New Trinidad & Tobago advisory

The U.S. renewed its Trinidad and Tobago travel advisory on April 13 and kept the country at Level 3, telling Americans to reconsider travel. (travel.state.gov) The advisory says crime remains the main reason for the warning, and it adds a heightened risk of terrorism. It also tells travelers to use extra caution in rural parts of both Trinidad and Tobago because routine and emergency medical care is limited there. (travel.state.gov) The U.S. Embassy in Port of Spain said the advisory was renewed on April 13, 2026, and published its notice on April 16. The State Department said there was no change in the overall Level 3 rating, but it removed the “kidnapping” indicator and added an area of increased risk. (tt.usembassy.gov, travel.state.gov) A nationwide State of Emergency is part of the advisory because Trinidad and Tobago’s government declared it on March 2, 2026, after what U.S. officials described as a spike in violent criminal activity. The embassy’s March 4 security alert said the violence was “mainly carried out by members of organized criminal gangs.” (tt.usembassy.gov) Under that emergency, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service can arrest people on suspicion of illegal activity and search public and private property, while bail is suspended for people suspected of committing a crime. The embassy said there are currently no curfews or bans on public gatherings, but restrictions can change with little or no notice. (tt.usembassy.gov, tt.usembassy.gov) The advisory also spells out where U.S. government employees cannot go in Port of Spain. They are barred at all times from Laventille, the southern end of Charlotte Street between Oxford Street and Park Street, Piccadilly Street, Besson Street, Beetham, Sea Lots, Cocorite, and the interior of Queen’s Park Savannah. (travel.state.gov) After dark, those employees also cannot go to Port of Spain beaches, downtown Port of Spain, Fort George, or Queen’s Park Savannah. The State Department says those staff restrictions are one factor it uses when conditions change substantially in a destination. (travel.state.gov, travel.state.gov) Level 3 is the second-highest warning in the U.S. system, below only “Do Not Travel.” The State Department says Level 3 means Americans should reconsider travel because of serious safety and security risks. (travel.state.gov) For travelers who still go, the U.S. advice is practical rather than abstract: enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, avoid poorly lit or remote areas, and expect the emergency rules to shift quickly. The warning now frames Trinidad and Tobago as a destination where crime, emergency policing powers, and limited rural health care all shape the risk calculation. (travel.state.gov, tt.usembassy.gov)