Brits have been urged to check travel advice before setting off on holiday as Foreign Office warnings are in place for 19 countries. These cautions are in place for your safety, but could also invalidate your insurance if ignored.
Political unrest, natural catastrophes, and various safety issues lead the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to advise people against travelling to certain areas.
As reported by Wales Online, the FCDO has therefore warned against “all travel” to 19 countries across Europe, Africa, Asia and South America.
On top of this, a further three countries have “all but essential travel” warnings in place.
There are also 46 areas within foreign countries that have been issued warnings by the FCDO.
Lebanon, the FCDO has prompted updated travel guidance reflecting the potential for sudden regional conflict escalations. “On 1 October, Iran launched around 200 ballistic missiles at Israel,” it explained.
“On 26 October, Israel carried out military action against Iran. Monitor this travel advice and other media as the situation is changing fast.”
Before you set off on your travels, you must remember to check the latest advice but the current travel warnings are as follows.
FCDO advises against all travel
- Afghanistan – “The security situation is volatile”
- Belarus – “You face a significant risk of arrest”
- Burkina Faso – except to the capital, Ouagadougou
- Central African Republic – except to the capital, Bangui
- Haiti – “Due to the volatile security situation”
- Iran – “British nationals are at significant risk of arrest”
- Iraq – except to 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 Israel
- 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 to Bamako
- Niger – except to the capital city of 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 of the OPTs
- Ukraine – “Ongoing risk of harm to British nationals from Russian attacks across all of Ukraine”
- Yemen – “Unpredictable security conditions”.
FCDO advises against all but essential travel
This is defined by the FCDO as: “Whether travel is essential or not is your own decision. You may have urgent family or business commitments which you need to attend to. Only you can make an informed decision based on your own individual circumstances and the risks.”
- Bangladesh – “There has been widespread violence across Bangladesh”
- New Caledonia – “Given ongoing tensions”
- North Korea – “The security situation can change quickly with no advance warning”.
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of
- 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.
