U.S. officials have added two more countries to their “Do Not Travel List” for 2025. This brings the total number of nations Americans should avoid to 21. North Korea, Burkina Faso and other countries have been added to the list.
The U.S. Department of State is now advising travelers to avoid a growing number of countries.
State Department travel advisories are updated regularly and reflect current recommendations. Both Burkina Faso, and North Korea, have recently been added to the “Do Not Travel List”, bringing the number of countries that the U.S. Government recommends travelers to avoid up to 21.
The State Department uses four levels of travel advice. Level 4 is Do Not Travel. Level 1 advises travelers to “Exercise normal precautions,” while Level 2 suggests they “Exercise increased caution,” and Level 3, “Reconsider travel.”
The State Department updated the travel advice for Burkina Faso on April 16 to reflect the specific risks to dual nationals. The travel advice states that local authorities might not recognize dual nationals’ U.S. citizenship if they are also Burkina Faso nationals. The advisory warns that terrorism and kidnapping are a risk for all visitors to the country. “Terrorists are able to attack anywhere, at any time and without much warning. They may also use different tactics like using common commercial items or kidnapping people for ransom.
North Korea’s updated travel advisory from April 29 warns of the dangers of arrests and long-term wrongful detention. Because the U.S. has no diplomatic relations with North Korea it is unable to provide direct assistance to U.S. Citizens in North Korea when they are in need. The North Korea government has subjected U.S. Citizens to arbitrary expulsions, arrests and entry and exit restrictions. The U.S. federal government cannot guarantee that you will be released.
Venezuela, Haiti and Libya are also rated Level 4. Other countries that have a rating of Level 4 include Burma (Myanmar), Mali and Sudan.
