What Are Travel Warnings, Country Specific Information & Travel Alerts?

Travel Warnings

Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department decides, based on all relevant information, to recommend that Americans avoid travel to a certain country. Countries where avoidance of travel is recommended will have Travel Warnings as well as Country Specific Information. You may also want to review specific country Background Notes.

Travel Alerts

Travel Alerts are a means to allow you to be  information about terrorist threats and other relatively short-term and or political disturbances anything posing significant risks to the security of American travelers abroad. The TAs are made when there is a specific threat that cannot be countered. In the past, Travel Alerts have been issued to deal with short-term coups, violence by terrorists and anniversary dates of specific terrorist events.

Country Specific Information 

Your countries specific information is available for every country of the world. They include information about location of the U.S. embassies or consulates in the various countries, strange immigration practices, health conditions, minor political disturbances, unusual currency and entry regulations, crime and security information, and drug penalties. If an unstable condition exists in a country that is not severe enough to warrant a Travel Warning, a description of the condition's may be included under an optional section entitled safety and security.

Country Background Notes Some very interesting information on the background of other countries.

Want  information? on any of the U.S. territories and possessions, such as the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam or American Samoa, you can go to the CIA Factbook. a great resource for travelers

Also, please see the section “Tips for Traveling Abroad" for other important health and safety information. Also, stay current with current information by visiting the US government Travel News page.