U.S. updates travel warnings

The State Department’s latest travel guidance keeps dozens of destinations in higher-risk categories, with 23 countries at Level 3 and six Mexican states at Level 4. (travel.state.gov) The department’s four-tier system runs from Level 1, “Exercise Normal Precautions,” to Level 4, “Do Not Travel.” It says advisories can change whenever conditions shift substantially or when the United States changes staffing or movement rules for government personnel. (travel.state.gov) Mexico remains under a national Level 2 advisory dated August 12, 2025, but the warning is stricter in some states. The State Department lists Colima, Guerrero, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, and Zacatecas at Level 4, and it tells U.S. travelers to follow the same restrictions imposed on U.S. government employees. (travel.state.gov) The Mexico advisory says violent crime includes homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery, and it warns that emergency services are limited or unavailable in some remote areas. It also bars U.S. government employees from intercity travel after dark in many parts of the country. (travel.state.gov) Two of the most recent Level 3 cases are São Tomé and Príncipe and Nigeria, both updated on April 8, 2026. São Tomé and Príncipe was raised to Level 3 over unrest and health risks, while Nigeria’s Level 3 notice was updated to reflect a deteriorating security situation around U.S. Embassy Abuja. (travel.state.gov 1) (travel.state.gov 2) In São Tomé and Príncipe, the State Department says U.S. government employees have needed special permission to travel there since March 24, 2026. It points to political party conventions in early April, a presidential election on July 19, and legislative elections on September 27 as events that could trigger demonstrations or transport disruptions. (travel.state.gov) Nigeria’s advisory says the department authorized non-emergency U.S. government employees and family members to leave Abuja on April 8, 2026. It also expanded the “Do Not Travel” list inside Nigeria to include Plateau, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger, and Taraba states, citing terrorism, crime, kidnapping, and unrest. (travel.state.gov) Azerbaijan is also at Level 3 under a March 12, 2026 advisory that cites terrorism, armed conflict, and landmines. The State Department says the warning level increased to 3, and it separately marks the southern border region, the Armenia border, and the former Nagorno-Karabakh area at Level 4. (travel.state.gov) The Azerbaijan notice ties the higher warning to the threat of drone and missile attacks from Iran after hostilities involving the United States and Iran began on February 28, 2026. It also says commercial flights were seriously disrupted after a March 5 drone strike on Nakhchivan International Airport. (travel.state.gov) For travelers, the practical advice is unchanged: check the destination page before departure, enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, and expect rules to vary inside a country, not just across borders. The State Department says conditions can change at any time, and its advisory map is meant to be checked before every trip. (travel.state.gov)