warning levels are determined by various factors, including:

• Civil unrest
• Disease outbreaks
• Natural disasters

To find out what travel advisories may affect your trip, enter your destination country’s name in the search bar.

Learn about STEP and how to register

What is step.

The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service from the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs. When you enroll, you will receive emails with news, alerts, and travel advisories about your destination country. With STEP, you can also:

• Be in direct contact during an emergency with the U.S. embassy in the country you are visiting
• Stay in touch with family and friends during an emergency

How to register in STEP

To register for STEP, select “Create account” and enter your personal information, including:

• Date of birth
• Passport number
• Emergency contact information

You can also select your destination country or change it to customize the news and alerts you receive.

Register for STEP.

LAST UPDATED: August 2, 2024

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What Every Traveler Should Know About Travel Advisories and Alerts

Sarah Schlichter

Deputy Executive Editor Sarah Schlichter's idea of a perfect trip includes spotting exotic animals, hiking through pristine landscapes, exploring new neighborhoods on foot, and soaking up as much art as she can. She often attempts to recreate recipes from her international travels after she gets home (which has twice resulted in accidental kitchen fires—no humans or animals were harmed).

Sarah joined the SmarterTravel team in 2017 after more than a decade at the helm of IndependentTraveler.com. Sarah's practical travel advice has been featured in dozens of news outlets including the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, USA Today, Budget Travel, and Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio. Follow her on Twitter @TravelEditor .

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "A journal. Even years later, reading my notes from a trip can bring back incredibly vivid memories."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Road tripping and hiking through the rugged mountains of Patagonia."

Travel Motto: "'To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world.'—Freya Stark"

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Aisle. I get restless on long flights and like to be able to move around without disturbing anyone else."

Email Sarah at [email protected] .

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

These days, you’re probably not planning a trip to Iraq or Afghanistan—most nations are currently advising citizens against all non-essential travel to these countries. And due to the current COVID-19 outbreak , governments around the world are issuing even more travel advisories and alerts than usual.

Though global crises such as pandemics should always be taken seriously, not every government travel warning means you need to immediately cancel a trip to a particular part of the world. In fact, within the past few years the governments of the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. have released travel advisories and alerts about the following popular tourist destinations: Thailand, Mexico, China, India, and even the United States.

Before you decide to avoid these countries altogether, it’s worth taking a closer look at what a government’s travel advisories and alerts mean, why they’re released, and how to evaluate them.

What Is a Travel Advisory?

Governments issue travel advisories to let their citizens know about safety concerns that may affect travel to a particular country or region. Travel advisories may also note parts of the world where a government does not have the ability to respond to the problems of citizens traveling there—for example, if the government doesn’t have an embassy in a particular country, or if the functioning of its embassy is threatened by local violence.

In the United States, travel advisories are issued by the State Department.

The State Department’s travel advisories detail a variety of potential risks in a given destination, including terrorism, natural disasters, political unrest, wars, health concerns, and outbreaks of crime. The State Department offers travel advisories for all countries across the globe, along with a risk level for each on a scale of one (“exercise normal precautions”) to four (“do not travel”). In some cases, certain regions of a country may have a higher rating than the country as a whole.

The State Department uses eight different letters to denote the reasons for its travel advisory levels:

• T: Terrorism
• U: Civil unrest
• H: Health risks
• N: Natural disaster
• E: Time-limited event
• K: Kidnapping or hostage taking

Travel advisories may remain static for months at a time, or they may change rapidly when circumstances demand.

Governments occasionally publish global or worldwide travel advisories in extraordinary circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic , which pushed countries such as the United States, Canada, and New Zealand to advise their citizens against any non-essential international travel.

What Is a Travel Alert?

Travel alerts are issued to cover “specific safety and security concerns in a country, such as demonstrations, crime trends, and weather events,” according to the State Department . Alerts often come from embassies and consulates and may cover breaking news or shorter-term problems for travelers.

Alerts don’t necessarily mean “don’t travel,” but rather contain information that’s worth knowing about so you are prepared.

Unlike travel advisories, which can remain in place for months, alerts tend to be much shorter-lived; most alerts on the State Department’s country pages are less than a month old.

How to Evaluate Travel Advisories and Alerts

In general, a travel advisory—no matter how strongly worded—cannot legally stop you from traveling to a particular place. After reading an advisory, it is up to you to decide whether to heed or ignore the advice, and to determine whether your planned trip is essential or not. While your government will usually try to help you if you run into trouble abroad, you will always be traveling at your own risk.

Not all travel warnings are created equal. When deciding how seriously to take a particular travel advisory, below are a few questions to ask yourself.

Is the Entire Country Affected?

In many cases, violence, unrest, or natural disasters are confined to a particular region while the rest of the country is still safe and welcoming to tourists. For example, in recent years the U.K. has cautioned visitors against traveling in Gulf Coast states of the U.S. during hurricane season. And while Mexico’s recent struggles with violence are well publicized, government warnings apply only to select states; many popular tourist destinations such as the Mayan Riviera have remained safe.

While your well-being always comes first, keep in mind that the fallout from an isolated act of violence can affect an entire country’s tourist industry—and have a disproportionate effect on the economy of a developing nation.

What’s the Danger?

For travel advisories dealing with violence or terrorism, pay attention to what kind of attacks are taking place and who the targets are. Assaults that specifically pinpoint foreign tourists should raise a bigger red flag than civil unrest among locals. If violence generally happens away from primary tourist locations, there may be less risk for visitors.

How Up to Date Is the Warning?

If you’re looking at a travel alert that’s more than a few months old, it may be worth doing a little research to check the current situation on the ground and see if there’s been any improvement. The websites of international newspapers are often a good source of accurate and up-to-date information. Searching Google News can help you find these. (Compare multiple sources to avoid being taken in by less reputable publications.)

Is the Warning Corroborated by Other Governments?

To get a fuller sense of what’s happening in a particular country, check travel warnings from multiple sources (see our links below). Critics have speculated that some advisories are unduly influenced by politics, so checking a U.S. advisory against a Canadian or an Australian one can give you a fresh perspective—or confirm that a threat is cause for a change in your travel plans.

Will You Have a Safety Net?

Find out whether your home country has an embassy or consulate in the place you want to visit, and make sure it’s fully staffed and functioning. If the worst happens, you don’t want to be stranded in a foreign country without an embassy to help with emergency evacuation or to get you in contact with family and friends at home.

Is Travel Insurance an Option?

Keep in mind that travel insurance may not cover you in all countries or circumstances. According to TripInsuranceStore.com , most policies do not cover acts of war, riots, or civil disorder. Other exclusions apply too, so read your policy carefully before purchasing.

Travel Insurance Coverage: 17 Things Your Policy Won’t Cover

What Happens If You Decide to Ignore Travel Advisories

Each year, many tourists choose to visit certain countries despite their government’s warnings. If you decide to do the same, consider taking the following safety precautions.

Register Yourself

Let your government know when and where you will be traveling so that you can be reached in an emergency. U.S. citizens can register themselves here ; Canadians can do so here . Other countries have similar programs.

Leave a copy of your itinerary with family or friends at home so that they know where you’re supposed to be and when. Stay in touch on a regular basis by email, phone, text, or Skype.

Stay Informed

It can be tempting to take a complete break from the world when you’re on vacation, but if you’re in a place where conditions are unstable, you’ll want to keep yourself posted on what’s happening by following the news on your phone.

Be Prepared

Have a backup plan in case something goes wrong. Find your home country’s embassy or consulate in the area you’ll be visiting and store its contact details in your phone. But be aware of what the embassy—and your home government—can and cannot do. (For example, if you’re injured, the State Department can help you find medical assistance in your destination, but you or your relatives will have to foot the bill.)

Protect Yourself

Purchase a travel insurance policy after reading carefully to see what is and isn’t covered. Consider getting a policy with a “cancel for any reason” option so you can back out of your trip without penalty if you feel uneasy. Check out 10 Smart Ways to Carry Money While Traveling to help shield yourself against crime. Finally, do your research; read up on the political or cultural situation of the area you’re visiting and know exactly which threats you might face.

How to Be Safe and Culturally Sensitive When You Travel

Where to Find Travel Warnings, Advisories, and Alerts

Below are a few governments offering travel advisories in English. (Keep in mind that the State Department does not offer information about U.S. territories such as the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, so you’ll need to turn to foreign governments for any advisories about these destinations.)

• United States
• United Kingdom
• New Zealand

The downside of travel alerts and advisories is that they can strike more fear into travelers than necessary. But read as a precaution, travel warnings and alerts can provide even the most seasoned travelers with the latest information, and are a good refresher for how to handle an emergency should you encounter one.

More from SmarterTravel:

• 6 Ways to Get Home Safely from Abroad in an Emergency
• What to Do If You’re Caught in an Emergency Overseas
• The One Thing You Need to Add into Your Phone Before Traveling Abroad

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Follow Sarah Schlichter on Twitter @TravelEditor for more travel tips and inspiration.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2017. It has been updated to reflect the most current information. Kate Sitarz contributed to this story.

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What Does a US Travel Advisory Really Mean and Should You Travel?

Are you planning a trip and want to know how safe the destination is? Find out what a US travel advisory means and how you should prepare for your trip.

But, if you are traveling with a US passport, it is currently at the lowest level of “power” that it has been ( countries that will accept US passports without requiring visas for travel ). Also, if you are traveling with a US passport, there may be some places that you may want to be more concerned of than others. This is where the US travel advisory levels come in – but what do they mean?

What Does a US Travel Advisory Mean?

Link: Interactive Map from the State Department for US Travel Advisories

Put simply, before we dive into the 4 levels, US travel advisory levels are a way for the US State Department to issue warnings/concerns to travelers for visits to various countries. Every so often or when dangerous events occur, they will upgrade/downgrade these advisory levels to give travelers a better idea of any safety concerns that may be in place.

Keep this in mind –  there are some people that may travel to a country with a Level 3 or 4 but that does not mean that you need to do that! Also, some countries may have a particular level assignment but that does not mean you need to be scared off just because of that. Like with many things, do your research and decide what you feel comfortable with. I am not going to tell you what to do! 🙂

Courtesy Shutterstock

Below are the descriptions that the US State Department gives for each travel advisory level. I will also include a sample of well-known countries that are currently on each travel advisory level ( as of October 10, 2019 ).

US Travel Advisory Level 1

Exercise Normal Precautions: This is the lowest advisory level for safety and security risk. There is some risk in any international travel. Conditions in other countries may differ from those in the United States and may change at any time.

Some Countries on the US Travel Advisory Level 1 List

US Travel Advisory Level 2

Exercise Increased Caution:  Be aware of heightened risks to safety and security. The Department of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory. Conditions in any country may change at any time.

Some Countries on the US Travel Advisory Level 2 List

• South Africa
• Sierra Leone

US Travel Advisory Level 3

Reconsider Travel:  Avoid travel due to serious risks to safety and security. The Department of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory. Conditions in any country may change at any time.

Some Countries on the US Travel Advisory Level 3 List

US Travel Advisory Level 4

Do Not Travel:  This is the highest advisory level due to greater likelihood of life-threatening risks. During an emergency, the U.S. government may have very limited ability to provide assistance. 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. The Department of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory. Conditions in any country may change at any time.

• North Korea
• Afghanistan

Note – Most of the countries on the Level 4 list were updated on the same day, April 9, 2019.

What Do These Lists Mean in Actual Travel?

You may have noticed that there were a couple of European countries ( and actually more ) on the Level 2 list. This means to “exercise caution.” Why were these countries given this destination and does it mean that you have cause for concern if you plan to visit these countries?

Fortunately, the US State Department gives us even more information for each country. To research a particular country for the safety level,  click this link to go to the US State Department country page .

Once you select your country, you will want to look at the header for that country for the code that says why it was assigned that level. Here are the different codes that they use (the following from this State Department webpage ):

Risk Indicators

Travel Advisories at Levels 2-4 contain clear reasons for the level assigned, using established risk indicators and specific advice to U.S. citizens who choose to travel there. These are:

• C – Crime:  Widespread violent or organized crime is present in areas of the country. Local law enforcement may have limited ability to respond to serious crimes.
• T – Terrorism:  Terrorist attacks have occurred and/or specific threats against civilians, groups, or other targets may exist.
• U – Civil Unrest:  Political, economic, religious, and/or ethnic instability exists and may cause violence, major disruptions, and/or safety risks.
• H – Health:  Health risks, including current disease outbreaks or a crisis that disrupts a country’s medical infrastructure, are present. The issuance of a Centers for Disease Control Travel Notice may also be a factor.
• N – Natural Disaster:  A natural disaster, or its aftermath, poses danger.
• E – Time-limited Event:  Short-term event, such as elections, sporting events, or other incidents that may pose safety risks.
• O – Other:  There are potential risks not covered by previous risk indicators. Read the country’s Travel Advisory for details.
• K – Kidnapping or Hostage Taking:  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.

So, in an example of France , here is what we see:

That “T” and “U” mean that the caution warning is in place due to Terrorism and Civil Unrest. The page, updated on April 1, 2019, gives detailed information about what to be careful for and where is best to avoid.

Areas of the Country

Remember that parts of the country may be just fine but it could be certain cities or areas that are causing the entire country to get that particular travel advisory designation.

Let’s take  Honduras   for an example. I known many people who have traveled there and they have had no issues come up. Does that mean you should? No! But, I do want to point this part out – the US says that this Level 3 country should not have the  Gracias a Dios Department area traveled to due to crime. There are many areas of high crime in Honduras, but this area is especially heavy with crime.

Steps You Should Take When Traveling

Before you travel to a country, particularly a Level 3 or 4 country, check out this US State Department list about Travel to High-Risk Areas . It is incredibly important to be as well-informed as possible before making such trips.

Next, make sure you enroll in STEP , the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, before taking off on your trip. This will enable you to receive any and all e-mail updates in regards to the countries you are visiting ( and even close proximity countries ) as well as notifying the US Embassy of your presence in the country in case of emergency. It also gives your family a way to be in touch with you if something goes wrong.

Finally, be aware when traveling. Think about things like the jewelry you wear, where you keep your valuables and your passport, who you are talking to, what streets you are on, gathering places to avoid, etc. Many problems can be avoided if you simply exercise some caution in your travels.

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About the author.

Charlie has been an avid traveler and runner for many years. He has run in marathons around the world for less than it would cost to travel to the next town - all as a result of collecting and using miles and points. Over the years, he has flown hundreds of thousands of miles and collected millions of miles and points. Now he uses this experience and knowledge to help others through Running with Miles.

U.S. State Department Travel Advisories: Where to Find Them, How to Read Them

In 2018, the U.S. State Department revamped its travel warnings to make them easier to understand. Here's how to find them and how to use them to plan a safe trip overseas.

By Zac Thompson

Frommers.com

Pop quiz: What's the difference between a "travel alert" and a "travel warning"?

If you don't have a clue, the U.S. State Department determined that you're not the only one.

Widespread confusion over the meanings of those terms in the advice issued by the agency for Americans planning international trips persuaded the government to come up with a  different way of doing things . It used to be that some places received both an alert and a warning, but that's no longer possible. (Which means there's no longer a correct answer to the trick question above—sorry.)

Under the new system, every nation on earth will be assigned a simple travel advisory ranking from 1 to 4. Here's how travelers should proceed with their planning to countries at each level, according to the State Department :

• Level 1 : "Exercise normal precautions." Countries at this level usually include Canada, Argentina, and Australia.
• Level 2 : "Exercise increased caution." France, China, and Mexico tend to be among the nations with this ranking, due to pop-up "heightened risks to safety and security," such as terrorist attacks in France and increased crime in Mexico .
• Level 3 : "Reconsider travel." Countries like Cuba, Turkey, Venezuela, and others deemed to pose serious safety risks for Americans might fall into this category.
• Level 4 : "Do not travel." Here the risks are considered "life-threatening." Iran, Syria, and North Korea all have this ranking.

Switching from two types of advisories to four levels might sound like things have gotten more complicated, but the new method allows for more nuance and variation, reflecting the different security concerns travelers face. 

Another helpful facet of the four levels: The State Department can apply them regionally when some parts of a country are considered safer than others. A nation's cosmopolitan capital city, for instance, could be a level 2, while the more violently factional hinterlands could be rated level 3.  

As  we pointed out when the changes were announced : "Before revamping, the travel alerts and warnings required close reading in two categories to interpret the specific advice, but the new system makes it instantly clear what the current advice is for any nation." 

All of these advisories are suggestions—albeit strong ones in many cases—rather than laws. Even Level 4 does not forbid travel, though you're strongly encouraged not to do it. 

The whole system is easy to understand due to an interactive map (pictured above) at the State Department's website that's color-coded to show each country's advisory ranking. Red means level 4, orange is 3, and yellow 2. Level 1 countries are beige.

More information about the threats involved in visiting countries ranked 2 and higher can be found by clicking those nations on the map.

If numbered and color-coded threat levels seem familiar, that might be because the Department of Homeland Security once employed a similar "Security Advisory System," but that scheme broke down because of misapplication and a general confusion about what the various colors meant. It went out of service in 2011.

The State Department wants to avoid a similar fate for its new system of levels, which is why there are only four—Homeland Security used five—and each one is associated with a clear action.

The agency says that it has not changed the way it assesses risks, but has merely altered the way that information is communicated to the public.

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What a Travel Advisory Means for Your International Trip

Before you get wrapped up in the more exciting aspects of travel planning, take some time to think about safety. Your destination may not have the same safety, health, and security conditions as your home country. Understanding these differences and preparing for them is a fundamental part of safe travel.

Thankfully, there are plenty of resources to help you understand the safety threats at your destination and prepare for an emergency. The right knowledge and proper precautions are the key to spending less time worrying and more time enjoying your trip.

Quick Links:

• See all  travel advisories from the U.S. Department of State .
• See all  travel health notices from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) .

Jump Ahead:

• How to Uncover the Potential Risks of Your Destination

Understanding U.S. Department of State Travel Advisories

Understanding cdc travel health notices, should you reconsider travel to countries with a travel advisory, how travel advisories affect your travel insurance coverage, recommended precautions to enhance travel safety, get to know the risks.

Safety should be at the forefront of your mind any time you plan an international trip. Research potential threats to your safety and health before deciding on a destination.

Effective research methods include searching for recent headlines in the news to get a feel for current events and politics. You should also refer to the trove of travel health and safety resources from the   U.S. Department of State   and the   Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) .

Ask these questions about your destination to guide your research and identify potential risks to your health and safety:

• Has the U.S. Department of State issued a level 3 or higher travel advisory?
• Has the CDC issued a level 3 travel warning?
• Has it recently appeared in the news for negative or concerning reasons?
• Does it have a reputation for pickpockets, muggings, or petty theft?
• Does it have a reputation for violent and/or organized crime?
• Is there a strong presence of tourist companies, taxi services, etc., known to scam foreigners?
• Is there a risk of natural disaster?
• Is there a high chance of contracting food poisoning or water contamination?
• Is there a prevalence of malaria or other infectious diseases?
• What is the quality of local health care?
• Does your domestic health care plan cover you abroad?
• Will you have access to a doctor that speaks your native language?

Use the primary information you uncover about your destination’s safety to decide whether to continue planning this trip or to find a new destination.

If you do choose to travel against U.S. Department of State or CDC-issued travel advice, it’s all the more important that you understand the risks involved and the precautions you need to take.

One of the most valuable resources for planning a trip abroad is the U.S. Department of State. You can find practical, instructive information about all aspects of   international travel   on the website of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs ( travel.state.gov ). This is a go-to resource for any traveler, especially because of its travel advisories.

What Is a Travel Advisory?

U.S. Department of State travel advisories   are regularly updated safety rankings assigned to every country in the world. Travel advisories also list other important travel information, such as entry and exit requirements, local laws and customs, health conditions, transportation, and more.

Travel Advisory Risk Factors

Advisories are divided into four levels based on the presence of the   following threats to safety and security :

• Crime   – widespread and poorly regulated crime
• Terrorism   – terrorist attacks targeting groups or civilians
• Civil Unrest   – potentially violent or otherwise disruptive instability
• Health   – disease outbreaks and crises disrupting a country’s medical infrastructure
• Natural Disaster   – a dangerous natural disaster or its aftermath
• Time-Limited Events   – short-term events that may impede travel
• Kidnapping and/or Hostage-Taking   – by criminals or terrorists
• Other   – less common, but equally dangerous safety and security risks

Individual advisories may further list specific risk factors, which can include threats such as:

• Arbitrary enforcement of laws
• Armed conflict
• COVID-19, Ebola, or other specific viruses
• Embassy’s limited capacity to provide support to U.S. citizens
• Limited healthcare ability
• Maritime crime
• Political violence
• Serious risk of arrest and long-term detention of U.S. nationals

Travel Advisory Levels

The U.S. Department of State assigns a number (1-4) to every country in the world to define the level of precaution necessary when traveling to the destination. Here is a breakdown of each advisory level and what it means for your trip:

A level 1 advisory is the lowest travel advisory level a country can have. Level 1 travel advisory countries are generally safe for travelers. Because there is always some risk involved with international travel, you should still exercise precautions when navigating these countries.

These countries present heightened safety and security risks but are generally safe to visit if you take the recommended precautions. Common risk indicators for level 2 advisory countries often include crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping, though a level 2 advisory may be the result of any of the risk factors noted above.

IMPORTANT!   Travel advisories are not only issued on a country-wide level. A country may have an overall travel advisory of level 2, but with elevated advisory levels for certain high-risk parts of the country. For example, Brazil and Mexico are often under a level 2 “exercise increased caution” advisory. However, certain cities or regions within these countries are labeled within their full travel advisories as “do not travel” or “reconsider travel.” That’s why it’s vital that you read the   entire   travel advisory.   Learn how to view and monitor travel advisories below .

Countries under a level 3 travel advisory present a serious risk to the safety and security of international travelers. The U.S. Department of State recommends that you avoid traveling to these countries. Common risk factors for countries under a level 3 travel advisory often include civil unrest, terrorism, crime, kidnapping, armed conflict, and disease outbreaks.

These countries present life-threatening risks to travelers.   Do not travel to any country under a level 4 travel advisory.   The U.S. government cannot guarantee aid for travelers who experience an emergency in these countries. Any travelers already in a level 4 country at the time the travel advisory is announced should leave as soon as it is safe to do so.

How To View U.S. Department of State Travel Advisories

Conditions in each country may change drastically at a moment's notice, so travelers should monitor their destination's advisory level. 

Follow these steps to view the current advisory for your destination. 

• Visit   travel.state.gov .
• Click “International Travel” in the navy-colored navigation bar toward the top of the page.
• Click “Learn About Your Destination” in the ”Country Information” box.
• Type the name of your destination country into the search bar.
• Hit “Enter” or click the search icon.
• You will see your destination country’s travel advisory at the top of the page.
• Click the “Read More” link to view the entire travel advisory.
• Read the travel advisory thoroughly, paying special attention to the information for any cities or regions you plan to visit.

Another indispensable resource to help you plan for international travel is the   U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website . Like the U.S. Department of State, the CDC also issues travel notices.

What Is a Travel Health Notice?

A travel health notice is a   notice issued by the CDC   that measures health threats worldwide and categorizes countries based on severity.

IMPORTANT!   CDC-issued travel health notices exist separately from U.S. Department of State-issued travel advisories and may or may not be issued in tandem.

Travel Health Notice Risk Factors

The CDC's original travel health notices are divided into three levels based on the presence of the following issues that impact travelers’ health:

• Disease outbreaks
• Special events or gatherings
• Natural disasters

Travel Health Notice Levels

Here is a breakdown of the three original CDC notice levels:

This is the CDC’s lowest travel notice. People visiting countries with a level 1 travel notice should follow the usually recommended travel precautions listed in the country’s   "Traveler View" page . Precautions include being up to date on all necessary vaccines, practicing appropriate mosquito avoidance, and more.

These countries pose a greater threat to travelers’ health due to disease outbreaks and crises. People planning to visit these countries should take extra measures to protect themselves against the health threat and prevent further transmission of any diseases. Travelers can find a full list of recommended precautions on the country’s “Traveler View” page.

The presence of life-threatening infectious diseases like Ebola, Polio, and Rubella may trigger a level 2 health notice from the CDC.

Destinations with this travel notice present the most severe cases of disease outbreak and pose a significant threat to travelers’ health. In these cases, the CDC’s recommended precautions are unlikely to protect you against the identified risk. You are advised to avoid visiting these countries.     

Travel advisories aren’t necessarily cause for alarm. Just because a safety threat is present in a country doesn’t mean it is likely to affect your trip. It just means that you should follow all recommended precautions and stay away from any specific areas listed within the travel advisory as “reconsider travel” or “do not travel.”

You   should   reconsider your trip if you intend on visiting a high-risk destination. These destinations present the most immediate risk to your safety, health, and security, and should be avoided.

What counts as a high-risk destination?

• Countries or areas under a level 3 or higher travel advisory from the U.S. Department of State
• Countries under a level 3 travel warning from the CDC

All travelers should properly research their destinations and take the safety precautions recommended by the U.S. Department of State and CDC.

Not only is monitoring your destination’s travel advisories a useful way to stay updated on the risks around you, but   advisories may also directly affect your travel insurance coverage .

Depending on your travel insurance policy, some of your benefits may be affected by health notices or advisories being issued for your destination. Other benefits may not apply if your destination has been under a certain level advisory prior to your arrival.

PRO TIP: Review the full Description of Coverage for your plan to determine how your coverage works depending on the U.S. Department of State-issued travel advisory or a CDC-issued travel health notices for your destination. Pay special attention to your benefit limits and their conditions and exclusions. Also review the policy’s general exclusions carefully. If you have any questions about your coverage, contact your insurance provider directly.

How Travel Health Notices and Advisories Affect Atlas Travel Medical Insurance from WorldTrips

Let’s take a close look at the   Atlas Travel health insurance policy   from WorldTrips to better understand how a country’s safety conditions can affect travel health coverage:

As noted in the Atlas Travel Description of Coverage, a warning/alert level 3 issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for a specific destination, or global or worldwide warning/alert level 3 issued by the CDC, can affect your coverage for treatment of disease. Here’s how:

Imagine you were to contract a disease as a result of an outbreak in a location currently under a CDC-issued level 3 travel warning. Your insurance would not cover you for treatment if the CDC-issued warning had been in effect within the 60-day period prior to your arrival in that location.

If the CDC were to issue a level 3 warning for your location   after   your arrival, you would be covered for disease-related expenses for up to 10 days following the level 3 warning issue date, given that your expenses did not arise directly or indirectly from another policy exclusion.

If you were to remain in the warned-against location for more than 10 days following the date the CDC issued the level 3 warning, you would not be eligible for expenses related to diseases contracted in the warned-against location. You would still be covered for other eligible expenses incurred in the warned-against location.

Additionally, if you were to depart the warned-against location and travel to a new location where there had   not   been a CDC-issued level 3 travel warning within the previous 60 days, you would be eligible for expenses related to a disease contracted in the new location.

As noted in the Atlas Travel Description of Coverage, a level 3 or higher travel advisory issued by the U.S. Department of State can affect your Political Evacuation benefit. Here’s how:

Say you were traveling abroad when safety conditions in your destination abruptly changed, causing the U.S. Department of State to issue a level 3 or higher travel advisory for your current location.

Your Political Evacuation benefit would cover the cost of transporting you to the nearest country of safety OR to your home country (as determined by WorldTrips), as long as the advisory had not been in effect for your location within the 60-day period prior to your arrival.

You must contact WorldTrips within 10 days of the advisory announcement to be eligible for this benefit.

• Terrorism As noted in the Atlas Travel Description of Coverage, a level 3 or higher travel advisory issued by the U.S. Department of State can affect your Terrorism benefit. Here’s how: Imagine you were traveling abroad when a terrorist incident suddenly occurred in your destination, leaving you with terrorism-related injuries or illness. Your   Terrorism benefit   would help cover your medical expenses as long as there had   not   been a U.S. Department of State-issued level 3 or higher travel advisory for your location in the 60 days prior to your arrival. Eligible terrorism-related medical expenses would be covered for up to 10 days following the date the advisory was issued, given that your expenses did not arise directly or indirectly from another policy exclusion.

IMPORTANT! These benefits and exclusions apply if the location where you incur the expenses is under a level 3 or higher advisory, even if the rest of the country is under a level 1 or level 2 travel advisory.

How Travel Advisories Affect Atlas Journey Travel Insurance from WorldTrips 

Level 4 travel advisory being issued for your destination by the U.S. Department of State may affect your Atlas Journey Elevate travel insurance coverage. Learn more below. 

(Note that neither travel health notices nor travel advisories are covered perils for the Atlas Journey Explore or Atlas Journey Escape plans.) 

• Trip Cancellation   As noted in the Atlas Journey Elevate policy documents, a level 4 travel advisory issued for your destination by the U.S. Department of State can affect your trip cancellation coverage. Here's how:   You purchase an Atlas Journey Elevate policy. Two weeks before your trip begins, the U.S. Department of State issues a level 4 travel advisory for your destination.  Because this is listed as a covered reason for cancellation under your Trip Cancellation benefit, you will be covered for any prepaid, non-refundable trip expenses if you decide to cancel your trip.  However, if you were to purchase a policy after the U.S. Department of State had issued a level 4 travel advisory for your location, you would not be covered for your prepaid trip expenses if you decided to cancel your trip due to the travel advisory. 
• Trip Interruption  As noted in the Atlas Journey Elevate policy documents, a level 4 travel advisory issued for your destination by the U.S. Department of State can affect your trip interruption coverage. Here's how:  Imagine you purchase an Atlas Journey Elevate policy and then depart for your trip. While on your trip, a terrorist incident occurs and the U.S. Department of State issues a level 4 travel advisory for your destination. You decide to end your trip early and return home.  This is a covered reason for ending your trip early, so your Trip Interruption benefit will provide coverage for your unused trip expenses for the remainder of your trip, as well as reimbursement for eligible transportation expenses. 

Consider a Trip Cancellation for Any Reason Benefit

The Atlas Journey travel insurance plan, for U.S. citizens and residents, offer an optional Trip Cancellation for Any Reason (CFAR) benefit upgrade that reimburses you for 50% or 75% of your trip cost - whichever you choose upon purchase - if you cancel your trip for any reason.

You may wish to add this upgrade to your plan if you want the option to cancel your trip for any reason, including health notices or travel advisories being issued for your destination by the CDC or the U.S. Department of State. 

Note that this upgrade is only available if you purchase your plan within 21 days of the date you made your first payment toward your trip. You must cancel your trip at least two days prior to your departure.

Monitor Travel Warnings and Alerts

Stay abreast of the political, security, and weather conditions in your destination by monitoring key travel resources from the   U.S. Department of State   and the   CDC . Be prepared to react in case security conditions suddenly change. 

Enroll in STEP

The State Department's free   Smart Traveler Enrollment Program   (STEP) is a service that allows U.S. citizens and nationals traveling and living abroad to register their trip with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. 

Some benefits of enrolling in STEP: 

• You will receive important information about local safety conditions in your destination country
• The U.S. embassy will be able to contact you in case of a natural disaster, political or civil unrest, or other emergencies
• Family and friends can get in touch with you in case of an emergency

PRO TIP! Download the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler app to get quick, convenient access to all the latest travel advisory updates, alerts, and warnings, as well as access to maps and the locations of U.S. embassies. Check out the iOS App or the Android App .

Consider Travel Health Insurance or Travel Insurance 

Make sure you have adequate insurance coverage for your time abroad. Some domestic healthcare policies may not cover medical expenses incurred abroad, while others may offer limited international coverage. 

Travel health insurance can help cover the cost of an unexpected injury or illness abroad, as well as providing important travel-related benefits. It is available to citizens and residents of most countries who are traveling abroad. 

Travel insurance, also known as trip cancellation insurance, can provide some medical coverage as well as reimbursement for prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs when canceling a trip for a covered reason. It is available to U.S. citizens and residents traveling domestically and/or abroad. 

You can learn more about the difference between travel medical insurance and travel insurance   here  - or see highlights of each plan type from WorldTrips below. 

Atlas Travel Medical Insurance - Single-Trip Travel Medical Insurance for Residents of Most Countries Who Are Traveling Abroad

Here are several ways   Atlas Travel medical insurance   from WorldTrips can help you in the event of an emergency:

• Political Evacuation   – You may be covered for the cost of transportation to the nearest country of safety OR to your home country if the U.S. Department of State issues a level 3 or higher travel advisory for your location after your arrival.
• Emergency Medical Evacuation   – In situations where your life or limb depend on your ability to get adequate medical care quickly, this benefit can cover the cost of transporting you by air or ground to the nearest adequate health facility.
• Terrorism Coverage   – Those insured by Atlas Travel have coverage for treatment of an injury or illness resulting from a covered act of terrorism.
• Crisis Response   – Policyholders may have coverage in eligible situations for the cost of ransom, crisis response fees, and/or personal belongings surrendered in an express kidnapping.

Learn more about Atlas Travel insurance  or  see how much your plan would cost .

Atlas Journey Travel Insurance - Single-Trip Travel Insurance for U.S. Residents Who Are Traveling Domestically or Abroad 

Here are several ways Atlas Journey travel insurance from WorldTrips can help you in the event of an emergency: 

• Trip Cancellation -   Atlas Journey will reimburse you for your prepaid and nonrefundable trip expenses if you cancel your trip due to a covered reason, such as sickness or injury that prevents you from traveling, bad weather that causes your airline to cancel your trip, and more. The Atlas Journey Elevate plan also includes the U.S. Department of State issuing a level 4 travel advisory for your destination after you've purchased your policy as a covered reason for trip cancellation. 
• Trip Cancellation for Any Reason (Optional Upgrade Available Upon Purchase) -   If you add this optional CFAR upgrade to your Atlas Journey plan, you will be reimbursed for 50% or 75% of your trip cost - whichever you choose upon purchase - for a trip that you cancel for any reason. Note that this upgrade is only available if you purchase your Atlas Journey plan within 21 days of the date you made your first payment toward your trip. You must cancel your trip at least tow days prior to your departure to use this benefit upgrade. 
• Trip Interruption -   If you decide to end your trip early for a covered reason, you could be reimbursed for your unused expenses and eligible transportation expenses. Note that Atlas Journey Elevate is the only Atlas Journey plan that includes a level 4 travel advisory being issued for your destination by the U.S. Department of State as a covered reason to use the Trip Interruption benefit. 
• Emergency Accident and Sickness Medical Expenses -   In the event you experience a medical emergency while traveling, you could be covered for necessary treatment with this benefit. 
• Medical Evacuation & Repatriation of Remains -   If adequate medical treatment cannot be provided, this benefit can provide coverage for transportation to a nearby hospital with such treatment available. If you or your travel companion suddenly passes away during your trip, you may also have coverage for transportation home of the deceased. 

Learn more about Atlas Journey Insurance  or  see how much your plan would cost .

PRO TIP!  Review the policy documents for any policy you’re considering, paying special attention to its benefit limits, conditions, and exclusions. Make sure you know  how your coverage is impacted  - if at all - by the issuing of a travel health notice or advisory.

For Atlas Journey plans, note that coverage can vary by state of residence. You can see policy documents for your Atlas Journey plan and state of residence   here .

Get Vaccinated

Travel to your destination may expose you to diseases you aren’t exposed to at home, such as yellow fever or typhoid. You may not have had the vaccines you need to protect yourself. Consult your destination’s   “Traveler View” page   on the CDC website to find out which vaccines medical experts recommend. Then, make an appointment with a doctor to get vaccinated.

Your regular doctor may not carry the vaccines you need, so call ahead to confirm they will be able to administer them. If not, you’ll need to make an appointment with a   travel medicine specialist . If you are visiting a country that requires a yellow fever vaccination, such as Ghana or Brazil, you will need to visit an authorized   yellow fever vaccine clinic .

Keep in mind that most vaccines must be administered about a month ahead of your arrival date. You should also use this opportunity to make sure you are up to date on all your   routine vaccines .

Be Proactive About Bug Bite Prevention

Bug bites are another common cause of disease transmission. Mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, and even some flies can spread diseases like malaria, yellow fever, Lyme, Zika, and dengue. Avoid bug bites as much as you can to reduce your chances of contracting a disease.

Here are some tips for preventing bug bites:

• Avoid exposing too much skin
• Use EPA-registered insect repellents on areas that are exposed
• Treat your clothes and shoes with an insecticide
• Choose accommodations with air conditioning or screened windows
• If exposed to the outside, sleep under a mosquito net

Know How to Get Medical Care While Traveling

Prepare yourself for a medical emergency before you embark on your adventure abroad. Research local doctors and hospitals, especially ones that speak your native language. Keep this information in a wallet-sized card you can easily carry with you during your trip.

On that card, you may also want to include your essential health information, such as your blood type, chronic conditions, serious allergies, and the generic names of any medications you take. Keep this card next to your travel health insurance ID card.

Copy Your Travel Documents

Make copies of your travel documents so you’re prepared in case you become separated from them. Copy the ID page of your passport and visa as well as your travel health insurance card, your prescriptions, and your credit cards. Then, store one set of copies in your luggage and give another to someone you trust at home.

Upon arriving at your destination, it’s also wise to photocopy the page of your passport with the country’s entry stamp. This will come in handy in case you lose your passport and need to prove your presence in the country.

Use the CDC “Healthy Travel Packing List”

The CDC provides a customized packing list for each country with everything you need to stay healthy abroad. These “Healthy Travel Packing Lists” include prescription medicines, medical supplies, over-the-counter medicines, and other preventative supplies that may help protect you against a country’s health threats.

They also identify which health documents to take with you in case you require medical care abroad. These documents include your travel health insurance ID card, proof of vaccinations, copies of prescriptions, contact cards, and travel documents.

You can find the packing list for your destination on its   "Traveler View" page .

Watch What You Eat and Drink

Unclean food and   contaminated water  can cause diarrhea, food poisoning, and other diseases. Reduce the risk of these uncomfortable travel setbacks by sticking to safe foods and drinking bottled water.

Generally safe to eat:

• hot prepared dishes
• pasteurized dairy products
• thoroughly washed fruit and vegetables

Stay away from:

• raw or undercooked meats
• unpasteurized dairy
• bushmeat (meat from wild animals)

Bushmeat has proven to increase the transmission of zoonotic diseases like Ebola, HIV, and Coronavirus.

Be Smart About Transportation

Use your common sense when navigating your destination. Old vehicles, especially without seatbelts, are more likely to cause injury in case of an accident. Always arrange payment ahead of time when hiring a taxi to prevent being scammed.

When walking, stay in safe areas and try to stick to the sidewalk. Enjoy the new and unfamiliar environment around you but stay alert. Burying your nose in a map or keeping your eyes glued to your smartphone may make you look like an easy target for pickpockets, muggers, and scammers.

Take Cues from the Locals

Research the culture of the places you’ll be traveling via blogs and websites like   Wikitravel ,   Commisceo Global , and   Trip Advisor . Learn about the customs so you’ll be less likely to offend the local people by accident.

When it comes to your safety, having a solid knowledge of cultural aspects—like how to dress—can help you to better blend in and be less likely to become a target of pickpockets or muggers.

PRO TIP!  Use our list of the  best travel websites  to help you prepare for your trip. This list includes the best sites and resources to help you plan for your destination, accommodations, transportation, budget, safety, and more.

Don’t Flaunt Your Wealth

Avoid traveling with items of great value. Expensive jewelry and gadgets may make you stand out, especially in a country less wealthy than your own. Signs of wealth might make you look like a worthy target to people aiming to take advantage of vulnerable travelers.

Keep Valuables Concealed

Money belts may not be fashionable, but they are indispensable for keeping your valuables safe. Wallets and purses are easily stolen by petty thieves, putting your money, passport, and cell phone at risk. Keep these items safe and secure by storing them in a money belt that you wear close to your body.

Let People Know Where You’ll Be

Enlist your loved ones at home in your safety efforts by sharing your itinerary and means of contact. If you haven’t planned an itinerary, be sure to check in with someone as soon as you arrive at a new place. Let them know how they can contact you if necessary.

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WorldTrips' Atlas Journey, Atlas Cruiser, and Atlas On-The-Go trip protection insurance products are underwritten by Tokio Marine HCC's U.S. Specialty Insurance Company (USSIC). USSIC is a Texas-domiciled insurance company operating on an admitted basis throughout the United States. Coverage is available to U.S. residents of the U.S. states and District of Columbia only. This plan provides insurance coverage that only applies during the covered trip. You may have coverage from other sources that provides you with similar benefits but may be subject to different restrictions depending upon your other coverages. You may wish to compare the terms of this policy with your existing life, health, home, and automobile insurance policies. Coverage may not be available in all states.

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UponArriving

US Travel Advisories: What Do They Mean? [2020]

Have you ever seen a news article or read something about the government issuing a travel advisory for a specific country? Do you know what those travel advisories mean and what you should do about them?

In this article, I will talk about the new system that the US Department of State uses to issue travel advisories . I’ll go through the different advisory levels and types of threats, and I also will talk about how you can register for alerts and make it easier for the government and your family to contact you in the event of an emergency.

Table of Contents

What are US travel advisories?

Travel advisories are advisories issued by the US Department of State that are meant to inform you about the current risk levels for traveling to specific destinations. There are currently four different levels of advisories that are issued and these advisories are based on specific potential risks, such as crime or terrorism.

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How to check for travel advisories

You can find the current travel advisories issued by the US Department of State here . 

The easiest way to search for travel advisories is to simply enter the name of the country into the search bar. You can also sort the chart found on that page by name, advisory level, or by the last update.

I recommend utilizing the search bar because if you click on a country directly from the chart, you will only be able to view the travel advisory. However if you pull up the country via the search bar you can see a lot of additional information about that country, such as alerts, country facts, US government building contact details, and other important information. 

Below, I will go into detail about these different levels of advisories and talk about the different types of risks that you might want to investigate.

Travel advisory warning system

In January 2018, the US Department of State issued a new type of warning system including four different levels to travel advisories.

Level one: Exercise normal precautions

Level two: exercise increased caution, level three: reconsider travel, level four: do not travel.

These warning levels will be based on the following potential threats:

C – Crime:

Widespread violent or organized crime is present in areas of the country. Local law enforcement may have limited ability to respond to serious crimes.

T – Terrorism:

Terrorist attacks have occurred and/or specific threats against civilians, groups, or other targets may exist.

U – Civil Unrest:

Political, economic, religious, and/or ethnic instability exists and may cause violence, major disruptions, and/or safety risks.

H – Health:

Health risks, including current disease outbreaks or a crisis that disrupts a country’s medical infrastructure, are present. The issuance of a Centers for Disease Control Travel Notice may be a factor.

N – Natural Disaster:

A natural disaster, or its aftermath, poses danger.

E – Time-limited Event:

A short-term event, such as an election, sporting event, or other incident that may pose a safety risk.

O – Other:

There are potential risks not covered by previous risk indicators. Read the country’s Travel Advisory for details.

Below, I will discuss each of the advisory tiers and give you some examples of what kind of risks you can expect.

Travel advisory levels

This is the lowest security level and it includes many countries that you would probably feel very safe traveling in such as: Canada, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Costa Rica and many others. There are also some countries you may not expect to see on the list like: Barbados, Liberia, Botswana, Granada, Morocco and others.

Being on the level one list obviously doesn’t mean that bad things or unexpected attacks won’t happen in those countries but it just means that you do not need to be on a heightened level of alert.

For level two, you need to be aware of heightened risks to safety and security. Countries that fall into this list include: the Maldives, Egypt, India, France, Belgium, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Jamaica, Belize, China, and others.

Another country is Mexico. They are on the list due to crime and the department states that, “Violent crime, such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery, is widespread.”

The advisory mentions specific areas within Mexico to avoid In these include:

• Colima state due to crime.
• Guerrero state due to crime.
• Michoacán state due to crime.
• Sinaloa state due to crime.
• Tamaulipas state due to crime.

Not every region is on the same warning level. For example, here are some of the different warning levels for different regions.

• Aguascalientes state – Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
• Baja California state – Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
• Chihuahua state – Level 3: Reconsider Travel
• Colima state – Level 4: Do Not Travel

So Mexico actually has three different levels of warnings.  This is why it is very important to check on the specific warning levels for where you are going to be within a country. Even in smaller countries, the level of danger can vary dramatically in different parts of the region.

The US Department of State states to avoid travel due to serious risks to safety and security for level three countries. An example of a level three country is Turkey. They made the level three list due to terrorism and arbitrary detentions.

There is also a level four warning warning for certain parts of the country including the provinces of Hatay, Kilis, Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Sirnak, Diyarbakir, Van, Siirt, Mus, Mardin, Batman, Bingol, Tunceli, Hakkari, and Bitlis.

This is the highest advisory level due to greater likelihood of life-threatening risks. During an emergency, the U.S. government may have very limited ability to provide assistance. The Department of State advises that U.S. citizens not travel to the country or leave as soon as it is safe to do so.

These are very dangerous places like South Sudan, where even journalists are targets and civil unrest is widespread.

Here’s what the Department of State has to say about South Sudan:

Violent crime, such as carjackings, shootings, ambushes, assaults, robberies, and kidnappings is common throughout South Sudan, including Juba. Foreign nationals have been the victims of rape, sexual assault, armed robberies, and other violent crimes. Armed conflict is ongoing throughout the country and includes fighting between various political and ethnic groups, and weapons are readily available to the population. In addition, cattle raids occur throughout the country and often lead to violence. Reporting in South Sudan without the proper documentation from the South Sudanese Media Authority is considered illegal, and any journalistic work there is very dangerous. J ournalists regularly report being harassed in South Sudan, and many have been killed while covering the conflict in South Sudan.

My personal take

Personally, I would try to avoid any destinations with a warning level above two. I would consider visiting places with warning levels at three if the specific city or region I was going to was well removed from the danger zone and research suggested that there would not be any issues with passports, visas, etc. However, I would not want to venture to a level four destination because even if you can avoid danger it can get tricky getting out of those countries.

I once worked in immigration law and I remember seeing cases where people were simply at the wrong place at the wrong time during civil demonstrations and riots. As a result, they were detained and then a long and tiring process began to clear their name and get them out the country. So my advice would be to steer clear of those areas that would have potential uprisings. 

Department of State’s Worldwide Caution

The Department of State also issues a worldwide warning . They encourage US citizens to “maintain a high level of vigilance and practice good situational awareness when traveling abroad.”

They specifically warned about threats at the following places:

• high-profile public events (sporting contests, political rallies, demonstrations, holiday events, celebratory gatherings, etc.)
• hotels, clubs, and restaurants
• places of worship
• shopping malls and markets
• tourism infrastructure
• public transportation systems

Unfortunately, those are pretty much the same types of places where incidents happen on our own turf in the US, so in reality it is just a good idea to be vigilant wherever you go in today’s world.

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Travel advisory map

There is a very helpful travel advisory map that you can use. You can easily see the advisory level for each country based on the color it is filled in with.

Another very helpful tool is that you can see the location for government facilities located within that country.

These include the following:

• Consulate General
• Consular Agent
• Consular Section
• U.S. Protecting Power

Typically, as a tourist the Embassy can help you but you are most likely going to visit the Consulate, Consulate General, or a Consular Agent/Section to resolve your issues. These Consulate offices typically have normal business hours such as being open from 8am to 5pm. If something ever happened outside of those hours, you will need to call a duty officer.

The after-hours duty officer will be able to help you with anything that is considered an emergency. For example, if you need to leave the country ASAP or are in danger then they can help you out. However, if you simply just misplaced a passport or something like that you will likely have to wait until the Consulate offices open up.

Research the local consulate office for the phone number to the duty officer number close to you.  

STEP registration

The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service to allow U.S. citizens and nationals traveling and living abroad to register/enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

With this you can receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country. So if you are planning on visiting a destination, you can sign up for notifications and always be updated when things are changing country.

You can also make it easier for the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency.

So even if you are not visiting a dangerous country, it could still be worth it to sign-up for this program because there could be some sort of a natural disaster or something happening with a family emergency.

If you have family members who constantly worry about you when you go traveling internationally, this is a great way to make them feel better.

Find out more about this program here .

It is always a good idea to check on the latest advisories for any countries that you are thinking about visiting or moving to. But make sure that you do more than just check the warning levels in that you look into the specific details on why there are advisories and What regions are most affected by them.

It’s also a good idea to check the map to see where local government buildings will be and to sign up for the STEP program to make it easier for people to contact you and for you to stay up-to-date.

Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit card app, WalletFlo . He is a former attorney turned travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and CNBC. Read my bio .

Privacy Overview

What to Know About the State Department's New Travel Advisories for Europe

Between pandemic outbreaks and unrest in much of the world, global travel inherently comes with more anxiety than before. On top of that, earlier in October, officials issued an updated U.S. State Department travel advisory for a slew of countries, ranging from Belize and Italy to South Africa and the U.K, putting them at a Level 2 status cautioning visitors to “exercise increased caution.” While the new batch of advisories captured travelers' attention, the reason they were issued is more complex than it might seem. Most of the updated bulletins were dated October 4 or 5, a few days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) removed COVID-19 Travel Health Notices from its site, a State Department spokesperson says. That change sparked the new advisories, but also drew attention to the warnings that had existed in each country.  Any time there is an alteration to the listed information, the travel advisory for each country will clearly note the reason for the update at the top. As with countries like Belize , Italy , France , and South Africa , the first line of the advisories read: “Last Update: Reissued with updates to health information”—noting that CDC change was the cause for the new advisory, as COVID-19 had been a major factor in these notices for the greater part of the last couple of years. For many of the nations, that was the sole reason for the update. But the State Department is constantly reviewing the information. Any country with a Travel Advisory at Level 1 (“Exercise Normal Precautions”) or Level 2 (“Exercise Increased Caution”) is reassessed at least every 12 months, while any on Level 3 (“Reconsider Travel”) or Level 4 (“Do Not Travel”) are looked at again every six months, at a minimum.  Moving forward, the State Department’s Travel Advisories will no longer include the CDC’s Travel Health Notices, and the CDC will only issue a notice for a country if a concerning COVID-19 variant is identified that alters recommendations for traveling there.

Large-scale safety warnings

With the health warnings off of these pages, terrorist and civil unrest advisories now sit at the top of many of the countries' pages. The State Department says that if the latest update was related to one of these reasons, it would be clearly labeled up front. Still, the recent update exposed just how many nations are currently at elevated caution levels.

“Level 2 travel warnings are not normal for these countries at this scale,” Jukka Laitamaki of NYU School of Professional Studies ’ Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality says. “Currently, in Europe only Scandinavian countries and Finland have the lowest Level 1 advisory.”

The State Department doesn’t specify what threats are behind the warnings, so it does mean travelers should be aware of the state of affairs in each country. “Pay attention to [the advisories] and use them as an important part of your travel planning,” he says. “Supplement them with local news from the destinations you plan to travel to and consider your own level of risk tolerance.” It’s possible recent one-off incidents like the Monet painting being defaced in Germany or the upcoming enthusiasm around the World Cup in November could be causes, Rewaken Adventure travel consultant Lori Avirett-Mackenzie says. “So State Department increasing the levels makes sense in a broad and general way,” she says.

Knowing how to use that information for travel planning can be difficult to parse. “There are no universal answers as the decision to travel and where to go when is highly personal,” Sandra Weinacht of Inside Europe . “But from my perspective and experience, I say yes, come to Europe.”  Of course that doesn’t mean completely letting your guard down—it may just be digging deeper into the specifics of where you’re going. Often the travel advisories will caution about certain areas. For instance, while Peru is on a Level 3 warning , there are certain border regions on Level 4. 

“We advise clients to take these alerts seriously, but we also recommend that, together, we dig into the alert and in more detail before changing or cancelling their travel plans to determine if or how the alert affects their specific trip,” Jenny Mikkelson at Travel Beyond says. She reminds that the advisories are issued for entire nations and for a broad range of traveler types, so specifics are important. “The particular destinations a traveler may be visiting may not be anywhere near the points of concern,” she adds.  Even so, Level 4 warnings stating not travel to the country should be heeded, Laitamaki says. As of press time, that list includes Afghanistan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Burma (Myanmar), Central African Republic, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Mali, North Korea, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tonga, Venezuela, Yemen, and Ukraine.

No matter what the advisory level is, it’s also just important to stay smart while on the road. Officials recommend signing up for the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) program with details of your trip in order to receive the latest safety and security alerts from the U.S. government.

While the advisories can be daunting, it shouldn’t prevent travelers from leaving home. “I believe the best option is to be well-educated and prepared,” Avirett-Mackenzie says. “International travel is key to changing and enlarging our perspectives, helping us all recognize that the vast majority of people everywhere have the same goals and are good and kind people at heart."

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• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Meaning of travel advisory in English

• The governor's office issued a travel advisory on Thursday afternoon urging people not to make unnecessary trips .
• Many people ignored the travel advisory and tried to flee the state as the hurricane made landfall .
• The government's travel advisory warns against all but essential travel to the war-torn country .
• advice column
• advice columnist
• advisability
• advise against doing something
• agony uncle
• Monday-morning quarterback idiom
• on the advice of someone/something
• piece of advice
• Privy Councillor
• recommendation
• run over/through something
• waste your breath idiom

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to decide or arrange to delay an event or activity until a later time or date

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Your ‘hot’ passport photo could be a problem at the airport

Better to “look like a swamp rat,” one travel agent suggested after a TikTok trend gone awry.

The passport photos are glam — some might say aspirational — and created with a multistep, multi-product process. They also might be a cautionary tale.

“This is why you should never do hot photos for your passport,” influencer Alisha Marie warned in a viral TikTok last year, dressed in a black hoodie and baseball cap with a face free of heavy makeup. She said she almost had been stopped from boarding a flight because she didn’t look like her chic, fully made-up passport photo.

“ive never been SO HUMBLED IN MY LIFE,” she wrote.

@alishamarie ive never been SO HUMBLED IN MY LIFE 😭🛂🚫 #passportphoto #passport #traveltiktok #grwm ♬ original sound - alishamarie

Across social media, makeup aficionados from several countries have bemoaned the unrecognizably hot photos in their travel documents, after officials noted that they looked different in real life, facial scans failed or fake-lash fatigue set in.

“Why I regret doing passport makeup,” the caption on one video says. Another TikTok starts with a woman opining on her biggest regret: “My passport picture.”

In some cases, the photos were inspired by a makeup trend that went viral two years ago involving concealer, contouring, over-lined lips, a “fox eye” look and brows shaped with styling glue. Kim Kardashian also made headlines when she shared her done-up passport photo on Instagram 10 years ago.

Regardless of the inspiration, experts say travelers should tread lightly on the makeup front — or risk facing border issues or airport holdups.

The government’s stance on passport makeup

The use of makeup is permitted for passport photos , the State Department said in a statement to The Washington Post. “However, if you plan on wearing makeup in your passport photo, we encourage you to stick to a makeup look that is consistent with your regular makeup style.”

Passport photos must be an “accurate likeness” of the traveler, according to federal regulations and the International Civil Aviation Organization. The rules for passports, which tend to be stricter than for driver’s licenses, call for a neutral expression, a clear image, no filters, and a white or off-white background.

The State Department said it had “seen reports of travelers experiencing delays due to border patrol agents facing difficulty in confirming their identity” and encouraged people to avoid makeup styles that “significantly alter” the way their faces look. Entry to other countries may be delayed, it said, if officials were not confident that the photo depicted the traveler in front of them.

“It is important to facilitate travel and ensure security measures that border patrol agents can easily recognize you from your passport photo,” the State Department wrote. “If you typically do not wear makeup while travelling, you may want to consider not wearing makeup in your passport photo — or sticking to a very natural makeup look.”

The opposite of glam: ‘Death warmed over’

Denise Ambrusko-Maida, who owns the Travel Brilliant travel agency, reacted to the trend in her own TikTok video with a “reminder NOT to do hot girl makeup for your passport photos.”

“I purposely take my passport photo to look like a swamp rat,” she said. In an interview, Ambrusko-Maida said she was surprised that glamour-shot-type photos even get approved. Her advice is to think about what you might look like “after you’ve been on a flight for 15 hours overnight in a middle seat” and take a photo that looks like that whole situation instead.

“If you are the type of person who is going to put on full makeup for that flight, good — I love that for you. I’m not trying to tell you not to do that,” said Ambrusko-Maida, who is based in Buffalo. “Having flown around the world enough times, I know that that’s not going to be most people.”

Several people commented on her video to share their own personal passport aesthetics, including “sickly,” “like a fugitive on the run,” “death warmed over” and “truly the worst thing I’ve ever done.”

@bethgould_ Humbled in Taiwan but also in my Alisha Marie era ✈️🌍🗺️ #passport #passportphoto #passportmakeup #passportphototrend #passportdenied #taiwan #taipei #badpassportphoto ♬ original sound - bethgould

Potential for airport slowdowns

The U.K.-based online travel agency Travel Republic flagged the makeup trend earlier this summer, warning that a photo “glow up” could cause hiccups at the airport.

“Most people do feel embarrassed of their ID images, however, they are a security measure to help prevent fraud, keep borders safe and ensure easy recognition of travellers identity,” Gemma Brown, the company’s head of product, said in a news release. “Therefore, if you overly-enhance your look when taking your photo, you can actually slow down the process of verification checks at the airport because you look too different in person from the photo at hand.”

Erik Learned-Miller, a professor at the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, wrote in an email to The Post that the impact of makeup in the security line depends on the type of facial recognition system in question.

But he said there are two “equally problematic” scenarios for facial recognition technology: a person who isn’t wearing makeup using a passport photo with lots of it, or someone made up at the airport with a barefaced photo.

“So, the issue is not exactly having makeup in the passport photo,” Learned-Miller wrote. “It is really having a *different appearance* in two different photos. It can go either way.”

When gloss fails

Vancouver-based interior designer and illustrator Phoebe Kut wasn’t even following a trend when she took a passport photo this summer — she was just following her regular makeup routine.

Still, she said in a video on TikTok, her photo was rejected because her lips were too glossy.

“I really liked that photo of myself,” Kut said in an interview. She had taken the photo a month in advance, she said, and wasn’t wearing makeup when she went to the passport office. She had to run around to get a new photo after the gloss-related rejection.

“I didn’t get the same photo, but it’s fine, whatever,” Kut said.

Bruce Hallstrom, owner of the international passport photo service Passport Photo Now , said makeup has been “an issue forever,” not just in the era of TikTok influencers. He will tell clients when a photo they send him is likely to be rejected for too much makeup, use of a skin-improving filter or other reasons.

“I know there’s a blemish on your face somewhere,” he said. “I know there’s wrinkles somewhere.”

His company, which checks photos for compliance with countries’ rules and prints them, lists makeup tips and cautions that “this is not the time to get creative or try that new electric green eye shadow.”

“The closer you look to your photo,” the final tip reads, “the fewer problems you will have.”

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Saudi Arabia Travel Advisory

Travel advisory january 24, 2024, saudi arabia - level 3: reconsider travel.

Updated after periodic review to provide information on the risk of arrest due to social media use and the importation of prohibited items.

Reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia due to  the threat of missile and drone attacks.   Exercise increased caution in Saudi Arabia due to  terrorism, the risk of arrest based on social media activity, and importation of prohibited items.  Some areas have increased risk.  Read the entire Travel Advisory.

Do not travel to the following locations due to the threat of  missile and drone attacks  and  terrorism :

• Within 50 miles of the Saudi-Yemen border, as well as the cities of Abha, Jizan, Najran, and Khamis Mushayt;
• Abha airport;
• Qatif in the Eastern Province and its suburbs, including Awamiyah.

Country Summary : U.S. government personnel under Chief of Mission responsibility must adhere to the above travel restrictions.  As such, the U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in these locations.

Missile and drone attacks perpetrated by Iran and Iran-supported militant groups have occurred as recently as September 2023.  The Islamic Republic of Iran has in the past supplied Yemen-based Houthis and regional proxy groups with weapons to conduct destructive and sometimes lethal attacks using drones, missiles, and rockets against a variety of Saudi sites, including critical infrastructure, civilian airports, military bases, and energy facilities throughout the country, as well as vessels in Red Sea shipping lanes.  Past attacks were aimed at targets throughout Saudi Arabia including Riyadh, Jeddah, Dhahran, Jizan, Khamis Mushayt, the civilian airport in Abha, Al Kharj, military installations in the south, as well as oil and gas facilities.

Debris from intercepted drones and missiles has also represented a significant risk to civilian areas and populations in the recent past.  Militant groups have threatened to conduct attacks against locations in Saudi Arabia.  U.S. citizens living and working near military bases and critical civilian infrastructure, particularly near the border with Yemen, are at heightened risk if missile, drone, or rocket attacks reoccur.

Terrorism continues to be a concern in Saudi Arabia.  Attacks can occur with little or no warning.  Past attacks have targeted tourist locations, large gatherings, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities.  Terrorists are also known to time attacks around major holidays and/or in response to military operations.  Terrorists have targeted both Saudi and international interests, mosques and other religious sites (both Sunni and Shia), and places frequented by U.S. citizens.

Be advised that social media commentary – including past comments – which Saudi authorities may deem critical, offensive, or disruptive to public order, could lead to arrest .  This may include posting, re-posting, or liking comments about Saudi institutions, policies, and public life.  U.S. citizens have been convicted for social media activity under Saudi laws concerning cybercrime, terrorism, and disrupting public order.  Punishment for social media activity has included prison sentences of up to 45 years in some cases.  Saudi courts do not necessarily consider the timeframe of the posts or the location from which they were made to be material to these cases.

The importation of drugs (including marijuana), drug paraphernalia, alcohol, weapons, pork, or any materials that could be considered pornographic or suggestive, is prohibited.   Penalties for drug possession, consumption, and trafficking are severe by U.S. standards.  An extensive list of banned items is available on our Saudi Arabia country information page .

Due to risks to civil aviation operating within the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman region, including Saudi Arabia, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an advisory Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM).  For more information U.S. citizens should consult the  Federal Aviation Administration’s Prohibitions, Restrictions and Notices .

Read the  country information page  for additional information on travel to Saudi Arabia.

If you decide to travel to Saudi Arabia:

• Visit our website for information on  travel to high-risk areas .
• Stay alert in large crowds and/or locations frequented by foreign nationals.
• Obtain comprehensive medical insurance that includes medical evacuation.
• Review local laws and conditions before traveling, including our Saudi Arabia country information on arrest notification and the Department of State’s general information on arrests of U.S. citizens abroad .
• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  ( STEP ) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on  Facebook  and  Twitter .
• Follow the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia on  Facebook  and  Twitter .
• Review the  Country Security Report   for Saudi Arabia.
• Visit the CDC page for the latest  Travel Health Information  related to your travel.
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist .

Yemen Border, Abha airport, and Qatif in the Eastern Province and its suburbs, including Awamiyah – Level 4: Do Not Travel

Militants in Yemen have attacked Saudi border towns and other sites in Saudi Arabia with armed drones, missiles, and rockets .  Civilians that are near the border with Yemen are especially at risk.   Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Saudi Arabia, including in Qatif.

The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens within 50 miles of the Saudi-Yemen border as U.S. government personnel and their families are restricted from travel to this area.

Visit our website for information on  travel to high-risk areas

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• Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/fact-checking-warnings-from-democrats-about-project-2025-and-donald-trump

Fact-checking warnings from Democrats about Project 2025 and Donald Trump

This fact check originally appeared on PolitiFact .

Project 2025 has a starring role in this week’s Democratic National Convention.

And it was front and center on Night 1.

WATCH: Hauling large copy of Project 2025, Michigan state Sen. McMorrow speaks at 2024 DNC

“This is Project 2025,” Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak, said as she laid a hardbound copy of the 900-page document on the lectern. “Over the next four nights, you are going to hear a lot about what is in this 900-page document. Why? Because this is the Republican blueprint for a second Trump term.”

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, has warned Americans about “Trump’s Project 2025” agenda — even though former President Donald Trump doesn’t claim the conservative presidential transition document.

“Donald Trump wants to take our country backward,” Harris said July 23 in Milwaukee. “He and his extreme Project 2025 agenda will weaken the middle class. Like, we know we got to take this seriously, and can you believe they put that thing in writing?”

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris’ running mate, has joined in on the talking point.

“Don’t believe (Trump) when he’s playing dumb about this Project 2025. He knows exactly what it’ll do,” Walz said Aug. 9 in Glendale, Arizona.

Trump’s campaign has worked to build distance from the project, which the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, led with contributions from dozens of conservative groups.

Much of the plan calls for extensive executive-branch overhauls and draws on both long-standing conservative principles, such as tax cuts, and more recent culture war issues. It lays out recommendations for disbanding the Commerce and Education departments, eliminating certain climate protections and consolidating more power to the president.

Project 2025 offers a sweeping vision for a Republican-led executive branch, and some of its policies mirror Trump’s 2024 agenda, But Harris and her presidential campaign have at times gone too far in describing what the project calls for and how closely the plans overlap with Trump’s campaign.

PolitiFact researched Harris’ warnings about how the plan would affect reproductive rights, federal entitlement programs and education, just as we did for President Joe Biden’s Project 2025 rhetoric. Here’s what the project does and doesn’t call for, and how it squares with Trump’s positions.

Are Trump and Project 2025 connected?

To distance himself from Project 2025 amid the Democratic attacks, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he “knows nothing” about it and has “no idea” who is in charge of it. (CNN identified at least 140 former advisers from the Trump administration who have been involved.)

The Heritage Foundation sought contributions from more than 100 conservative organizations for its policy vision for the next Republican presidency, which was published in 2023.

Project 2025 is now winding down some of its policy operations, and director Paul Dans, a former Trump administration official, is stepping down, The Washington Post reported July 30. Trump campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita denounced the document.

WATCH: A look at the Project 2025 plan to reshape government and Trump’s links to its authors

However, Project 2025 contributors include a number of high-ranking officials from Trump’s first administration, including former White House adviser Peter Navarro and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson.

A recently released recording of Russell Vought, a Project 2025 author and the former director of Trump’s Office of Management and Budget, showed Vought saying Trump’s “very supportive of what we do.” He said Trump was only distancing himself because Democrats were making a bogeyman out of the document.

Project 2025 wouldn’t ban abortion outright, but would curtail access

The Harris campaign shared a graphic on X that claimed “Trump’s Project 2025 plan for workers” would “go after birth control and ban abortion nationwide.”

The plan doesn’t call to ban abortion nationwide, though its recommendations could curtail some contraceptives and limit abortion access.

What’s known about Trump’s abortion agenda neither lines up with Harris’ description nor Project 2025’s wish list.

Project 2025 says the Department of Health and Human Services Department should “return to being known as the Department of Life by explicitly rejecting the notion that abortion is health care.”

It recommends that the Food and Drug Administration reverse its 2000 approval of mifepristone, the first pill taken in a two-drug regimen for a medication abortion. Medication is the most common form of abortion in the U.S. — accounting for around 63 percent in 2023.

If mifepristone were to remain approved, Project 2025 recommends new rules, such as cutting its use from 10 weeks into pregnancy to seven. It would have to be provided to patients in person — part of the group’s efforts to limit access to the drug by mail. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a legal challenge to mifepristone’s FDA approval over procedural grounds.

WATCH: Trump’s plans for health care and reproductive rights if he returns to White House The manual also calls for the Justice Department to enforce the 1873 Comstock Act on mifepristone, which bans the mailing of “obscene” materials. Abortion access supporters fear that a strict interpretation of the law could go further to ban mailing the materials used in procedural abortions, such as surgical instruments and equipment.

The plan proposes withholding federal money from states that don’t report to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention how many abortions take place within their borders. The plan also would prohibit abortion providers, such as Planned Parenthood, from receiving Medicaid funds. It also calls for the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that the training of medical professionals, including doctors and nurses, omits abortion training.

The document says some forms of emergency contraception — particularly Ella, a pill that can be taken within five days of unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy — should be excluded from no-cost coverage. The Affordable Care Act requires most private health insurers to cover recommended preventive services, which involves a range of birth control methods, including emergency contraception.

Trump has recently said states should decide abortion regulations and that he wouldn’t block access to contraceptives. Trump said during his June 27 debate with Biden that he wouldn’t ban mifepristone after the Supreme Court “approved” it. But the court rejected the lawsuit based on standing, not the case’s merits. He has not weighed in on the Comstock Act or said whether he supports it being used to block abortion medication, or other kinds of abortions.

Project 2025 doesn’t call for cutting Social Security, but proposes some changes to Medicare

“When you read (Project 2025),” Harris told a crowd July 23 in Wisconsin, “you will see, Donald Trump intends to cut Social Security and Medicare.”

The Project 2025 document does not call for Social Security cuts. None of its 10 references to Social Security addresses plans for cutting the program.

Harris also misleads about Trump’s Social Security views.

In his earlier campaigns and before he was a politician, Trump said about a half-dozen times that he’s open to major overhauls of Social Security, including cuts and privatization. More recently, in a March 2024 CNBC interview, Trump said of entitlement programs such as Social Security, “There’s a lot you can do in terms of entitlements, in terms of cutting.” However, he quickly walked that statement back, and his CNBC comment stands at odds with essentially everything else Trump has said during the 2024 presidential campaign.

Trump’s campaign website says that not “a single penny” should be cut from Social Security. We rated Harris’ claim that Trump intends to cut Social Security Mostly False.

Project 2025 does propose changes to Medicare, including making Medicare Advantage, the private insurance offering in Medicare, the “default” enrollment option. Unlike Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans have provider networks and can also require prior authorization, meaning that the plan can approve or deny certain services. Original Medicare plans don’t have prior authorization requirements.

The manual also calls for repealing health policies enacted under Biden, such as the Inflation Reduction Act. The law enabled Medicare to negotiate with drugmakers for the first time in history, and recently resulted in an agreement with drug companies to lower the prices of 10 expensive prescriptions for Medicare enrollees.

Trump, however, has said repeatedly during the 2024 presidential campaign that he will not cut Medicare.

Project 2025 would eliminate the Education Department, which Trump supports

The Harris campaign said Project 2025 would “eliminate the U.S. Department of Education” — and that’s accurate. Project 2025 says federal education policy “should be limited and, ultimately, the federal Department of Education should be eliminated.” The plan scales back the federal government’s role in education policy and devolves the functions that remain to other agencies.

Aside from eliminating the department, the project also proposes scrapping the Biden administration’s Title IX revision, which prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It also would let states opt out of federal education programs and calls for passing a federal parents’ bill of rights similar to ones passed in some Republican-led state legislatures.

Republicans, including Trump, have pledged to close the department, which gained its status in 1979 within Democratic President Jimmy Carter’s presidential Cabinet.

In one of his Agenda 47 policy videos, Trump promised to close the department and “to send all education work and needs back to the states.” Eliminating the department would have to go through Congress.

What Project 2025, Trump would do on overtime pay

In the graphic, the Harris campaign says Project 2025 allows “employers to stop paying workers for overtime work.”

The plan doesn’t call for banning overtime wages. It recommends changes to some Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, regulations and to overtime rules. Some changes, if enacted, could result in some people losing overtime protections, experts told us.

The document proposes that the Labor Department maintain an overtime threshold “that does not punish businesses in lower-cost regions (e.g., the southeast United States).” This threshold is the amount of money executive, administrative or professional employees need to make for an employer to exempt them from overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

In 2019, the Trump’s administration finalized a rule that expanded overtime pay eligibility to most salaried workers earning less than about $35,568, which it said made about 1.3 million more workers eligible for overtime pay. The Trump-era threshold is high enough to cover most line workers in lower-cost regions, Project 2025 said.

The Biden administration raised that threshold to $43,888 beginning July 1, and that will rise to $58,656 on Jan. 1, 2025. That would grant overtime eligibility to about 4 million workers, the Labor Department said.

It’s unclear how many workers Project 2025’s proposal to return to the Trump-era overtime threshold in some parts of the country would affect, but experts said some would presumably lose the right to overtime wages.

Other overtime proposals in Project 2025’s plan include allowing some workers to choose to accumulate paid time off instead of overtime pay, or to work more hours in one week and fewer in the next, rather than receive overtime.

Trump’s past with overtime pay is complicated. In 2016, the Obama administration said it would raise the overtime to salaried workers earning less than $47,476 a year, about double the exemption level set in 2004 of $23,660 a year.

But when a judge blocked the Obama rule, the Trump administration didn’t challenge the court ruling. Instead it set its own overtime threshold, which raised the amount, but by less than Obama.

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