These are the countries travelers are advised to stay away from by the FCDO
Many modern vacationers no longer limit their travels to the United Kingdom and mainland Europe, opting instead to seek out less-visited parts of the globe. However, there are a number of nations that you should avoid visiting according to the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO).
At the present time, the FCDO has issued full travel warnings for only 20 countries, including Afghanistan and Russia, and partial travel warnings for an additional 43 countries, some of which include hot spots for tourists such as Mexico, Thailand, and Turkey.
Countries travelers should avoid
- Afghanistan: The FCDO warns against visiting Afghanistan because of the unstable security situation there.
- Belarus: The FCDO warns against visiting Belarus while Russian military operations are underway.
- Burkina Faso: Since there is no British Embassy there, nobody should visit.
- Chad: The FCDO discourages visitors from visiting Chad.
- Central African Republic: There is a high probability that foreign nationals will be a target in the Central African Republic, and travel should be avoided there.
- Haiti: Due to the unstable security situation, the FCDO strongly discourages all travelers from going to Haiti.
- Iraq: Due to the unstable security situation in Iraq, tourists are advised to stay away.
- Iran: There is a significant danger of British citizens being arbitrarily arrested, questioned, or detained if they travel to Iran.
- Libya: Due to ongoing military unrest, the FCDO has discouraged any but essential travel to Libya since 2014.
- Mali: There are terrorist dangers and kidnapping hazards in Mali, hence the FCDO recommends not going there.
- Niger: Due to the unstable security situation, visiting Niger is not advised.
- North Korea: The FCDO discourages visiting North Korea.
- Russia: The FCDO has cautioned against visiting Russia in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
- Somalia: The FCDO advises against traveling to Somalia because of the ongoing “volatile” environment.
- South Sudan: The FCDO advises against traveling to South Sudan because of the turmoil.
- Sudan: Due to security concerns, it is currently unsafe to visit anyplace in Sudan.
- Syria: Syria should not be visited because the country is still unstable.
- Ukraine: The FCDO warns against travel because of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
- Venezuela: Given the continuous violence and instability in Venezuela, the FCDO warns against visiting there.
- Yemen: The security situation in Yemen is still unsettled, therefore travel there should be avoided.
According to Yahoo, these are the countries that have partial warnings issued by the FCDO. Many of these countries have issued advisories because of tensions surrounding their borders:
- Algeria
- Angola
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Burundi
- Benin
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Cameroon
- Colombia
- Congo
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Ecuador
- Eritrea
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Georgia
- Indonesia
- Israel
- India
- Jordan
- Kenya
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Mozambique
- Malaysia
- Mauritania
- Myanmar
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- The Occupied Palestinian Territories
- Philippines
- Papua New Guinea
- Saudi Arabia
- Tanzania
- Tunisia
- Thailand
- Togo
- Turkey
- Uzbekistan
- Western Sahara
The number of factors to consider may seem overwhelming, but reading up before leaving for vacation is essential. The best way to decide whether or not to move forward with plans is to do as much research as possible.
Evie Blanco is a journalist with nearly a decade of experience born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Queens, New York. She is extremely well-versed in hip-hop music and culture and is always aware of its developments. Whether it’s the latest in pop culture, a fascinating foreign destination, a truly amazing new restaurant, or breaking news, she loves to write about it all. Evie can be reached at evieblanco@detourxp.com.
This story was originally published June 2, 2023 at 11:30 AM with the headline "These are the countries travelers are advised to stay away from by the FCDO."