Citizen Services
What Are Travel Warnings, Country Specific Information & Public Announcements?
Travel Warnings are issued when the Department of State decides to recommend that Americans avoid travel to a certain country.
Public Announcements disseminate information about terrorist threats and other relatively short-term and/or transnational conditions posing significant risks to the security of American travelers. They are made any time there is a perceived threat, usually with Americans as a particular target group. In the past, Public Announcements have dealt with short-term coups, bomb threats to airlines, violence by terrorists, and anniversary dates of specific terrorist events.
Country Specific Information are available for every country in the world. Information includes location of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate, unusual immigration practices, health conditions, minor political disturbances, unusual currency and entry regulations, crime and security information, and drug penalties. If an unstable condition exists that is not severe enough to warrant a Travel Warning, a description of the condition(s) may be included under an optional section entitled "Safety/Security." On limited occasions, we also restate any U.S. Embassy advice given to official employees. Country Specific Information generally do not include advice, but present information in a factual manner so the traveler can make his or her own decision regarding travel to a particular country.