Eritrea Travel Advisory 2026

Current U.S. State Department advisory

Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution

Be aware of heightened risks to safety and security. Most popular travel destinations worldwide sit at this level. Advisory as of July 30, 2023.

Official source: travel.state.gov

US vs UK: how the advice compares

🇺🇸 United States — travel.state.gov

Level 2· Exercise Increased Caution

Level 2 of 4 · as of July 30, 2023

🇬🇧 United Kingdom — FCDO (GOV.UK)

Advises against all travel to parts of the country

Last updated April 27, 2026 · gov.uk advice

Latest UK update note: “Updated information on local security measures (‘Safety and security’ page).”

See all countries where the two governments disagree on the US vs UK comparison page.

Advisory level timeline

July 30, 2023 — current
Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Latest official advisory as captured in our snapshot.
No advisory level changes recorded for Eritrea since we began tracking in July 2026. We log every future change here, with dates and official change notes.

Is Eritrea safe? What the official advisory says

Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed.

Exercise increased caution in Eritrea due to travel restrictions, limited consular assistance, landmines, and wrongful detentions.

Country Summary: The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Eritrea, as U.S. government employees must obtain special authorization to travel outside of Asmara.

U.S. citizens visiting or residing in Eritrea, including dual U.S.-Eritrean nationals, have been arrested and detained without charge or on false charges. The Department has determined that the risk of wrongful detention of U.S. nationals by the Eritrean government exists.

Eritrean law enforcement officials routinely block access by U.S. government officials to U.S. citizens in detention. The U.S. Embassy therefore may not receive notification of your arrest or be allowed access to you if you are detained or arrested.

There are landmines in many remote areas in Eritrea, particularly in Nakfa, AdiKeih, Arezza, the 25 mile-wide region (40 km) between the Setit and Mereb Rivers, and in areas north and west of Keren, areas near Massawa, Ghinda, Agordat, Barentu, Dekemhare, and south of Tessenae.

Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Eritrea.

Condensed from the official State Department advisory of July 30, 2023 — read the full advisory before you travel.

Eritrea travel advisory FAQ

What is the current travel advisory level for Eritrea?

As of July 30, 2023, the U.S. State Department rates Eritrea at Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Be aware of heightened risks to safety and security. Most popular travel destinations worldwide sit at this level.

What does Level 2 mean?

Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) — Be aware of heightened risks to safety and security. Most popular travel destinations worldwide sit at this level.

When did the Eritrea travel advisory last change?

The current advisory was published on July 30, 2023. No level changes have been recorded since we began tracking in July 2026 — this page will log every future change.

Does the UK government agree with the US advisory for Eritrea?

The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) position: Advises against all travel to parts of the country (last updated April 27, 2026). The US and UK use different systems — the US assigns a 1–4 level, while the UK either advises against travel (entirely or in part) or issues no overall warning.