Travel advisory: Saudi border areas
The U.S. State Department ordered non-emergency staff to depart areas near the Yemen border in Saudi Arabia due to terrorism threats — travelers should monitor advisories closely before booking near that region . The notice is current as of March 2026 and affects travel planning for southern Saudi regions.
U.S. government employees are prohibited from traveling within 20 miles of the Saudi–Yemen border and from non‑official travel to Qatif, including Awamiyah, under the advisory travel.state.gov. On March 12, the U.S. Mission in Riyadh directed) remaining essential personnel to shelter in place and explicitly advised avoiding the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, the U.S. Consulate in Dhahran, and hotels. The Department placed Saudi Arabia at Level 3, “Reconsider Travel,” citing hostilities that began after Feb. 28 and ongoing missile and drone threats that have disrupted commercial flights. travel.state.gov The State Department opened a Crisis Intake Form at mytravel.state.gov for Americans requesting help and warned it has a “limited ability” to provide emergency services in the Kingdom; independent advisories also reported long delays at Yemen–Saudi crossings such as Al‑Tawal and widespread flight disruptions. travel.state.gov
