Many colleges and universities, including Northwestern, pay close attention U.S. Department of State (DOS) consular announcements, which are disseminated to the public to help assess travelers’ risks. It’s important for travelers to understand the different announcement types and sources.
The Consular Travel Advisory System
Under new DOS Travel Advisory system every country is assigned a color-coded risk rating from one to four, defined as:
- Level 1 – Exercise Normal Precautions: This is the lowest advisory level for safety and security risk.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 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.
These new travel advisories replace previous Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts.
Additional country-specific information is provided in each advisory, including clearer, actionable steps for that travelers can take to mitigate risk. (See Risk Indicators below). The DOS will update the advisories as needed, based on changes to security and safety information.
Risk Indicators
By using established risk indicators, the Travel Advisories at levels 2-4 provide clear reasons for the level assigned:
- E - Time-Limited Event:A short-term event, such as an election, sporting event or other incident that may post a safety risk.
- 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 exist and may cause violence, major disruptions, and/or safety risks.
- N – Natural Disaster: A natural disaster, or its aftermath, poses danger.
- 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.
- 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 by a foreign government exists.
- O – Other: There are potential risks not covered by previous risk indicators.
Alerts
U.S. embassies and consulates will now issue Alerts to replace the Emergency Messages and Security Messages. Alerts will inform travelers of specific safety and security concerns in a country and will be labeled according to their issue: Security Alert; Health Alert; Weather Alert; or Demonstration Alert. Recent Alerts for a country appear below the Travel Advisory. Alerts can also be found on individual embassy or consulate websites.
Click here for an example of an embassy Alert message.
Additional Information
For an even more detailed description of these terms, please see the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) document, Understanding the Consular Travel Advisory System.
FAQs
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.
What does a level 4 travel advisory mean? ›
Conditions in any country may change at any time. Level 4 – Do Not Travel. This is the highest advisory level due to greater likelihood of life-threatening risks. The U.S. government may have very limited ability to provide assistance, including during an emergency.
What is the purpose of a Department of State travel advisory? ›
The new travel advisory system was designed to give U.S. citizens more timely, clear, and reliable information regarding security threats abroad. Under the new system, each country will have a corresponding numerical value, ranging from 1 to 4, which indicates that country's current safety and security status.
What countries are level 1 for travel? ›
Learn about your destination
| Advisory | Level |
|---|
| Norway Travel Advisory | Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions |
| Poland Travel Advisory | Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions |
| Portugal Travel Advisory | Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions |
| Romania Travel Advisory | Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions |
144 more rowsLevel 4: Do Not Travel
- Iraq.
- Lebanon.
- Russia.
- Niger.
- South Sudan.
- Somalia.
- Mali.
- Central African Republic.
Crime, civil unrest, kidnapping and terrorism are common risk factors associated with Level 4 countries. So far in 2024, the State Department made changes to the existing Level 4 advisories for Myanmar, Iran and Gaza, and moved Niger and Lebanon off of the Level 4 list.
What is a Level 2 warning from the US Department of State? ›
Level 2 – Exercise Increased Caution: Be aware of heightened risks to safety and security.
What countries are on high alert for travel? ›
High-risk travel destinations
- All Countries.
- Afghanistan.
- Algeria.
- Armenia.
- Azerbaijan.
- Bangladesh.
- Belarus.
- Belize.
Summary: Reconsider travel to Mainland China due to the arbitrary enforcement of local laws, including in relation to exit bans, and the risk of wrongful detentions. Exercise increased caution when traveling to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) due to the arbitrary enforcement of local laws.
What countries are banned from security clearance? ›
(a) Prohibited countries:
Belarus, Burma, Cuba, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela.
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.
What is a high risk country? ›
Export-Control High Risk Countries:
The countries below are subject to broad sanctions and embargoes from the Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Travel to these countries will likely require prior authorization from the United States Government: Cuba. Iran. North Korea.
What is the difference between Level 2 and Level 3 travel advisory? ›
Level 2 - Exercise Increased Caution (Yellow): Be aware of heightened risks to safety and security. Level 3 - Reconsider Travel (Orange): Avoid travel due to serious risks to safety and security. Level 4 – Do Not Travel (Red): This is the highest advisory level due to greater likelihood of life-threatening risks.
What countries are under level 4 travel advisory? ›
The Travel Advisories for the following countries are Level 4 - Do Not Travel: ⛔Afghanistan ⛔Belarus ⛔Burkina Faso ⛔Burma ⛔Central African Republic ⛔Haiti ⛔Iran ⛔Iraq ⛔Libya ⛔Mali ⛔North Korea ⛔Russia ⛔Somalia ⛔South Sudan ⛔Sudan ⛔Syria ⛔Ukraine ⛔Venezuela ⛔Yemen Read the full Advisories at travel.state.gov/ ...
Can Americans travel to Russia right now? ›
Russia - Level 4: Do Not Travel.
What countries are level 3 travel? ›
+ Countries with a Travel Advisory Level 3 or Level 4
- Afghanistan.
- Belarus.
- Burkina Faso.
- Burma (Myanmar)
- Burundi.
- Central African Republic.
- Chad.
- China.
"Violent crimes, such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides, are common. Sexual assaults occur frequently, including at all-inclusive resorts," the agency warned in a Level 3 advisory about Jamaica — just one level below the most severe warning against travel to Americans.
Why is Italy a level 2 travel advisory? ›
Italy - Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Exercise increased caution due to terrorism.
What is the difference between a travel advisory and a travel warning? ›
According to them, the main difference between a travel alert and a travel advisory (warning) are the timeframe of the risk and level of risk: Travel alerts are short-term risks. Travel warnings or advisories are a higher-risk, longer term warning.
