UK Foreign Office Issues ‘Do Not Travel’ Warnings for 68 Countries—See the Full List Here

British travellers are strongly advised to exercise caution when planning trips abroad. The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) issues travel warnings regarding various locations worldwide.

The FCDO emphasises that ignoring these warnings could result in being uninsured and facing potential dangers abroad, a risk that should not be taken lightly.

(Image: AFP/Getty Images)

FCDO advises against all travel

Haiti features on the list (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

• Afghanistan – “The security situation is volatile”
• Belarus – “You face a significant risk of arrest”
• Burkina Faso – except the capital, Ouagadougou
• Central African Republic – except the capital, Bangui
• Haiti – “Due to the volatile security situation”
• Iran – “British nationals are at significant risk of arrest”
• Iraq – except for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq
• Israel – against all travel to Gaza, The West Bank and Northern Israel. All but essential travel to the rest of the country
• Lebanon – “Due to risks associated with the ongoing conflict between Israel, Lebanese Hizballah and other non-state actors”
• Libya – “The local security situation is fragile”
• Mali – except for Bamako
• Niger – except for Niamey
• Russia – “Due to the risks and threats from its continuing invasion of Ukraine”
• South Sudan – “Due to the risk of armed violence and criminality”
• Sudan – “Ongoing military conflict in Khartoum”
• Syria – “Ongoing conflict and unpredictable security conditions”
• The Occupied Palestinian Territories –against all travel to Gaza, The West Bank and Northern Israel. All but essential travel to the rest
• Ukraine – “Ongoing risk of harm to British nationals from Russian attacks across all of Ukraine”
• Yemen – “Unpredictable security conditions”.

The travel warnings stem from various factors, including political unrest, warfare, terror threats, and extreme weather conditions. Of 226 countries and territories monitored by the FCDO, 68 are flagged as high-risk areas, with advisories ranging from “all travel” to “all but essential travel.”

FCDO advises against all travel to parts

All travel to Burkina Faso is also advised against (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

• Algeria – all travel to within 30km of its borders with Libya, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Tunisia
• Armenia – within 5km of the entire eastern border between Armenia and Azerbaijan
• Azerbaijan – Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding
• Benin – Northern border regions
• Burundi – Cibitoke and Bubanza provinces
• Cameroon – Bakassi Peninsula and within 40km of Central African Republic, Chad and Nigeria borders
• Chad – Borkou, Ennedi Ouest, Ennedi Est and Tibesti provinces, Kanem Province, including Nokou, Lake Chad region and within 30km of all Chad’s other borders
• Congo – Republic of Congo-Central African Republic border area in the Likouala Region, districts in the Pool Region and Mouyondzi District in the Bouenza Region
• Côte d’Ivoire – borders with Burkina Faso and Mali and Côte d’Ivoire-Liberia border
• the Democratic Republic of the Congo – DRC-Central African Republic border, Eastern DRC, Kwamouth territory of Mai-Ndombe Province and areas in Kinshasa Province
• Djibouti – Djibouti-Eritrea border
• Egypt – Egypt-Libya border, North Sinai and the Western Desert
• Eritrea – within 25km of Eritrea’s land borders
• Ethiopia – international border areas, Tigray region, Amhara region, Afar region, Gambella region, Oromia region, Somali Regional State and Benishangul-Gumuz region
• Georgia – South Ossetia and Abkhazia
• Indonesia –Mount Sinabung, North Sumatra, Mount Marapi, West Sumatra, Mount Semeru, East Java, Mount Ruang, Northern Sulawesi, Mount Ibu, North Maluku
• Jordan – within 3km of the Syrian border
• Mauritania – Eastern Mauritania, Mauritania-Western Sahara border, Tiris Zemmour, Adrar, Tagant, Hodh el Gharbi, Assaba and Guidimaka provinces
• Moldova –Transnistria
• Mozambique – Cabo Delgado Province, Nampula Province
• Myanmar (Burma) – Chin State, Kachin State, Kayah State, Kayin State, Mon State, Rakhine State, Sagaing and Magway regions, Tanintharyi Region, Shan State North, North Mandalay Region
• Nigeria – Borno State, Yobe State, Adamawa State, Gombe State
• Philippines – Western and central Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago
• Saudi Arabia – Saudi Arabia-Yemen border and Abha International Airport
• Somalia – eastern and Western Somaliland
• Togo – Togo-Burkina Faso border
• Tunisia – Western Tunisia, including the Tunisia-Algeria border and Southern Tunisia, including the Tunisia-Libya border
• Turkey – within 10km of the Turkey-Syria border
• Venezuela – within 80km of the Venezuela-Colombia border, within 40km of the Venezuela-Brazil border
• Western Sahara – south and east of the Berm boundary line.

The situation is remarkably fluid in regions like the Middle East, where tensions between Israel and Lebanon have escalated. Reports indicate that on October 1, Iran launched approximately 200 ballistic missiles at Israel, leading to subsequent military actions by Israel against Iran on October 26. The FCDO advises travellers to closely monitor developments and stay updated on travel advice, as circumstances can change rapidly.

Taliban security personnel stand guard as a woman walks along a street (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts

• Angola – Cabinda Province, border areas in Lunda Norte Province
• Brazil – Amazonas State
• Colombia – borders, Pacific coast, northern and central Colombia
• Ecuador – Coastal Region and within 20km of the Ecuador-Colombia border
• Ghana – Bawku Municipality
• Guatemala – within 5km of the Mexican border
• Kenya – Kenya-Somalia border and northern parts of the east coast
• Kosovo – Zvečan, Zubin Potok and Leposavic, and the northern part of the city of Mitrovica
• Laos – Xaisomboun Province
• Malaysia – Eastern Sabah coastal islands
• Mexico – Baja California, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Colima, Guerrero, Chiapas
• Papua New Guinea – Hela and Southern Highlands provinces
• Peru – within 20km south of the Peru-Colombia border and The Valley of the Apurímac, Ene, and Mantaro River
• Tanzania – Mtwara Region along the Tanzania-Mozambique border
• Thailand –parts of the south, near the Thailand-Malaysia border
• Uganda– Queen Elizabeth National Park and Semuliki National Park

• 

  Crossing into Ukraine is advised against. Seen here, its border with Poland (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Before packing your bags, reviewing the FCDO’s list of countries to avoid is crucial. The FCDO’s guidance on essential travel states, “Whether travel is essential or not is your own decision. You may have urgent family or business commitments that require your attention. Only you can make an informed decision based on your circumstances and the associated risks.”

Sola Adeniji

News Reporter, Freelancer, and content creator

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