Whether it’s satisfying a country’s three- or six-month passport requirements or deciding if the local tap water is drinkable, international travel has a way of keeping even seasoned globetrotters on their toes. Even if you’re traveling close, or to a safe country — like Canada — it’s smart to check the Department of State’s travel advisory map before booking. The government’s interactive map offers a quick snapshot of global travel risks, but the real value comes from digging into the details behind those ratings.
How the government develops advisories
The U.S. State Department compiles its travel advisories using information from a range of sources, including security and intelligence experts, U.S. embassies and consulates and federal agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) compiles intelligence from U.S. businesses, NGOs and academic groups abroad to create its Country Security Report (CSR), which focuses on specific cities and high-risk areas.
“The State Department has access to the best intelligence in the world,” says Dr. John Rose, chief risk advisor with Altour, a global travel management provider. “When they create a warning, is there a political tint to it? Absolutely. The tint means we’re having some issues with that country right now. And if we were to send a government employee there, they could be in a certain level of harm’s way because they work for the U.S. government.”
The four risk levels (that are really seven)
Officially, the State Department has four easy-to-follow risk ranks, from Level 1, which advises travelers to exercise normal precautions, to Level 4, which advises citizens not to visit. Travel advisories for Levels 1 and 2 are reviewed every 12 months, while Levels 3 and 4 are reassessed at least every six months. The department also updates advisories whenever conditions change significantly, such as when the U.S. government adjusts security restrictions in a country.
Here’s where four levels turn into seven: Levels 1 through 3 each have two versions — a standard advisory level and, for some countries, an added security risk designation. On the Travel Advisory Map, the four levels are color-coded, and countries with three elevated risk areas are marked with white diagonal lines. For instance, Slovenia is solid blue — Level 1 — while neighboring Croatia is also Level 1 but with white stripes, indicating areas with higher security risks. The difference is knowing whether to watch out for petty crime, like pickpockets, or to be aware that violent crime can occur unpredictably.
Most countries receive a single advisory level, regardless of how many states, provinces or territories they include. Mexico is the exception, as the State Department recognizes that risk levels can vary widely from one region to another. Much of the country, including Mexico City, is rated Level 2, while several states along the U.S. border are Level 3 due to concerns about crime, kidnapping and terrorism. Tourist-heavy areas like the Yucatán (home to Tulum and Cancún) and Campeche (a UNESCO World Heritage site) are considered safer and Level 1.
“If the warning says parts of Mexico are a [Level] three, it doesn’t mean don’t travel to Mexico,” says Rose. “That means, you need to ask more questions before going, so you can get a specialized risk assessment.” A risk assessment — a service you pay for that arrives as a written report or through a phone or video consultation — can range from about $150 to over $1,000. It outlines specific risks and precautions for your destination that can go beyond what’s covered in the State Department’s advisories. Think of it as a relatively inexpensive form of insurance if you’re visiting countries with Level 2 to 4 ratings.
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Risk indicators give you an idea of specific issues
Countries rated Levels 2 through 4 usually have one or more of the State Department’s nine risk indicators. Each metric, often shown by a single letter once you click onto the full travel advisory, highlights a specific area of concern: Crime (C), Wrongful Detention (D), Time-Limited Event (E), Health (H), Kidnapping and/or Hostage-Taking (K), Natural Disasters (N), Other (O), Terrorism (T) and Unrest (U). The State Department’s map can lead you to more involved reports that detail why a country has one or more of these risk indicators, but you must click beyond the colors to find them.
What else is in the full travel advisory
Each country on the map links to its own advisory page. Near the top of the advisory page, you’ll usually find a link for the country information page and, for higher-risk destinations, a bulleted CSR. The country information page covers the basics travelers’ needs — U.S. Embassy and Consulate contacts, visa and vaccine requirements and even which side of the road people drive on. Even safe Level 1 countries may still include a CSR.
For example, Iceland — a Level 1 country — has a CSR that’s more recently updated than its overall advisory. The report highlights areas with higher risks of petty crime and minor assaults tied to increased tourism, and it even includes details like the number of police officers in the country, the emergency phone number and a smartphone app designed to speed up emergency response.
These reports add valuable context, which is important since the State Department paints with a broad brush. Sweden, for instance, is classified as Level 2 due to its terrorism risk indicator. But the CSR notes that Stockholm — its most visited city by U.S. tourists — is considered a low terrorism threat.
Generally, the larger the country, the more city- or region-specific information the State Department provides, helping travelers better understand the risks in the places they plan to visit. Brazil, for example, is rated Level 2 for crime and kidnapping. Its advisory explicitly warns travelers to avoid areas within 100 miles of borders with Bolivia, Colombia and Venezuela due to crime — though it notes that this doesn’t apply to a few popular national parks.
A country’s borders can significantly influence its risk assessment. “Sometimes what you have is level because of certain borders,” says Carrie Pasquarello, CEO of Global Secure Resources, a risk mitigation and threat assessment planning provider. “Say a country is a Level 2, with those slashes, that could be because near the borders of the other countries, it might be unsafe.”
What to do with a Level 2-4 destination
Americans can travel to nearly all countries, regardless of the Level status. A few exceptions are North Korea (Level 4), where U.S. passports are not valid unless authorized by the Secretary of State, and Cuba (Level 2), where you’ll need to meet one of the 12 authorized categories of travel that go beyond leisure tourism (the most commonly satisfied of which is the Support for the Cuban People). The higher the risk level, the more homework you’ll have to do to ensure your safety.
Many security experts suggest having travel insurance. “I recommend it, because their medical insurance probably doesn’t cover them outside the country,” says Rose. A good rule of thumb is to plan for about 5% of the trip’s total cost for insurance. More experienced insurance providers might even be able to weigh in on the hotel you’re planning to stay at. “The good ones cover that sort of thing all the time, and they want to help, because they don’t want a claim,” Rose adds.
Hotels in foreign countries have an acute knowledge of what’s going on locally. While it might take some effort, if you’re traveling to an area under a higher level of risk, call the hotel. “The hotels know everything in detail, and are a great source of intel,” says Rose. “I’m not talking about the front desk — ask to talk to the security staff or the manager on duty, and ask questions, ‘Hey, is it okay if I walk off your property or should I only take Uber?’”
Ground transportation — even walking — can pose major safety risks abroad if you don’t plan ahead. Rose suggests learning where it’s safe to walk in cities like Rome, where it can help you avoid areas where petty crime from street scammers or pickpockets is common. The reverse can also be true: sometimes it’s safer to walk than to use local transport. “The tuk-tuk in Thailand or the trikes in the Philippines are dangerous, and they look dangerous, yet everyone does it,” he says. Rose also recommends checking a city’s crime heat map before you go; in many large, developed cities, law enforcement agencies often publish this data.
Pasquarello likes to get a feel for local crime by reading newspapers, but she also looks at intelligence from other countries. “It’s not just our State Department that we should be going to for information,” she says. Other nations — including Canada, the U.K., Australia, Germany, India and Denmark — publish their own travel advisories for citizens abroad, often offering a different perspective, threat level or set of insights about the country you plan to visit. You could, as Pasquarello does, find the local police department in the city or town you’re visiting and look at what their website is warning local citizens about. “It’s in their best interest to have travelers come to their community and not have to visit them at the police station,” she says.
While she uses social media in her research, she says it’s important to add context to it. “Hong Kong was having a lot of protests a while back, and I had visitors there during it,” she says. “And if you just took what was on social media, you’d think the whole country was burning down, but in reality, four blocks in another direction, it was peaceful, so it’s important to understand what you see on social media might not necessarily be the entire city.”
Enrolling in STEP
Registering in the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) takes about 20 minutes online and ensures you receive important email updates about health, weather, safety and security at your destination. It also helps the embassy or consulate staff to reach you in an emergency, such as a natural disaster, civil unrest or a family crisis. While not a substitute for travel insurance, STEP can connect you with vetted local resources — like English-speaking hospitals and reputable lawyers — and, in extraordinary cases, assist with evacuation or extraction services.
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