Brits issued 'do not travel' warning for 19 countries - full list of areas affected

Failing to adhere to Foreign Office advice could not only prove dangerous but could invalidate your insurance.

Fiona Callingham Lifestyle writer and Sion Morgan

12:31, 16 Dec 2024Updated 15:40, 16 Dec 2024

The old port in Byblos, one of the oldest cities in the world and one of the main cities in Lebanon

The FCDO has warned against travel to Lebanon among other countries(Image: Getty)

British travellers are being advised to stay vigilant and check the latest travel advice as the Foreign Office has issued warnings for several countries. These alerts, crucial for your protection, could also have consequences for your insurance if disregarded.

Owing to political instability, natural disasters, and various safety concerns, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) counsels against journeys to certain regions. Wales Online reports that the FCDO has specifically suggested avoiding "all travel" to 19 countries spanning Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America.

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Additionally, there are warnings for "all but essential travel" to three more countries. The FCDO has also flagged 46 zones within various nations. The ongoing tensions in the Middle East, particularly between Israel and Lebanon, has led the FCDO to issue refreshed travel instructions due to the risk of abrupt escalations in regional conflicts. "On 1 October, Iran launched around 200 ballistic missiles at Israel," they reported.

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Travelling against FCDO could not only prove dangerous but could invalidate your travel insurance(Image: Getty)

"On 26 October, Israel executed military operations against Iran. Keep abreast of this travel advice and other news sources as developments can occur rapidly." It's vital to review the up-to-date advice before travelling, and the current warnings from the FCDO stand as follows.

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FCDO advises against all travel

Afghanistan – “The security situation is volatile”
Belarus – “You face a significant risk of arrest”
Burkina Faso – except to the capital, Ouagadougou
Central African Republic – except to the capital, Bangui
Haiti – “Due to the volatile security situation”
Iran – “British nationals are at significant risk of arrest”
Iraq – except to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq
Israel – against all travel to Gaza, The West Bank and Northern Israel. All but essential travel to the rest of Israel
Lebanon – “Due to risks associated with the ongoing conflict between Israel, Lebanese Hizballah and other non-state actors”
Libya – “The local security situation is fragile”
Mali – except to Bamako
Niger – except to the capital city of Niamey
Russia – “Due to the risks and threats from its continuing invasion of Ukraine”
South Sudan – “Due to the risk of armed violence and criminality”
Sudan – “Ongoing military conflict in Khartoum”
Syria – “Ongoing conflict and unpredictable security conditions”
The Occupied Palestinian Territories –against all travel to Gaza, The West Bank and Northern Israel. All but essential travel to the rest of the OPTs
Ukraine – “Ongoing risk of harm to British nationals from Russian attacks across all of Ukraine”
Yemen – “Unpredictable security conditions”.

FCDO advises against all travel to parts

Algeria – all travel to within 30km of Algeria’s borders with Libya, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Tunisia
Armenia – within 5km of the full eastern border between Armenia and Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan – Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas
Benin – Northern border regions
Burundi – Cibitoke and Bubanza provinces
Cameroon – Bakassi Peninsula and within 40km of Central African Republic, Chad and Nigeria borders
Chad – Borkou, Ennedi Ouest, Ennedi Est and Tibesti provinces, Kanem Province, including Nokou, Lake Chad region and within 30km of all Chad’s other borders
Congo – Republic of Congo-Central African Republic border area in the Likouala Region, districts in the Pool Region and Mouyondzi District in the Bouenza Region
Côte d’Ivoire – borders with Burkina Faso and Mali and Côte d’Ivoire-Liberia border
Democratic Republic of the Congo – DRC-Central African Republic border, Eastern DRC, Kwamouth territory of Mai-Ndombe Province and areas in Kinshasa Province
Djibouti – Djibouti-Eritrea border
Egypt – Egypt-Libya border, North Sinai and Western Desert
Eritrea – within 25km of Eritrea’s land borders
Ethiopia – international border areas, Tigray region, Amhara region, Afar region, Gambella region, Oromia region, Somali Regional State and Benishangul-Gumuz region
Georgia – South Ossetia and Abkhazia
Indonesia –Mount Sinabung, North Sumatra, Mount Marapi, West Sumatra, Mount Semeru, East Java, Mount Ruang, Northern Sulawesi, Mount Ibu, North Maluku
Jordan – within 3km of the border with Syria
Mauritania – Eastern Mauritania, Mauritania-Western Sahara border, Tiris Zemmour, Adrar, Tagant, Hodh el Gharbi, Assaba and Guidimaka provinces
Moldova –Transnistria
Mozambique – Cabo Delgado Province, Nampula Province
Myanmar (Burma) – Chin State, Kachin State, Kayah State, Kayin State, Mon State, Rakhine State, Sagaing and Magway regions, Tanintharyi Region, Shan State North, North Mandalay Region
Nigeria – Borno State, Yobe State, Adamawa State, Gombe State
Philippines – Western and central Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago
Saudi Arabia – Saudi Arabia-Yemen border and Abha International Airport
Somalia – eastern Somaliland and Western Somaliland
Togo – Togo-Burkina Faso border
Tunisia – Western Tunisia, including the Tunisia-Algeria border and Southern Tunisia, including the Tunisia-Libya border
Turkey – within 10km of the Turkey-Syria border
Venezuela – within 80km of the Venezuela-Colombia border, within 40km of the Venezuela-Brazil border
Western Sahara – south and east of the Berm boundary line.

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Kim Il-sung Square is a large city square in the Central District of Pyongyang, North Korea, and is named after the country's founding leader, Kim Il-sung. The square was constructed in 1954 according to a master plan for reconstructing the capital after the destruction of the Korean War. It was opened in August 1954.(Image: Getty)

FCDO advises against all but essential travel

This is defined by the FCDO as: “Whether travel is essential or not is your own decision. You may have urgent family or business commitments which you need to attend to. Only you can make an informed decision based on your own individual circumstances and the risks.”

Bangladesh – “There has been widespread violence across Bangladesh”
New Caledonia – “Given ongoing tensions”
North Korea – “The security situation can change quickly with no advance warning”
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of:
Angola – Cabinda Province, border areas in Lunda Norte Province
Brazil – Amazonas State
Colombia – borders, Pacific coast, northern and central Colombia
Ecuador – Coastal Region and within 20km of the Ecuador-Colombia border
Ghana – Bawku Municipality
Guatemala – within 5km of the Mexican border
Kenya – Kenya-Somalia border and northern parts of the east coast
Kosovo – Zvečan, Zubin Potok and Leposavic, and the northern part of the city of Mitrovica
Laos – Xaisomboun Province
Malaysia – Eastern Sabah coastal islands
Mexico – Baja California, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Colima, Guerrero, Chiapas
Papua New Guinea – Hela and Southern Highlands provinces
Peru – within 20km south of the Peru-Colombia border and The Valley of the Apurímac, Ene, and Mantaro River
Tanzania – Mtwara Region along the Tanzania-Mozambique border
Thailand –parts of the south, near the Thailand-Malaysia border
Uganda– Queen Elizabeth National Park and Semuliki National Park.